Magnitude 5.3 earthquake strikes near Iraq's Sulaimaniya

SULAIMANIYA: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck near the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniya on Saturday, the US Geological Survey reported. Local medics said no injuries were reported and officials said there was no significant material damage.

USGS said the quake occurred 71 km southeast of the city at a depth of 10 km.

Sulaimaniya's seismic monitoring office said it took place near the town of Darbandikhan and was felt in several other towns nearby.

Media reports in neighbouring Iran said the quake had a magnitude of 5.1 and shook the border town of Ezgeleh, but that there were no immediate reports of damage.

"This earthquake occurred in Iraq and was felt in Ezgeleh, and thankfully so far no damage has been reported," provincial emergency management head Jalil Balayi told the semi-official news agency Mehr.