YEREVAN, AUGUST 18, ARMENPRESS. A powerful earthquake struck early August 18 in western Iran, injuring dozens of people in a region near the border with Iraq.

Local authorities said they fear the quake may have caused widespread destruction in rural areas.

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit at a depth of around 10 kilometers in an area 36 kilometers southeast of the Iranian city of Abdanan. It was followed by a series of aftershocks.

The quake injured 60 people in Abdanan and cut off water, electricity and phone lines in the city, as informs “Armenpress”, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

A local official told IRNA that authorities are expecting to find massive destruction in rural areas close to the epicenter, which was roughly 40 kilometers from the Iraqi border and not far from Iranian oil exploration and production facilities.

The quake affected three Iranian provinces -- Ilam, Lorestan and Khuzestan -- IRNA reported.