Tasnim � An earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale struck an area in Iran�s northern province of Gilan on Wednesday afternoon but there are no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The temblor jolted an area in the city of Ahmadsargurab in Gilan Province at 2:23 p.m. (local time) on Wednesday.

Speaking to Tasnim, the director-general of the crisis management department of the province said there have been no reports of casualties so far.

Iran is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, being crossed by several major fault lines that cover at least 90% of the country. As a result, earthquakes in Iran occur often and are destructive.

On November 12, 2017, the western province of Kermanshah was hit by a major 7.3-magnitude quake that killed 620 people.

The deadliest quake in Iran's modern history happened in June 1990. It destroyed the northern cities of Rudbar, Manjil, and Lushan, along with hundreds of villages, killing an estimated 37,000 people.

Bam in the country�s southeastern province of Kerman witnessed a strong quake in December 2003 which killed 31,000 people.