AP -- Iran's state TV is reporting a magnitude 6.1 earthquake has jolted a sparsely populated area in the country's southeast. There are no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The quake, initially reported as magnitude 6.3, was centered 36 miles northeast of Kerman, a city of more than 821,000. It was very shallow, at a depth of 6.2 miles, which would have amplified the shaking.

According to Associated Press, The Friday quake jolted Hojedk town, about 1,100 kilometers (683 miles) southeast of the capital Tehran. The farming town has a population of 3,000 and is frequently hit by quakes.

A magnitude-6.0 quake is considered strong and capable of causing severe damage. The U.S. Geological Survey has put the magnitude at 6.

Last month, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck western Iran, killing 530 and injuring more than 9,000 people. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 quake flattened the historic southern city of Bam, killing 26,000 people.

Iran is located on major seismic faults and averages a quake per day.