"Iran is criss-crossed with fault lines and is regularly hit by
earthquakes, experiencing at least one slight tremor every day on average,"
Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency said.
"The government will provide the necessary facilities for the people of
Teheran to live in other cities," Ahmadinejad said.
The last major earthquake to have struck Iran was in 2003 when more than
26,000 people were killed in Bam. The earthquake led to an examination by
the Iranian government to move from Teheran.
Officials said the government has established shelters throughout the
Teheran region. They said 25 emergency facilities were being prepared in
Teheran to provide temporary accommodations for 1.1 million people.
The largest shelter was located in a soccer stadium. Officials said the
Civil Defense Department has equipped Azadi Stadium with tents, food and
emergency supplies in preparation for a disaster.
For his part, Ahmadinejad warned Iranians of the prospect of a massive
earthquake in Teheran. The president warned residents to prepare to flee to
other parts of the country.