Powerful earthquake quake in Iran

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 at 7:55 pm

TEHRAN: A powerful earthquake jolted a major port city on the Gulf in southern Iran on Wednesday, killing three persons and injuring 22.

The US Geological Survey said the 6.1 magnitude quake hit at 1100 GMT about 53 kilometres (33 miles) west-southwest of the port of Bandar Abbas, which is home to an oil refinery and the country’s main navy base.

Iranian state television said 3 person have been killed and 22 injured while some buildings were destroyed.

It said the tremor lasted about 30 seconds but was followed by at least 10 aftershocks, the most powerful measuring 4.8 on the Richter Scale.

The provincial head of the national disasters office, Yaser Hazbavi, told state television that there was some damage around Qeshm island, which lies just of the Gulf coast of Bandar Abbas in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Initially he had said no casualties were likely.

“A Red Crescent crew is in the area inspecting the situation,” he said adding that power has been cut in some parts of Qeshm island.

The tremor was felt in Bandar Abbas, which is capital of Hormozgan province, and further a field, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

It quoted local officials as saying some buildings were destroyed and that the quake had a magnitude of more than six on the Richter scale.

Iran sits astride several major faults in the earth’s crust, and is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of which have been devastating.

The worst in recent times hit Bam in southeastern Kerman province in December 2003, killing 31,000 people — about a quarter of the city’s population — and destroying the city’s ancient mud-built citadel.

Powerful earthquake quake in Iran

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