4.9 magnitude earthquake hits Iran's Bushehr

Tehran, Jan 08: A 4.9 magnitude earthquake struck Iran near the Bushehr nuclear plant on Wednesday. There were no immediate reports of any damage.

The Bushehr plant, which produces 1,000 megawatts of power, was built by Russia after being delayed for years and officially handed over in September 2013.

A similar earthquake was reported in December last year at Bushehr plant, less than 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the country's only nuclear power plant.

The quake jolted villages near Kalameh city, semi-official news agency ISNA said, adding there were no immediate reports of any damage.

Iran is at the centre of a dispute with the United States, which suspects Iran is trying to obtain an atomic bomb, something the Islamic republic vehemently denies.

Tensions have escalated between the arch-foes following Iranian missile strikes on Iraqi bases housing US troops.

In November 2017 a 7.3-magnitude tremor in the western province of Kermanshah killed 620 people.

In 2003, a 6.6-magnitude quake in southeast Iran decimated the ancient mud-brick city of Bam and killed at least 31,000 people.

Iran's deadliest quake was a 7.4-magnitude tremor in 1990 that killed 40,000 people in northern Iran, injured 300,000 and left half a million homeless.

with PTI inputs