Qazvin, Iran Earthquake

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Posting Date: June 24, 2002, 8:30:00 AM

A strong earthquake struck western Iran at 7:28 a.m. local time (02:58 UTC) on Saturday, June 22, 2002. The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the earthquake's magnitude at 6.5. Focal depth was estimated at about 6 miles (10 km). The quake was centered near the towns of Avaj and Abgarm in the northwest mountain province of Qazvin along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. The site is about 65 miles (105 km) north-northeast of Hamadan, Iran, and about 140 miles (225 km) west of the capital, Tehran. Several aftershocks were reported. More than 90 villages in eight provinces were damaged by the quake, which destroyed about 5,000 homes. Areas with mud brick houses were completely ruined according to reports. More than 200 people were estimated killed and about 1,300 were injured. Iran is a seismically active region. The Iranian plateau is centered between three plates: the Arabian and Eurasian plates converging in a north-south direction, and the Arabian plate moving transcurrently with the Indian plate to the east. Tectonic studies indicate that the plateau has a very high density of active and young faults and that reverse faulting dominates the tectonics of the region. Moderate tremors are reported almost daily. In 1962, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake in the same area killed about 12,000 people. AIR will continue to monitor events in the area

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Posting Date: June 24, 2002, 8:30:00 AM