GEOFON, the Global Seismic Network with seismic waveform monitoring data stations in Europe, the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean regions, had posted initital reports of a 5.5 magnitude earthquake striking at 9:59 a.m. (local time). The German-based research institute later confirmed the strength as 5.6, as well as a series of strong tremors which followed until 12:32 p.m.
Its epicenter was reported as 23 kilometers west of Mandali, a diverse border town in Diyala province that is home to Kurds, Turkmen and Arabs. Mandali is a Kurdistani or disputed area claimed by both Erbil and Baghdad.
Another 4.4 earthquake hit nearby halfway between the Kurdish majority cities of Kermanshah and Sanandaj in Iranian Kurdistan on Sunday morning in the already fragile city which suffered from a 7.3 magnitude quake in November.
Local media has reported some injuries and infrastructure damage.
A 2017 earthquake that struck near the Iraq-Iran border the evening of November 12 left 620 dead and over 12,000 wounded in Iran with massive infrastructure damage. The 7.3 magnitude quake was the deadliest of 2017.
Since then, at least 1,600 aftershocks have been recorded in Kermanshah province.
Ten cities and 1,930 villages were affected across the province and poor quality construction of low-income housing in the Kurdish majority community is being blamed as a contributing factor for the high death toll.
This story was last updated at 2:49 p.m.
