TEHRAN - An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale occurred near the city of Khoy, northwestern West Azarbaijan province, early on Wednesday.

The incident hit the region at 3:51 local time. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km.

Some 40 aftershocks followed the main earthquake.

Abbas Jafari, the director general of the West Azarbaijan crisis management department, said that at least 1,126 people have been injured due to the earthquake, including 113 who were hospitalized.

"As a result of the earthquake, 112 rural residential units were completely destroyed and 500 residential units have been damaged between 20 and 50 percent," he added.