Residents across the UAE reported strong tremors for a second time after a string of earthquakes hit southern Iran in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday.
As many as eight earthquakes hit southern Iran on Saturday, ranging from a magnitude of 4.2 to 6.3, according to the UAE’s National Center of Meteorology (NCM). Two of the quakes measured 6.3 according to the authority, striking at 1.32 am and 3.24 am respectively, which were the ones felt by residents. The earthquakes, however, did not have any other effect on the UAE.
The intensity was high that several residents gathered in open areas near their homes. Others reported being woken out of their sleep by the tremors or witnessing the furniture shake.
Many from Dubai and Sharjah to Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah — took to social media to share videos and photos of the same. While some Twitter users reported feeling the tremors for a few seconds, others said they lasted “up to 5 minutes”. Several long-term residents noted the tremors were “longer and stronger” than anything they’d ever felt to date.
“Five people have died in the earthquake … and so far 12 are hospitalised,” Mehrdad Hassanzadeh, head of emergency management in Hormozgan Province on Iran’s Gulf coast, told state TV. “Rescue work has been carried out and we are now providing tents as emergency housing.”
“All of the victims died in the first earthquake and no one was harmed in the next two severe quakes as people were already outside their homes,” said Foad Moradzadeh, governor of Bandar Lengeh country, quoted by the state news agency IRNA.
The US Geological Survey noted that several other countries were “affected”, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, and Afghanistan.
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