The Qayen earthquake, also known as the Ardekul or Qaen earthquake, struck Northern Iran's Khorasan Province on May 10, 1997 at 07:57 UTC (12:57 local time). The largest in the area since 1990, the earthquake measured 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale and was centered approximately 270 kilometers (170 mi) south of Mashhad on the village of Ardekul. The third earthquake that year to cause severe damage, it devastated the Birjand–Qayen region, killing 1,567 and injuring more than 2,300. The earthquake—which left 50,000 homeless and damaged or destroyed over 15,000 homes—was described as the deadliest of 1997 by the United States Geological Survey. Some 155 aftershocks caused further destruction and drove away survivors.