Latest News from Bandar Abbas Earthquake: 99 Injured and 1 Dead

Two earthquakes measuring above 6 on the Richter scale struck Hormozgan Province on Sunday afternoon within two minutes of each other. As a result of these tremors, several communication routes were blocked and more than three thousand residential units were damaged.

The earthquake on Sunday, November 14th in Bandar Abbas has so far resulted in 99 injured and 1 death. Two of the injured are reported to be in critical condition. The spokesperson for Hormozgan Medical Sciences University stated that most injuries occurred due to panic caused by the earthquake or while evacuating and leaving the area.

The head of the earthquake section at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Research Center said that Hormozgan Province’s crisis headquarters is on full alert.

According to the director general of the Crisis Management Office and Machinery and Road Maintenance of the Road and Transportation Organization, roads and highways have not suffered serious damage. He stated: “Only at two points on the Bandar Abbas – Hajji Abad axis, one within the Hajji Abad Highway Police zone and another at the southern mouth of the Tangzagh tunnel, we were forced to temporarily close this axis due to rockfall and debris falling onto the road surface.”

This comes as the director general of crisis management at Hormozgan Province’s governorate stated that “serious damages have been inflicted on some routes” and rockfalls have occurred in multiple instances. He also estimated that more than three thousand residential units have been damaged between 10 to 100 percent.

Earthquake Magnitude and Epicenter

At 3:36 PM on Sunday, November 14th, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 on the Richter scale occurred north of Bandar Abbas, and two minutes later at 3:38 PM, another earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 was recorded in the area.

Various reports have been released regarding the magnitude and epicenter of this earthquake.

The head of the earthquake section at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Research Center reported the epicenter of the earthquake to be 47 kilometers north of Bandar Abbas with a magnitude of 6.5, stating “Based on reports I received, this earthquake was also felt in Kerman.”

The director of Iran’s Red Crescent Society, however, reported the earthquake’s magnitude as 6.4 on the Richter scale with an epicenter at a depth of 18 kilometers in the waters off Qeshm Island, stating that this earthquake was also felt in Mount Geno.

According to him, this earthquake was also felt in Bandar Abbas, Minab, Rudan, and Qeshm Island.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center reported the earthquake’s magnitude as 6.5 Richter occurring 68 kilometers northwest of Bandar Abbas.

According to the United Arab Emirates Meteorology Center, aftershocks from the earthquake in southern Iran were felt in several regions of the UAE and Saudi Arabia as well.

Al Arabiya reported that a number of residents in some eastern regions of Saudi Arabia also felt minor tremors.

Source: DW