Updated 15 August 2012
On Saturday 11 August 2012, two strong earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.4 and 6.3 shook Iran's north-western province of East Azarbaijan near the cities of Tabriz and Ahar. The quakes occurred within minutes of each other with the first tremor taking place at 4:53 pm.
At least 20 villages were destroyed and more than 130 are left severely damaged - leaving thousands homeless. The quake killed at least 306 people and injured over 3,000. Rescuers searched through the rubble of collapsed buildings for survivors; however, the search for survivors has now been called off with the death toll still rising. Authorities are now focusing their efforts on treating the injured and assisting the displaced families. Iran’s state television reported that 44,000 food packages and thousands of blankets have already been distributed in the region.
Iran sits on a major geological fault line and is prone to earthquakes. But no one could have prepared for the devastation that these tremors would bring. In 2003 an earthquake in the city of Bam left 25,000 people dead.
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IRAN EARTHQUAKE
EAST AZERBAIJAN PROVINCE – 11 AUGUST 2012 |
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First tremor
Epicentre: 60 km northeast of Tabriz City between the towns of Ahar and Haris
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Saturday 11 August 2012
4:43 pm |
6.4 magnitude |
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Second Tremor
Epicentre - 49 km northeast of Tabriz
hitting the towns of Ahar, Haris and Varzaqan |
Saturday 11 August 2012
4:54 pm |
6.3 magnitude |
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Aftershocks
Aftershocks were felt as far as the Caspian Sea.
Recent reports indicate that 36 to 80 aftershocks were felt following the twin tremors |
Tuesday 14 August 2012 |
2 aftershocks had a magnitude of 5.0 and 5.3 respectively |
Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. It experiences at least one earthquake every day on average; although most are so small they go unnoticed.
IRAN EARTHQUAKE FUND
The World Federation’s IRAN EARTHQUAKE FUND is now open to help the thousands of families, widows, children and seniors who have been affected by the earthquake. Our aim is to provide relief assistance for the medium and long term once the immediate needs have been met. The purpose behind this strategy is that The World Federation is able to add more value to relief work in the medium and long term. To this end The World Federation is working closely with its Qum office in Iran. Your donation will make it possible for us to provide the necessary aid in the region. Thank you for your continued support.
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JAMAAT TREASURER
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For more information, please email relief@world-federation.org