KERMAN – An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale struck the mountainous Fahraj area in the southern province of Kerman on Monday night, killing seven and injuring hundreds.

The quake happened at 22:12 p.m. local time.

Tehran University’s Institute of Geophysics reported that the epicenter of the quake was in Hosseinabad village in the neighborhood of Fahraj city.

Fahraj is located 300 kilometers away from the capital city of Kerman, near the city of Bam. Six aftershocks have so far jolted the region; the strongest one measured 5 on the Richter scale.

It has been reported that over 40 percent of houses in the region have been severely damaged. Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the quake-stricken areas.

Many areas in Iran are located on seismic fault lines and Iran is frequently hit by powerful earthquakes.

In 2003, a 6.6 magnitude quake flattened the southeastern city of Bam in Kerman Province, leaving about 30,000 people dead.

The deadliest earthquake of the country, measured 7.7 on the Richter scale, struck the northwestern provinces of Gilan and Zanjan in 1990, killing about 37,000 people.