A relatively strong earthquake measuring 4.9 on Richter scale jolted port city of Bandar Abbas in southern province of Hormuzgan early Wednesday morning and caused panic among residents, according to preliminary data, 269 people were injured, the Iranian Fars news agency reported.
"A total of 44 people of those suffered from the earthquake were taken the hospital, as their state is serious. Other injured people were discharged after receiving outpatient medical aid," the head of the emergency situations organization in the Iranian Hormuzgan province, Ahmad Geybi said.
According to Geybi, at present, the situation in the Bandar Abbas city is stable, but people are still afraid of staying at home. "An exact amount of the damage is not yet known, but the people say the earthquake fully destroyed 2 houses and damaged 31 houses," Geybi said.