Quake Hits Central Iran,No Early Reports Of Damage

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook the central Iranian province of Yazd on Wednesday.

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook the central Iranian province of Yazd on Wednesday, causing the collapse of a few roofs but no casualties, official media said.

The quake struck in the area of Behabad, a town of 10,000 people 160 km (100 miles) east of the city of Yazd, the IRNA news agency said. The area is not close to Iran's main oil producing areas.

In an old neighbourhood of Behabad, the roofs of three houses collapsed and cracks appeared in the walls of dozens of buildings, a senior provincial official said.

"This 5.1 earthquake did not cause any injuries," the official, identified only with his surname Eghel, told the Web site of the state broadcaster. IRNA later said there was another quake in the same area, with a 4.7 magnitude.

Experts say Iran is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world as it is crossed by several major faultlines.