AccuWeather
Several injured after earthquake shakes southern Iran
The star designates the epicenter of a magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck Iran on Sunday April 18, 2021. (United States Geological Survey) A significant earthquake disrupted daily activities for portions of Iran on Sunday as effects from the quake were far-reaching. A magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred just after noon, local time, on Sunday in the Bushehr Province of Iran, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter of the earthquake was about 17 miles (27 km) northeast of the port city of Bandar Genaveh, the capital of Genaveh County within the Bushehr Province and home to at least 60,000 people. CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Soon after the initial quake aftershocks could be felt across the province. At least two magnitude 4.4 aftershocks were recorded, the first occurred about 30 minutes after the initial quake. The second occurred just over two hours after the initial quake. However, these two more notable aftershocks were not the only ripples felt across the region. At least a dozen aftershocks have been reported since the initial rumblings, according to the Associated Press (AP). The shaking also caused landslides in the mountains in Genaveh County. ریزش کوههای اطراف #گناوه امروز یکشنبه ۲۹ فروردینماه بر اثر دو زمینلرزه به بزرگی ۵.۹ و ۴.۵ ریشتر مرز استانهای #بوشهر و #فارس حوالی بندر #گناوه را لرزاند. pic.twitter.com/1bjH4Cua0s— بگونه (@begoonaah) April 18, 2021 Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported as a result of Sunday’s earthquake, but reports of several injuries began to trickle in shortly after the quake struck. The region in which Sunday’s quake occurred is no stranger to minor earthquakes, but quakes surpassing a magnitude of 5.0 often lead to damage. The Iranian Red Crescent (IRC) confirmed at least five injuries resulted from Sunday’s quake across the affected region. At least 10 IRC assessment teams were dispatched to impacted areas on Sunday to survey damage. Damage to buildings and homes across the Bushehr Province could be seen in images shared by local media. The quake also damaged at least one oil production facility in the area. Gachsaran Oil and Gas Production Company (GOGPC) confirmed that Sunday’s earthquake caused damage to some of its oil facilities and disrupted oil production. Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, located about 60 miles (100 km) from the epicenter of Sunday’s quake, sustained no damage, reported the AP. That particular facility was built to endure earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8.0. Any showers still lingering in the mountains to the east of Bandar Genaveh on Sunday will begin to dissipate through the overnight hours. As rescue and recovery efforts continue on Monday, largely dry conditions are expected along the southern coast of Iran. By the middle of the week, spotty afternoon showers can develop over the mountains. These showers are forecast to be light and brief, bringing little to no impact to the earthquake-stricken areas. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.