Earthquake of magnitude 5.1 strikes near Semnan, Iran

An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale on Friday evening struck Iran's north-central province of Semnan.

The quake struck 17 kilometers (10.6 miles) from Sorkheh and 36 km (22.4 mi) from the city of Semnan, added the Iranian news agency IRNA.

At least five people have been killed and hundreds more injured in an earthquake in north-western Iran, officials say.

Iran is located in a seismically active region and has experienced many devastating earthquakes in recent years.

The most catastrophic earthquake in the country's recent history was in 2013, when at least 34,000 people died in the city of Bam, located in the southeastern Kerman province. That earthquake had a magnitude of 6.7.​​​​​​​