Iran earthquake: Your experiences

An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale has caused the deaths of hundreds of people in Iran.

Aftershocks are expected for two more weeks after the original quake, which was felt across eight provinces.

The first tremor came at 07:28 local time (02:58 GMT) on Saturday morning and around 60 villages have sustained heavy damage, with some entirely destroyed.

Houses in the area are traditionally made from mud which can't withstand the force of an earthquake.

Electricity and water supplies to the area have been cut off and the homeless are temporarily sheltering in tents.

Russia and the UK have both offered assistance in the disaster.

Did you feel the earthquake? What happened to you? E-mail us with your experiences.

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This Talking Point has now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

Please help us

Amir, Iran

It is horrible, the government is doing nothing to help the people, we have being without food, water or shelter that will protect us from the freezing weather at night. Please help us, we the hardworking people of Iran are suffering. I see my friends and their relatives sleeping on the filthy ground, and no government official has taken responsibility to send aid to the victims.
Amir, Iran

How can we help here, outside Iran? How can we send donations and who to? Appreciate if you can advise. We are desperate to help somehow! Thanks.
Pam Keshavarzian, United Kingdom

It was just like a powerful shock wave everything was trembling, I was so confused , really I didn't know what's going on.
Yasser Zarea, Iran

I am working in Tehran and I felt a strong shake in my apartment building as I was preparing for work. Very little disruption here but local news shows tremendous devastation and it is very distressing to see so much damage and so many bodies.
Paul Wood, Iran

This morning, my cousin and I woke up by terrible shaking of floor, ceiling and furniture but I couldn't move because of fear and I don't want to experience it again, it was horrible.
Asal, Iran

When the earthquake happened I was lying on my bed. I thought my mother was shaking me to wake up, but when I opened my eyes I didn't see my mother and then I found out it was an earthquake.
Atousa, Iran-Tehran

The houses were trembling strongly

Sari Kuivalainen, Finland

I'm doing research here in Iran, and woke up this morning just a few moments before the earthquake. Fortunately I'm in Rasht, about 170 km from Qazvin, but even from this distance, all the houses were trembling strongly and the feeling of helplessness hit hard. The authorities here don't really show any pictures or detailed information about today's happenings, so it's great to be able to hear more specific news from abroad.
Sari Kuivalainen, Finland

I have a sister living in the area. How can I find out if she is OK?
Denise McMullan, Canada

For the information of Denise McMullan from Canada who is searching for her sister: the destruction is only limited to the cities of Avaj and Bou'in-Zahra. You can call your embassy in Tehran. The phone numbers are: (9821) 873 2623, 873 2624, 873 2625 and 873 2626.
Sina, Iran

Those who have been unable to reach loved ones after the earthquake in Iran, please send details to [e-mail] or visit www.locators-online.org
We have volunteers in Iran who may be able to help.
David T. Thomas, Turkey

The chair I was sitting on started to whirl around

Mary Partovi, Tehran Iran

I was sitting having my breakfast here in Tehran when the chair I was sitting on started to whirl around beneath me and I knew it was a quake.
Mary Partovi,
Tehran Iran

I was in the bathroom taking a shower and I didn't realise anything until I heard the news from the TV.
Nazy, Iran

I was just out of bed when it started; the feeling was very bad. Waking up while you're shaking is a feeling I don't want to experience again.
Armen, Iran

It was frightening seeing all the buildings go to ground. I went out where I was safe and would not get hurt.
Clive, Iran

This awful event which was somehow predictable shows the major threat that is being ignored. This morning when I felt the shaking floor I wasn't surprised. There must have been an earthquake around Tehran 30 years ago, meaning a powerful and even increasing energy is gathering, and when it comes the time of the earthquake, the result will be one the tragic earthquakes in the history... I hope this never happen, but I'm not optimistic.
Ebrahim R.Khojasteh, Iran