On Saturday evening, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred in Khoy, located in Iran's West Azerbaijan Province. Iranian media said that at least three people died and 816 were injured.
According to emergency services spokesperson Mojtaba Khaledi, 973 people sustained injuries due to the earthquake in Khoy. All of them were hospitalized, with as many as 858 admitted to a hospital in Khoy, while others were taken to hospitals in the county of Chaypareh and in the city of Salmas.
At least 17 temporary shelters have been put up in the West Azerbaijan province to support those affected by the earthquake, the Iranian news agency said.
Local residents are reportedly concerned about the shortage of diesel fuel, necessary for heating the premises, as it was snowing on the night when the earthquake struck.
Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi allayed these fears, saying that all temporary shelters would be heated and the remaining residents would be transferred to other towns where they will also be accommodated, the IRNA said.