UPDATE 4 - 9 dead in eastern Turkey after earthquake

UPDATES WITH NUMBER OF INJURED; CHANGES DECK, LEDE; ADDS DETAILS, REMARKS OF HEALTH MINISTER; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Burak Bir, Fahri Aksut and Havva Kara Aydin

ANKARA (AA) - At least nine people died and 50 others were injured in eastern Turkey on Sunday after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near the Iranian border region, the country's health minister said.

The northwestern Iranian city of Khoy was hit twice on Sunday by 5.9 magnitude earthquakes, and tremors from the quakes were also felt in Turkey's Van province said Turkish National Disaster and Management Authority (AFAD).

Fahrettin Koca said the condition of two of the injured is serious adding that there is no life-threatening condition for remaining ones.

Also, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said some buildings were damaged in various villages in the Baskale district of the province.

He added the most damage prone constructions in the area were mud houses which locals built.

Soylu also briefed President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the ongoing search and rescue efforts, according to Turkey's Communications Directorate.

The first quake that struck at 9.24 a.m. local time (0624GMT) had a depth of 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) and the epicenter was Qotur district, according to the Iranian Seismological Center (IRSC).

Also, the IRSC announced the second quake at 7.30 p.m. local time (0430GMT) had 5.7 magnitude, with its epicenter in northwestern Zarabad region of Khoy.

So far, there are no reports of any casualties or damage in Turkey caused by the tremors of the second quake, according to AFAD.

Iran and Turkey are among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Last month, an earthquake in the eastern Turkish province of Elazig killed more than 40 people.