Moderate quakes hit southern Iran

Two earthquakes measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale have jolted Iran’s southern Fars Province, injuring at least eleven people.

According to the Iranian Seismological Center, the quakes rocked the town of Nourabad at 3:54 a.m. (00:24 GMT) early Saturday, triggering panic among local residents. The quakes also damaged several houses in the area.

Iran is located on major seismic fault lines, causing the country to often experience at least one earthquake a day.

On Wednesday, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake hit the cities of Shiraz, Mamasani and Sepidan in Fars Province, but there has been no official report of casualties or damages.

The epicenter of the temblor was in an area located 30.20 degrees latitude and 51.79 degrees longitude in the suburbs of Sepidan in northwestern Fars Province, according to the Iranian Seismological Center.

The quake shook buildings and shattered windows in Sepidan and Mamasani, causing people to pour into the streets, IRNA reported.

On December 21, seven people were killed in an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale that struck Iran’s southeastern Kerman Province.