1956 Hormozgan earthquake
  Location within Iran | |
| UTC time |
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|---|---|
| ISC event | |
| USGS-ANSS | |
| Local date |
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| Local time | |
| Magnitude | |
| Depth |
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| Epicenter | 27°24′25″N 54°27′43″E / 27.407°N 54.462°E[1] |
| Areas affected | Iran |
| Max. intensity | MMI VII (Very strong)[2] |
| Casualties | 347 deaths[2] |
The 1956 Hormozgan earthquake struck southern Iran on October 31. The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.4 Mw, a focal depth of 15 km (9.3 mi), and an epicenter near the present-day area of western Hormozgan province, southeast of Gerash.[1] It killed 347 people and caused major damage.[2]
The event was the deadliest earthquake recorded in 1956.[2]
Tectonic setting
Southern Iran lies within the broad collision zone between the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. West of about 57° E, shortening is mainly accommodated by folding and thrust faulting in the Zagros Mountains; farther east, deformation changes toward the Makran subduction zone.[3]
The earthquake occurred in the southeastern Zagros region, west of the Zendan-Minab-Palami fault system and north of the Persian Gulf coast. In this part of Iran, damaging earthquakes are generally shallow and are associated with active folding and reverse faulting in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt.[3][4]
Earthquake
The instrumental epicenter is listed at 27.407° N, 54.462° E, about 43 km (27 mi) southeast of Gerash.[1][5] The maximum intensity was VII on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.[2]
Impact
The earthquake killed 347 people. Damage was severe in the affected rural settlements, where local building stock was vulnerable to strong shaking.[2]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "M 6.4 – 43 km SE of Gerāsh, Iran". Earthquake Hazards Program. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service. "Significant Earthquake Information: Iran: Hormozgan Province". NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 Yamini-Fard, F.; Hatzfeld, D.; Farahbod, A. M.; Paul, A.; Mokhtari, M. (2007). "The diffuse transition between the Zagros continental collision and the Makran oceanic subduction (Iran): microearthquake seismicity and crustal structure". Geophysical Journal International. 170 (1): 182–194. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.03232.x.
- ↑ Hesami Azar, Khaled (October 23, 2024). "The Zagros mountain range: Structural evolution and seismicity". International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- ↑ "ISC-GEM Catalogue". International Seismological Centre. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
Further reading
- Vernant, Philippe; Nilforoushan, Faramarz; Hatzfeld, Denis; Abbassi, Mohammad Reza; Vigny, Christophe; Masson, Frédéric; Nankali, Hamid; Martinod, Joseph; Ashtiani, Ali; Bayer, Roger; Tavakoli, Fereydoun; Chéry, Jean (2004). "Present-day crustal deformation and plate kinematics in the Middle East constrained by GPS measurements in Iran and northern Oman". Geophysical Journal International. 157 (1): 381–398. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2004.02222.x.
- Bayer, R.; Chéry, J.; Tatar, M.; Vernant, P.; Abbassi, M.; Masson, F.; Nilforoushan, F.; Doerflinger, E.; Regard, V.; Bellier, O. (2006). "Active deformation in Zagros–Makran transition zone inferred from GPS measurements". Geophysical Journal International. 165 (1): 373–381. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2006.02879.x.
External links
- USGS event page: M 6.4 – 43 km SE of Gerāsh, Iran
- NCEI Significant Earthquake Information: Iran: Hormozgan Province
- ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue
