Iran’s death toll climbs to 530 after earthquake near Iran-Iraq border

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Iran's death toll climbs to 530 after powerful earthquake near Iran-Iraq border

PlayMosleh Pirkhezranian/Islamic Republic News Agency via AP

WATCH Hundreds dead in earthquake near Iran-Iraq border

The death toll in Iran has climbed to 530 after a powerful earthquake struck the Iran and Iraq border region Sunday, Iran's state-run news agency said.

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Over 7,400 others in Iran were injured, the IRNA news agency said.

PHOTO: Medics attend to quake victims at a field hospital in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in the western Kermanshah province near the border with Iraq on Nov. 14, 2017. — Medics attend to quake victims at a field hospital in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in the western Kermanshah province near the border with Iraq on Nov. 14, 2017.

PHOTO: Iranian soldiers carry the body of an earthquake victim near the wreckage of a collapsed building in the city of Pole-Zahab, in Kermanshah Province, Iran, Nov. 13, 2017. — Iranian soldiers carry the body of an earthquake victim near the wreckage of a collapsed building in the city of Pole-Zahab, in Kermanshah Province, Iran, Nov. 13, 2017.

"People have been scared" after the magnitude-7.3 quake, Hamzeh Zarei, speaking in Farsi, told ABC News in Iran.

"People do not dare to go back home, so they have camped around the city and they are sleeping in the tents," he said. "And it is very cold. But, being afraid of their lives, scared of what happened last night, they all stayed here outside."

PHOTO: A man lies atop salvaged mattresses and other possessions outside damaged buildings in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in the western Kermanshah province of Iran on Nov. 14, 2017, following a 7.3 magnitude earthquake two days before. — A man lies atop salvaged mattresses and other possessions outside damaged buildings in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in the western Kermanshah province of Iran on Nov. 14, 2017, following a 7.3 magnitude earthquake two days before.

Zarei said people were in need off tents and blankets and he said people "urgently needed drinking water.”

Rescuers today dug through debris from the collapsed buildings.

PHOTO: An Iranian man looks through the damaged stairwell of a building in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in the western Kermanshah province near the border with Iraq, Nov. 14, 2017. — An Iranian man looks through the damaged stairwell of a building in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in the western Kermanshah province near the border with Iraq, Nov. 14, 2017.

PHOTO: Rescue personnel conduct search and rescue work following a 7.3-magnitude earthquake at Sarpol-e Zahab in Irans Kermanshah province, Nov. 13, 2017. — Rescue personnel conduct search and rescue work following a 7.3-magnitude earthquake at Sarpol-e Zahab in Iran's Kermanshah province, Nov. 13, 2017.

PHOTO: A car trapped under wreckage after an earthquake in the city of Pole-Zahab, in Kermanshah Province, Iran, Nov. 13, 2017. — A car trapped under wreckage after an earthquake in the city of Pole-Zahab, in Kermanshah Province, Iran, Nov. 13, 2017.

Deadly earthquake strikes the Iran-Iraq border region Over 400 killed, thousands injured in earthquake near Iran-Iraq border

Hassan Rouhani, president of Iran, went to see the damage today in Kermanshah, which appeared to be the most affected area, The Associated Press said.

Rouhani said, "This was a pain for all Iranians," according to a statement on the presidency's website, the AP said. "Representing the nation of Iran, I offer my condolences to the people of Kermanshah, and tell them that all of us are behind Kermanshah."

PHOTO: A boy rides a bicycle past earthquake damaged buildings in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in Irans western Kermanshah province near the border with Iraq, Nov. 14, 2017. A powerful earthquake struck the region on Nov. 12. — A boy rides a bicycle past earthquake damaged buildings in the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in Iran's western Kermanshah province near the border with Iraq, Nov. 14, 2017. A powerful earthquake struck the region on Nov. 12.

The quake hit Iran much harder than Iraq. Seven deaths and 535 injuries were reported in Iraq, the Interior Ministry said, according to the AP.

PHOTO: A map shows the epicenter of the Nov. 12, 2017 earthquake that struck Iran and Iraq. — A map shows the epicenter of the Nov. 12, 2017 earthquake that struck Iran and Iraq.

Amina Mohammed said she and her sons fled their home in Darbandikhan, Iraq, as the house fell apart, the AP reported.

"I screamed to God and it must have been him who stopped the stairs from entirely collapsing on us," she said, according to the AP.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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