Alarm bells ringing in Greater Tehran

Possibility of a larger earthquake exists

According to FC News Agency, as we have compassionately published articles on this site regarding the possibility of such an event for some time, an earthquake was felt in Tehran moments ago. The epicenter of this earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 Richter was in Miskhin Dasht in Alborz Province.

According to the announcement by the Geophysics Institute of Tehran University, the exact time of the earthquake was 23:27, and the earthquake was felt in Qom, Qazvin, Gilan, and Arak in addition to Tehran. The magnitude of the earthquake was reported as 5.2 Richter.

The head of Iran’s Seismic Data Database Center said in this regard: So far, 6 aftershocks have been recorded, and if this was the main earthquake, aftershocks will continue.

Mehdi Rahmati, stating that 6 aftershocks have been recorded so far, said: After the occurrence of a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, two aftershocks of 2.1 and 4 aftershocks of less than 2 Richter have occurred.

He said: There is a possibility that a larger earthquake may occur.

Radi, the head of the country’s Seismology Center, also announced: It appears that the end of the Ashtarhart fault has been activated and people should be cautious.

Most experts believe that Tehran will sooner or later witness a major earthquake, and considering the population density, dilapidated urban texture, lack of emergency response facilities, and hospital destruction, this earthquake could turn into a human catastrophe. Despite all these warnings, the government, municipality, and citizens still take no measures to strengthen the city’s structures against earthquakes.

It would be better, instead of holding futile meetings and wasting time, to act as quickly as possible and think of fundamental solutions and proceed with the following points in mind.

1- The necessity of raising the level of safety standards in buildings and urban infrastructure, even in areas where the possibility of earthquakes is lower

2- Strengthening and securing vital urban networks such as communication lines, electricity, water, and gas networks in large cities.

3- The necessity of increasing the level of coordination between relief forces and urban agencies.

4- Scientific and organized attention to social abnormalities and psychological problems.

5- Research and university programs in the field of earthquake prediction and hazard reduction