Magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes western Iran

Tehran - The US Geological Survey says a magnitude 6.3 earthquake has struck western Iran near its border with Iraq.

The earthquake Sunday night hit near Sarpol-e-Zahab in Iran’s Kermanshah province.

State television in Iran reported the quake, saying it had magnitude of 6.4.

Varying magnitudes are common in the immediate aftermath of a temblor.

The earthquake was shallow, which can cause severe damage. It was felt as far as Baghdad, the Iraqi capital.

A November 2017 earthquake in the same area killed over 400 people.