TEHRAN, Oct. 17 (Mehr News Agency) – An earthquake measuring 4 on the Richter scale shook Tehran on Saturday afternoon.  "The epicenter of the quake was in southeast Tehran" in the Pakdasht region, Abas-Ali Tasnimi, director of Earthquake Research Center, told the Mehr News Agency.  The tremor happened at 14: 23 p.m. local time.

Mahdi Zare', the center's deputy director, said, "The quake caused by movements of Eyvanaki fault in southeast Tehran."

Tehran sits on major seismological fault lines, and is prone to sever earthquakes. Following the earthquake in Bam, Iranian officials are considering moving the capital to safer ground.

In 2003 an earthquake measuring 6.5 on Richter scale jolted Bam city in Kerman province that left over 30,000 people dead.

The deadliest quake in the country measuring 7.7 on Richter scale shook northwestern provinces of Gilan and Zanjan leaving around 37,000 people dead.

... Payvand News - 10/17/09 ... --

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