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Strong earthquakes hit southern Iran

14 November 2021 17:28 (UTC +04:00)

Two strong earthquakes, the largest a 6.4, have struck near Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, destroying a number of homes near the epicenter, local officials and residents say, APA reports.

Shaking was felt as far away as Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.

The first earthquake, which struck at 3:37 p.m. local time on Sunday (1207 GMT), was centered about 64 kilometers northwest of Bandar Abbas, the capital of Hormozgan Province, or 278 kilometers north of Dubai. A second earthquake hit the same area about a minute later.

Iran’s Seismological Center said the first earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.4, while the second one was slightly weaker, at 6.3. Both struck about 15 kilometers below the surface, making them very shallow earthquakes.