London:
A moderate earthquake measuring 5.6 in magnitude struck eastern Iran on Wednesday, 48 miles (77 kilometres) north-northeast of Birjand, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
Iran's Fars news agency said people ran out of their houses in fear because of the severity of the quake and there was some damage to property, but no immediate reports of loss of life.
It said the earthquake measured 5.6 in strength and struck at 20:38 local time (1708 GMT).
Emergency teams were dispatched to the area around Zahan near the epicentre of the quake where there were reports of damage to houses, Fars said.
The USGS said the quake, which it initially recorded as magnitude 6.0, was very shallow at a depth of 3.3. miles.
Iran is situated on major fault lines and has suffered several devastating earthquakes in recent years, including a 6.6 magnitude quake in 2003 which flattened the southeastern city of Bam and killed more than 25,000 people.
In August more than 300 people were killed when two quakes struck northwestern Iran.
© Thomson Reuters 2012