Quoted by the official news agency IRNA, local medical officials said the toll was a preliminary figure that only covered persons so far admitted for medical care.

The quake struck at 11:51 am (0721 GMT), with the epicentre around 35 kilometres (22 miles) outside Borujerd, one of the largest towns in Lorestan province. The town and its surrounding area is home to around 400,000 people.

IRNA said a group of around 200 people from surrounding villages have travelled to Borujerd to demand tents and other relief supplies.

Borujerd's governor, Jafar Arjomand Abassi, said 10 villages around the town were badly damaged, but added the "situation is not worrying".

Iran sits astride several major faults in the earth's crust, and is prone to frequent violent earthquakes. During the 20th century, some 170,000 people died in about 20 quakes.

In December 2003, a 6.7 magnitude quake struck Bam in the southeastern province of Kerman, killing more than 31,000. Another quake in Kerman province last February killed 612 people and injured 1,400.

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