Powerful quake hits Iraq and Iran

The temblor was centered 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Halabja, Iraq, and had a depth of 33.9 kilometers (21 miles), the US Geological Survey said.

A 12-year-old boy was killed and over 50 people were injured in Iraq, according to the official statements. The two Turkish organizations will also conduct search and rescue operations if needed, Kalın said.

According to the source, as a result of the quake, one person died in the city of Dzhalylya.

"The situation there is very critical", Rasheed told Reuters. There was extensive structural damage to buildings and homes. That town was struck by a powerful quake on November 12, 2017, that left at least 6 dead.

A Rudaw TV news anchor interviewed a guest in the Kurdish city of Sulaimani in northeastern Iraq when the studio was hit by the quake.

The natural disaster on Sunday measured 6.5 magnitude, the official said according to preliminary results.

Iraq's interior minister ordered civil defence and fire fighting crews to be on high alert after the quake.

The quake was even felt in the Iranian capital Tehran. Media gave contradictory casualty figures.

Scores of people were injured in the border city of Qasr-e Shirin in Iran, state TV reported.

The centre was reported by the USGS to be in the southeast of Iraq's Sulaymaniya province, close to the Iranian border. Eight villages were damaged ...

Iran's semi-official Iranian ILNA news agency says at least 14 Iranian provinces were affected.