Iran: 425 earthquakes struck in one month

According to the seismological networks of the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Tehran, there have been 425 earthquakes recorded across the nation in one month, ending on February 19^th. Among these earthquakes, 8 measured above 4 on the Richter scale, while the largest one had a magnitude of 4.5 and struck on January 22 in the southeastern Kerman province.

In terms of magnitude, the country experienced 378 earthquakes with magnitudes smaller than 3, 39 earthquakes with magnitudes between 3 and 4, and 8 earthquakes with magnitudes between 4 and 5. It should be noted that over the past calendar year ending on March 20, 2023, the country experienced a total of 7,000 earthquakes. Of these, 185 measured above 4, with the largest one, a 6.1 magnitude quake, occurring on June 1, 2022, in Hormozgan province.

Statistically, Iran experiences at least two earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 5 every month. Moreover, 2% of the world's earthquakes occur in Iran, and more than 6% of earthquake-related casualties were reported from Iranian earthquakes during the 20th century. Therefore, the country demonstrates significant vulnerability.

As scientists stated, the Iranian plateau has intense seismic activity, and it is more likely to face major earthquakes. Specifically, the high seismic activity in the Strait of Hormuz region is attributed to the continued convergence between the Arabian plate and the central continental plate of Iran. In addition to the vulnerability and the combination of old and modern structures, the country faces other natural hazards, e.g. floods, subsidence, landslides, and post-earthquake fires.