By  Trend

An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale shook Iranian western province of Kermanshah on April 1.

The tremors occurred at 13:05 local time (UTC ?+4:30), according to a report from the seismography center affiliated with Tehran University Geophysics Institute, Iran's state-run IRINN TV reported.

The earthquake's epicenter was located at a depth of 8 kilometers underground near the town of Sarpol-e Zahab.

There was no immediate report on possible casualties or damage.

Iran sits astride several major faults in the earth's crust and is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of which have been devastating.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake jolted the Kermanshah province last November killing about 600 and leaving more injured.

The earthquake destroyed a big number of residential units in the urban and rural areas of the province.