The death toll from twin earthquakes in Iran has risen to 250, Iranian state television said on Sunday, while over 2,000 were injured and thousands spent the night outdoors after the quake leveled villages and damaged homes in the country's northwest. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that Saturday's first quake at 4:53 p.m. (1223 GMT) had a magnitude of 6.4 and struck 37 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of the city of Tabriz at a depth of 9.9 kilometers (6.2 miles). The second quake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck 11 minutes later, the U.S.G.S. reported. Its epicenter was 29 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Tabriz at a depth of 6.1 miles (9.8 kilometers), according to a report of the Associated Press. The quakes hit the towns of Ahar, Haris and Varzaqan in East Azerbaijan province, Iranian television reported. At least six villages were totally leveled, and 60 others sustained damage ranging from 50 to 80 percent, it said. At least 10 aftershocks jolted the same area and were felt in a wide region near the Caspian Sea, causing panic among the population.
