Damaged houses after an earthquake in Iran. (Source: middle-east-online.com)
On January 18, Iranian media reported that at least 120 people were injured when a 5.8-magnitude earthquake shook northwest Iran, near the border with Turkey.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred near the city of Khoy in West Azerbaijan province at about 13:38 local time (17:00 Vietnam time), with the epicenter at a depth of 10 km. Meanwhile, the Seismological Center of the University of Tehran said the quake had a magnitude of 5.4 and was centered at a depth of 12 km.
According to local officials, the quake occurred about 20 minutes after a tremor with a magnitude of about 3.6 with epicenter at a depth of 13 km.
[Động đất có độ lớn 7.0 gây rung chuyển miền Đông Indonesia]
Iran’s state television channel quoted regional officials as saying at least 120 people were injured trying to flee to safety, with more than 300 houses in 15 villages damaged. Damage assessment teams have been deployed to the affected area while teams aid is on high alert.
Iran is located at the intersection of many large tectonic plates, often witnessing seismic activities. In February 2020, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake shook the border village of Habash-e Olya. Turkey killed 9 people.
The deadliest earthquake in Iran occurred in the north of the country in 1990, with a magnitude of 7.4, killing 40,000 people and injuring about 300,000, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.
Le Anh (VNA/Vietnam+)