At least 61 people have been killed and 300 more injured after a strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the northern border region between Iran and Iraq.

The tremor sparked panic with residents rushing from their homes onto the streets.

Damage has been reported in at least eight villages in Iran and rescue teams are said to be having difficulty getting through to the worst hit areas due to landslides.

The quake struck Iraq’s mountainous area of Sulaimaniyah province at 9:18 pm local time. Its a region often hit by earthquakes, but rarely of this size.