Seismologist: Quake on Iran-Iraq border appeared to be largest in 'a long time'

Baku. 13 November. REPORT.AZ/ Sunday's quake on the Iraqi-Iranian border appeared to be the largest in "a long time."

Report informs citing the foreign media, Stephen Hicks, seismologist at the University of Southhampton in England, said.

The U.S. Geological Survey (or USGS) has said the quake was recorded at 9:18 p.m. local time (1:18 p.m. ET) Sunday. It measured the quake at a magnitude 7.3. The epicenter was 30 km south-west of the Iraqi city of Halabja.

The quake took place along a fault line between the Arabia and Eurasia tectonic plates, a belt extending through western Iran and into northeastern Iraq. Broadly, the Arabia tectonic plate is being shoved against Eurasia plate along the Bitlis Suture and Zagros fold belt at a speed of 26 mm/yr (1 in/yr), the US Geological Survey said.

According to latest information, the number of victims of the earthquake was 211 people, another 1.600 people injured.