TEHRAN – The government will provide some 3 trillion rials (about $71 million) to make up for the damage caused by earthquake in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan, Majid Joudi, an official with the Housing Foundation has said.

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Tark county in East Azarbaijan province on Friday, which killed six people and injured over 580 others. 

“More than 3,000 residential units have been destroyed that need reconstruction and 1,500 must be repaired,” IRNA quoted Joudi as saying on Monday.

“Each quake-affected family will receive 300 million rials (about $7,000) in non-repayable loans and some 400 million rials (around $9,500) in low-interest loans,” he stated.

The families whose houses have been completely demolished will be granted 100 million rials (about $2,400) to rent a house, he highlighted.

FB/MG