TEHRAN – A medium-sized 5.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Hormozgan on Saturday caused no damage to historical structures and sites across the southern Iranian province.

“Due to the severity of the earthquake and the importance of historical buildings, [cultural heritage] experts started inspecting possible harms across the epicenter [Bandar-e Kong] and its surroundings,” CHTN quoted Reza Borouand, the provincial tourism chief, as saying on Saturday.

"Fortunately, reports indicate that no damage has been inflicted to the historical texture of Bandar-e Kong and historic buildings in the vicinity of the port city.”
The earthquake rocked coastal areas across Hormozgan, including the Qeshm island in the Persian Gulf in the early hours of Saturday. The quake that occurred at a depth of 19 km has not killed anybody, the spokesman for the Emergency Medical Service of Iran said.

The temblor has caused limited damages to several rural houses. A 35-year-old man injuring his leg while running away after the quake has received medical care.
Known as the province of islands, Hormozgan province is located on the northern coasts of the Persian Gulf. It embraces scenic islands among which Kish, Hormuz, Hengam, and Qeshm are the most beautiful ones and top tourist destinations in southern Iran.

The country sits on major seismic faults and experiences one earthquake a day on average. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people. A magnitude 7 earthquake that struck western Iran in 2017 killed over 600 people and injured more than 9,000.

AFM/