Turkish FM phones Iranian counterpart to sympathize on saravan quake

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in a telephone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Salehi expressed sympathy with the quake-stricken people of Saravan in Iran's Southeastern Sistan and Balouchestan province.During the phone conversation, Davutoglu expressed sympathy of Turkey's government and nation for the Iranian government and nation.The Turkish foreign minister also said that his country is ready to provide any kind of assistance or relief aid to the affected people.Yesterday, a powerful earthquake jolted Southeastern Iran and several other countries across the region. The earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale jolted an area near the town of Saravan in Sistan and Balouchestan province near the border with Pakistan earlier today.The Seismological center of the Geophysics Institute of Tehran University registered the quake at 15:14 hours local time (1044 GMT).The center said the epicenter of the quake was located in an area 62.03 degrees in longitude and 28.04 degrees in latitude. It added that the quake's epicenter was located in a desert area around 81km North of Saravan and in the depth of 95km.The quake shook the area for 40 seconds. Relief and rescue squads have already rushed to the quake-hit areas.The area has already been hit by several aftershocks, including the last one which measured 4.4 on the Richter scale.Reports said the earthquake was so strong that its tremors were felt across the region of the Middle-East, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman and all the way to Pakistan, Afghanistan and North India, including Delhi, India's capital.Initial reports said that the quake has killed no one and only injured 12, including 8 outpatients and four others who have been hospitalized in nearby cities. Meantime, the earthquake destroyed more than 1000 homes in Pakistan.