One person dies following earthquake near Tehran

A 4.6 magnitude earthquake occurred near Tehran. A person died.

According to the American Institute for Geological Research, an earthquake of magnitude 4.6 occurred at 55 kilometers east of Tehran on the night between Thursday and Friday.

It was reported that the earthquake happened at 00:48 local time at a depth of 5.6 kilometers, 25 km south of Demavend mountain. The volcanic mountain Demavend is the highest peak in Iran.

A person died as a result of the earthquake that lasted for a few seconds, while many people left their homes in Tehran. There was panic in the city especially because people are advised to stay at home as a measure to counter the coronavirus epidemic.

Iran and Eastern Kurdistan are located on one of the most active seismic areas in the world.

On 23 February, 9 people died and dozens were injured following the 5.7 magnitude earthquake on the border between Eastern and Northern Kurdistan.

In November 2017, 620 people died following the 7.3 magnitude earthquake in the province of Kirmasan, Eastern Kurdistan.

The 6.6-magnitude earthquake that occurred in Kerman province in the south east in 2003 destroyed the old city of Bam and caused the death of at least 31,000 people.

The deadliest earthquake of the last 30 years occurred in the north of the country in 1990 and was of magnitude 7.4: 40,000 people died and half a million were left homeless.