16 people injured following 5.1-magnitude earthquake in Iran

As many as 16 injuries were reported following a earthquake in west-central Iran on Sunday morning.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake registered a 5.1-magnitude on the Richter Scale near the city of Dogonbadan, also known as Gachsaran.

Emergency personnel was dispatched to Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province which was the area most impacted by the quake.

State TV did not release any immediate information about possible casualties or damage, according to Reuters.

However, several other sources reported injuries, ranging from six to 16 people being hurt.

The earthquake was not far below the surface at a depth of 10.0 km, which caused damage to buildings.

A rock slide was also reported in the Gachsaran area.

"Not only will the strength and distance away from the epicenter of an earthquake determine how much a city or town will feel the effects of the quake. But how shallow or deep in the earth's surface the earthquake occurs will also be a factor," AccuWeather Meteorologist Maura Kelly said.

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"Earthquakes deeper in the earth's crust will have less of an impact on nearby cities and towns as the seismic waves will have to travel a farther distance for reaching the surface, causing them to lose energy. However, tremors from deeper earthquakes can be felt by cities farther away from the center," Kelly said.

"Shallow earthquakes, or ones that occur closer to the surface, will not lose as much energy. This can lead to more widespread damage to buildings, which can lead to more injuries as well as deaths," Kelly said.

The same area impacted by the quake is also dealing with large wildfires across the region. There are extensive fires in several parts of Gachsaran, particularly in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad.

"Largely dry conditions and hazy sunshine are expected across central and southern Iran in the coming days," added Kelly. "High temperatures are forecast to climb near 41 C (105 F) each afternoon. This could lead to dangerous conditions as rescue and recovery efforts continue across the region this week."

Only a few weeks ago on May 8, two people died and 22 others were injured following another 5.1-magnitude earthquake that hit northern Iran.

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