Over 400 killed in Iraq and Iran strong earthquake

At least 400 people have been killed in Iran and at least several others in Iraq when a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit the region on Sunday.

According to report by the provincial deputy governor, at least 129 people were killed in Iran's Kermanshah province on the Iraqi border.

There are still people under the rubble. We hope the number of dead and injured won't rise too much, but it will rise," Mojtaba Nikkerdar said on State television.

The earthquake, was felt in several western provinces of Iran but the hardest hit province was Kermanshah. More than 300 of the victims were in Sarpol-e Zahab county in Kermanshah province, about 15 km (10 miles) from the Iraq border.

More than 60 of the victims were in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab, about 15km from the border.

Kurdish health officials also said at least four people were killed in Iraq and there were 50 injured. According to local officials, the death toll would rise as search and rescue teams reached remote areas of Iran.

The US Geological Survey said the quake measured magnitude 7.3, while an Iraqi meteorology official put its magnitude at 6.5 with the epicentre in Penjwin in Sulaimaniyah province in the Kurdistan region close to the main border crossing with Iran.