Iran earthquake aftershock locations 27-01-2011- image courtesy http://www.quake-maps.com
UPDATE 28/01 – 14:31 UTC : Iranian sources citing Iran seismological services report 55 aftershocks so far and continuing. People in the Kerman province (greater Bam area) are very frightened that the current set of earthquakes may trigger powerful new ones. The last 60 years alone, 21 powerful earthquakes struck the area! Seismologist indicate that the earthquake was caused by strike-slip faulting from North-West to South-East (Khvrk fault zone)
The earthquake has been called by scientists as “scientifically very interesting”.
UPDATE 28/01 – 14:13 UTC : Aftershocks up to M 4 are still continuing. Iran local press and organizations stopped reporting about their findings and actions, only report generalities without specifics. This maybe the last update unless we get more precise data or when a major aftershock occurs. The greater area where the earthquake struck has a lot of important active fault zones. The stronger M 6.0 mainshock resulted after a relatively weaker M 4.9 quake 90 minutes before.
UPDATE 28/01 – 06:44 UTC : 7 hours later strong aftershocks are still rattling the area. The most powerful shocks were 4.3, 5.3 and 4.9 !, all at a shallow depth around 25Â km.
UPDATE 23:55 UTC : 34 earthquakes in total until midnight Iran time. The city of Mohammadabad-Rigan located some 100 km southeast of Bam suffered the brunt of tremors with both the strongest at 6.1-magnitude and the smallest-size at 3-magnitude occurring in the villages surrounding the town.
According to local officials the earthquakes left some homes in the villages damaged, but there were no reports of casualties.
UPDATE 16:30 UTC : Almost continuous earthquakes are still jolting the greater epicenter area. We have however the impression that the strength of the aftershocks is weakening.
UPDATE 15:49 UTC : AFP is reporting similar news that we presented about 2 hours ago. No casualties were caused according to local officials. ISNA news agency reports that Deputy provincial governor
Mohammad Javad Kamyab said “50 houses have been damaged in Dazan village” in Kerman province. “70 percent of houses and gardens in the Chah Ghanbar (rural) area have been destroyed and roads to the region have been blocked” was also commented. More news as it comes to hand.
UPDATE 14:23 UTC : USGS has increased his initial earthquake readings to a magnitude of M 6.0 and a very shallow depth of 10 km.
UPDATE 13:35 UTC : Bad weather is making the rescue efforts difficult. Helicopters cannot be used because of too cloudy conditions (bad vision).
Iran landscape in the vicinity of the earthquake epicenter - courtesy Panoramio image made by Habib Ali Akbari
UPDATE 13:32 UTC : Red Crescent of Iran, Kerman province has immediately dispatched rescue teams to the epicenter area to find out which aid will be needed and to monitor the extend of damage in the area.
The teams are equipped with all necessary equipment to treat wounded and to search for victims when houses are crumbled. The team has special earthquake trained dogs with them.
UPDATE 13:30 UTC : Despite his busy schedule, our Farsi translator, Bijan Khazai, has helped to translate a few articles coming out from Iran.
No casualties to report so far, however, the mountain roads are blocked and between 70 and 100 percent damage to wells, fences, gardens seen in this agricultural region have seen losses. Also in the villages, قنبر Ùˆ سيÙالديني شهرستان ريگان, nearby, stone and wooden houses have been destroyed between 70 and 100% damage. IRNA reports that the department of transportation has been sent to open the roads, and the Red Crescent Society to help victims. More news to follow! That was from a report from the Governor of the area.
UPDATE 11:42 UTC : Look at the spectacular seismogram picture from the Iran earthquake. An almost continuous shaking during more than 1 hour.
Iran seismogram from the M 6.0 - 24 km - earthquake on January 27 2011
UPDATE 11:20 UTC : Still NO specific news in the Iranian media. A total of 7 earthquakes of M+4 did struck the same area today.
