The toll is provisional and speaks of at least one woman dead and 30 people injured during the 5.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Iran yesterday evening, with its epicenter 40 kilometers from the capital Tehran. The quake, felt in the provinces of Tehran, Guilan, Alborz, Qom, Markazi and Qazvin at 23:27 pm local time, had its epicenter in Meshkindasht, in the province of Alborz, three kilometers from Malard, a town southeast of the capital. . No direct victims of the earthquake have been reported due to collapses or destruction, but one woman died and over 30 people were injured due to the panic that spread, driving crowds of people to flee. It is in this circumstance that a pregnant woman died in Malard. The governor general of Tehran, Mohammad Hossein Moghimi, said that today all government buildings will remain closed in Tehran, Alborz and Qom and that the crisis units are ready to act. He also called on the population to be cautious, fearing new and stronger shocks. The road between Karaj and Chalous is open, but the inhabitants have been advised not to use it to leave the affected region by heading north. Three landslides broke off along the Chalous-Tehran mountain road, which was closed, with serious consequences for traffic. Many people who spent the night on the streets, in parks and other open areas of Tehran began returning to their homes in the early hours of the morning. The telephone lines went out of order after the earthquake, but only for a short time. 256 sports facilities remained open, available to those who prefer to stay away from home. Since last night there have been at least a dozen aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 2 to 3. In November, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake shook western Iran, causing over 600 deaths.
