Quake kills 350 along border of Iran, Iraq

TEHERAN - A powerful magnitude 7.3 earthquake that struck the Iraq-Iran border region killed more than 350 people in both countries, sent people fleeing their homes into the night and was felt as far west as the Mediterranean coast, authorities said on Monday.

Iran's western Kermanshah province bore the brunt of the temblor, with authorities saying the quake killed 348 people in the country and injured 6,603. The area is a rural, mountainous region where residents rely mainly on farming to make a living.

The quake also triggered landslides that hindered rescue efforts, officials told state television. At least 14 provinces in Iran had been affected, Iranian media reported.