Four dead after magnitude 4.9 earthquake in Iran
At an earthquake in Iran, according to state media, at least four people have reportedly been killed. Around 120 more people were injured by the earthquake in the northeastern part of the country, reported the state news agency Irna, citing local government representatives.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.9 and occurred at a depth of approximately ten kilometers. The earthquake was located near the Iranian city of Kashmar in the Rasawi-Khorasan province. According to Iranian government reports, about 160,000 people live in the city and surrounding areas.
There are frequent strong tremors in the region where the Arabian, Indian, and Eurasian plates collide. In a devastating earthquake series in the neighboring country Afghanistan in the fall of 2023, according to the United Nations, more than 1500 people lost their lives.
- Despite the earthquake's strength of 4.9 on the Richter scale, the proximity of Kashmar city in Iran to the collision point of the Arabian, Indian, and Eurasian plates may have resulted in fewer casualties, with at least four confirmed dead and about 120 injured.
- The round number of around 160,000 people residing in Kashmar city and its surrounds likely increased the number of individuals affected by the earthquake, raising concerns of potential escalating injuries as recoveries continue.
- Should future earthquakes of similar magnitude or stronger impact Iran again, the country's citizens would perhaps reminisce on instances such as the 2023 Afghan earthquake series, which took the lives of over 1500 people, demonstrating both the destructive power of these events and the resilience of the affected communities in times of crisis.
