UK offers aid after at least 400 die in Iran-Iraq quake

MORE than 400 people have been killed in an earthquake that struck Iran along its border with Iraq.

Thousands were injured and many more left homeless when the 7.3 magnitude tremor hit. Officials say the death toll is likely to rise.

The earthquake is the world’s deadliest this year and the worst to strike Iran in more than a decade. There were also a number of casualties in Iraq.

Desperate families dug into wreckage with their bare hands searching for relatives and thousands had to sleep in the street.

A mountainous area around the town of Sarpol-e Zahab in western Iran was worst hit with 300 killed.

Its main hospital was seriously damaged, leaving medics struggling to treat the wounded as members of the army were brought in to help.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson offered his condolences to the people of Iran and Iraq and said Britain ‘stands ready to help the victims’.