Hundreds of dead expected after Iran quake: Official

ANKARA/ DUBAI: An Iranian government official said on Tuesday he expected hundreds of deaths from a major earthquake that struck Iran near the border with Pakistan. Though, Iranian state TV says at least 40 people have been killed in this earthquake.
Pakistani officials said the quake has killed at least five people in Pakistan

"It was the biggest earthquake in Iran in 40 years and we are expecting hundreds of dead," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Seismologists say a major earthquake has struck a region near the Iran-Pakistan border, less than a week after a quake in Iran killed at least 37 people.

The US Geological Survey says the 7.8 quake struck the slightly populated region. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but the quake was felt as far away as in New Delhi and Gulf cities of Dubai and Bahrain. The USGS report says Tuesday's quake was at a depth of 15.2 kilometers (nine miles).

Across the Gulf, high-rise buildings swayed and officials ordered evacuations. Dubai has the world's tallest tower, the 828-meter (2,717 -foot) Burj Khalifa.

Last week, a deadly 6.1 magnitude quake about 96 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Bushehr, the site of Iran's reactor.