Quakes hit southern Iran, no casualties reported

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Several earthquakes, the largest with a magnitude of 5.8, struck southern Iran near its Gulf coast early on Wednesday, the country's seismological centre said, but state media said there was no word of any casualties.

The centre reported a series of quakes measuring 5.8, 5.2, 4.1 and 3.9 in a sparsely populated SOUTHERN (SO.NY)region.

"No reports of possible casualties have been received yet," Iranian state television said.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the first and largest quake was very shallow, with a verified epicentre only 6.2 miles (10 km) deep. It was located 55 miles (85 km) southwest of Lar, close to the southern coast.

Earthquakes are common in Iran. In 2003, some 30,000 people were killed in a quake that devastated the small southeastern city of Bam.

(Editing by Mark Trevelyan; editing by David Stamp)