UPDATE 10:23 UTC : Iranian sources report that the 4.9 and 4.1 earthquakes which hit the area prior to the mainshock of 6.0 did not inflict any damage. The outcome of the M 6.0 quake is still very uncertain (there is a huge difference between a M 4.9 and a M 6.0 earthquake)
UPDATE 10:12 UTC : The worst in recent times hit Bam in southeastern Kerman province in December 2003, killing 31,000 people – about a quarter of its population – and destroying the city’s ancient mud-built citadel.
Bam is approx. 100 km from the epicenter of today’s earthquake
UPDATE 10:02 UTC : Click here to see the location of the epicenter as reported by the Iranian seismological services
UPDATE 10:00 UTC : Iran rescue services are amongst the best organized earthquake rescue services in the world. They are only calling in external help if very damaging earthquakes are striking (like the Bam earthquake).
UPDATE 09:58 UTC : So far NO news on eventual (and probable) damage or injuries in the local press. Daylight will facilitate the rescue operations, but it can take hours before we get a clear picture of eventual damage. The number of moderate aftershocks together with the mainshock and the shallow depth makes this earthquake very dangerous.
UPDATE 09:55 UTC : The many earthquakes have occurred in a relatively scarsely populated area near the borde’r of the Kerman and Baluchestan provinces. Mohammadabad is one of the more important villages in the area.
UPDATE 09:41 UTC : Only a couple of small villages (Durandeh, Kaskuh and Dulah) are in the direct epicenter area (at a distance no more than 15 km). These data are based upon the location of the Iranian Seismological services.
UPDATE 09:23 UTC : USGS predicts a very strong shaking (VII MMI) for approx. 33 people. 1,000 people will suffer a VI MMI. 208,000 people a V shaking
UPDATE 09:20 UTC : Many aftershocks are striking the area with magnitudes close to M 5.0
UPDATE 09:15 UTC : GDACS published a GREEN earthquake alert for this earthquake = very limited chance on damage and/or injuries, but earthquake-report.com does not agree with this positive prediction
A series of 3 earthquakes have occurred in South Eastern Iran at a distance of approx. 100 km of Bam, which was destroyed almost completely in an earlier earthquake.
The magnitude and depth can be very dangerous in this part of the world.
Other details will follow soon.
Article about the latest more powerful earthquake of the series
M 6.0     2011/01/27 08:38    Depth 24 km     SOUTHEASTERN IRAN
USGS just reported a magnitude of 5.8 at 17 km depth – VERY DANGEROUS in IRAN
EMSC reports a magnitude of 5.8 at a depth of 30 km
IRAN (ISC) reports a magnitude of 6.0 at a depth of 24 km.
Other powerful shocks may follow.
We will keep you updated as this earthquake
Article about the first earthquake of the series
M 4.9     2011/01/27 07:02    Depth 54.8 km     SOUTHEASTERN IRAN
10:32:09 AM at epicenter
Just happened : another very strong earthquake with an undecided depth- very dangerous
The earthquake data are still preliminary (EMSC), Iran (ISC) has not yet published his report yet.
EMSC has reported M 5.6 at 100 km depth at this moment (not too dangerous), but earlier reporting was very different in Iran.
We are waiting for the final Iranian and USGS data.
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : Mn 6.0 + a series of other shocks starting with a M 4.9 shock 1hour 36 minutes before the most powerful one.
UTC time :Â Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 08:38:29 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 12:08:29 PM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 24 km
Quake-maps.com satellite map + I Did Feel It form
Geo-location(s) :
45 Km of Mohammad abad-e rigan, kerman
48 Km of Masjed-e hazrat-e aboulfazl, Sistan va Baluchestan
50 Km of Hosein abad, kerman
Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map of the area showing the kind of terrain the earthquake took place
USGS Shaking map
USGS historic earthquakes map
USGS impact on population map
USGS Seismic hazard map
LIVE SEISMOGRAM (Armenia Seismograph station)
GDACS Green Earthquake Alert (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System)
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