Strong and shallow M6.3 earthquake hits Kermanshah, Iran

A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.3 hit Kermanshah, Iran at 16:37 UTC (20:07 local time) on November 25, 2018. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.3 at a depth of 10 km. The quake hit one year after devastating M7.3 took lives of over 500 people and left more than 10 000 injured.

This earthquake can have a medium humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

According to the USGS, the epicenter was located 20 km (12 miles) SW of Sarpol-e Z̄ahāb (population 51 611) and 65 km (40 miles) NNE of Mandalī (population 29 785), Iran.

There are 1 830 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles).

The USGS issued a yellow alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. Some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localized. Past yellow alerts have required a local or regional level response.

Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of Iran.

Some 9 000 people are estimated to have felt very strong shaking, 290 000 strong, 618 000 moderate and 27 440 000 light.

This region is known for its damaging and deadly earthquakes. The last one took place at 22:13 UTC on August 25, 2018 – M6.0 at a depth of 10 km. It killed at least 3 people and injured over 300.

More than 530 people were killed and over 10 000 injured after powerful M7.3 earthquake hit the region at 18:18 UTC on November 12, 2017.

Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking

Selected cities exposed

Regional seismicity

Updates

According to the head of Iran's Red Crescent Society, there were no fatalities but the number of injured people has reached 646.

Most of the injuries were minor. 

Featured image credit: USGS