TEHRAN, May 30 (UPI) -- The death toll in Iran's earthquake has increased to 45 as rescue workers discover more bodies, officials said Sunday.
The quake jolted a wide mountainous region north of Tehran Friday, causing extensive damage.
The official Islamic Republic News Agency said more than 400 people have been injured in the provinces of Qazvin and Mazandaran. Qazin's governor and five other officials were also killed Saturday when their helicopter crashed while they were flying over the affected area.
It was second severe earthquake to hit Iran in fewer than six months. A powerful earthquake devastated the southeastern city of Bam in December, killing an estimated 26,000 people and destroying more than 70 percent of the ancient city.
Friday's epicenter was at the provincial town of Baladeh, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) from Tehran. The quake measured 6.1 on the Richter scale.
Iran is situated on an active seismic fault zone where tremors are common.
