Magnitude-5.5 earthquake strikes southern Iran

By Bilal Guler

ANKARA (AA) - A magnitude-5.5 earthquake shook Hormozgan province in southern Iran, according to officials Saturday.

The quake struck at 1.01 a.m. local time (2201GMT Friday) at a depth of 19 kilometers (12 miles) with the epicenter in Bandar Lengeh district, according to Tehran University Seismological Center.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Iran is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, where earthquakes occur often and are destructive.

*Writing by Burak Dag