An earthquake measuring 4.0 degrees on the Richter scale jolted the southern province of Bushehr early Tuesday.

According to the Seismological Center of the Geophysics Institute of University of Tehran, the quake was registered at 00:05 hours local time (19:35 GMT, Monday May 9).

The epicenter of the quake was registered at 52.03 degrees longitude and 28.82 degrees latitude. There was no report of casualties or property damage.

Iran sits astride several major faults in the earth�s crust, and is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of which have been devastating.

The worst in recent times hit Bam in Kerman province in December 2003, killing 31,000 people � about a quarter of its population � and destroying the city�s ancient mud-built citadel.

The deadliest quake in the country was in June 1990 and measured 7.7 on the Richter scale. About 37,000 people were killed and more than 100,000 injured in the northwestern provinces of Gilan and Zanjan. It caused major damage to 27 towns and about 1,870 villages.

In August 2012, two quakes in Northwestern Iran also claimed the lives of 306 people and injured more than 4500 others.

By IRNA