Quakes Jolt Southwestern, Western Iranian Cities

October 27, 2002 - 0:0
TEHRAN -- An earthquake, with a magnitude of 4.3 degrees on the open-ended Richter scale, shook the city of Gachsaran in the southwestern Iranian Province of Kohkilouyeh-Boyerahmad on Friday.

Seismological bases of Tehran University registered the quake at 19:18 hour's local time (1548 GMT) with its epicenter at 10 kilometers west of the city.

Meanwhile, another earthquake measuring 3.5 degrees on the Richter scale shook the western city of Razan on Friday.

The Seismological Base of the Geophysics Institute affiliated to Tehran University said the quake occurred at 19:10 hours local time (1540 GMT) with its epicenter in north of the city.

There has been no report yet on possible casualty or property damage caused by the quakes.

At least 305 people were killed in the earthquake, which hit the northwestern and western provinces of Qazvin, Hamedan and Zanjan on June 22.

The quake, with the intensity of six on the open-ended Richter scale, also left at least 25,000 people displaced.

Iran sits on some of the world's seismic faultlines and is often shaken by earthquakes of various intensities, IRNA reported.

Meanwhile, a mild earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.2 degrees on the open-ended Richter scale, shook areas surrounding Semnan Province Saturday.

The Seismological Base of the Geophysics Institute affiliated to Tehran University said the quake occurred at 12:30 hours local time (09:00 GMT) with its epicenter somewhere in the city.

There have been no reports of casualties or damage to property.

Iran sits on some of the world's seismic faultlines and is often shaken by earthquakes of various intensities.

As of 1991, over 950 earthquakes have hit the country resulting in the death of 17,600 people and injuries to 53,300 others.