Dubai: At least six people have been reported killed after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake shook Iraq on Sunday, authorities said.

The temblor was centred 32 kilometres southwest of Halabja, near the northeastern border with Iran, the US Geological Survey said.

Initial reports had suggested that the quake did not cause any casualties or major damage in the country or in neighbouring Iran and Turkey where it was also felt. But later TV Media reported that buildings reduced to rubble - including one which collapsed on a car.

According to media reports, the quake was felt in several Iranian provinces bordering Iraq ... Eight villages were damaged ... Electricity has been cut in some villages and rescue teams have been dispatched to those areas.

It struck the mountainous area of Sulaimaniyah province at 9:18 pm (local time) at a depth of 33.9 kilometres (21 miles), the monitor said.

It was felt for about 20 seconds in Baghdad, and sometimes for longer in other provinces of Iraq, AFP journalists said.

In the province of Sulaimaniyah, located in Iraq's Kurdistan region, residents ran out onto the streets at the time of the quake and some minor property damage was recorded, an AFP reporter said.

In Iran, the ISNA news agency said that the earthquake was felt in several cities in the west of the country including Tabriz.

In southeastern Turkey, the earthquake was felt “from Malatya to Van”, an AFP correspondent said. In the town of Diyarbakir, residents also left their homes before returning.

Several UAE residents took to social media late Sunday night saying that they have felt some tremors corresponding to an earthquake.

According to Khaleej Times quoting multiple users on Twitter,  the tremors were felt not only in Dubai and Sharjah, but also in the Reem Island district of Abu Dhabi.

With inputs from AFP