A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the northern border of Iraq at 18:18 UTC on 12 November.

The epicentre of the earthquake was in the Kermanshah Province of neighbouring Iran, but it was in close proximity to the border and impacted the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

It is estimated that nine people have died in Kurdistan, and the town of Darbandikhan was particularly affected. Hundreds more are reported to be injured.

This is a mostly mountainous region, and rescue operations have been disrupted by landslides.

7.3 is on the higher end of the Richter scale, and indicates an earthquake that can cause major damage. According to USGS, the earthquake was shallow at a depth of approximately 25 km.