(CNN) — At least five people were killed Monday night after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck southeastern Iran, state-run Press TV reports.
Felt as far away as the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the temblor resounded especially between the cities of Zahedan and Bam. It struck late at night and hardest in mostly rural, relatively sparsely populated areas of Kerman province, officials said.
While five are confirmed dead so far, according to Press TV, provincial officials said that they expect the death toll to rise.
Citing local officials, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported that some buildings had been destroyed and people may be trapped underneath.
Javad Kamali, a deputy governor for Kerman province, told the Islamic Republic News Agency that the tremor knocked down phone lines throughout the region. Military and law enforcement workers could communicate only using wireless technology, he added.
