Posted on 03/25/2006 4:06:29 AM PST by Momaw Nadon
TEHRAN (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 and a series of aftershocks struck the southern Iranian province of Hormuzgan on Saturday, causing minor damage, officials said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
"The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.0, was centered near the rural area of Fin in Hormuzgan province," Farhad Jabari, head of Hormuzgan's Red Crescent rescue service told Reuters.
Before leaving for the quake-hit area, Jabari said by telephone he did not think the first quake at 10.58 a.m. (0728 GMT) had done much damage but feared a third aftershock at about 1.30 p.m. (1000 GMT) gave more grounds for concern.
The official IRNA news agency said two early aftershocks had measured 3.8 and 4.8. Jabari said the third aftershock had felt stronger than the original quake.
Fin, with a population of about 15,000, lies some 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) north of the southern port city of Bandar Abbas on the Gulf, home to one of the Islamic Republic's key refineries.
Jabari said Bandar Abbas and its refinery were unaffected.
Abdol Arbabkhah, deputy regional administrator in Fin, told IRNA there had been some minor damage.
"The three aftershocks caused panic among the people. We have not received any reports on the extent of damage but the walls of some buildings, including people's homes ... have been cracked," he said.
IRNA said the first quake shook areas near the Gulf island of Qeshm off Hormuzgan's south coast.
Qeshm is the biggest island in the Gulf and is a free-trade zone with a population of about 120,000.
Ten people were killed and 50 injured when an earthquake measuring 5.9 razed mud-brick villages of Qeshm in November.
Allah Akbar!
so, they are testing?
The U.S. may be playing the HAARP again. ((( ping )))
my thoughts exactly.
Rove.
Hit 'em again - this time in the Capital, more particularly IN THE PALACE of the President!
Couldn't happen to nicer guys.
1) nuclear testing is easily detectable, 2) they wouldn't do it in that location
Shake it, Sugaree......
;~ )
Good response. Not insenstive and on message Bravo!
And our govt. will probably send lots of aid.
Meanwhile back at the war, Iran continues to do everything in their power to kill American soldiers.
God's punishment !
Powerful enough to knock down Free Republic.
Earthquake in Iran bump, bd.
Well, yeah, if they're testing:
1) Among the largest multimegaton thermonuclear hydrogen bombs ever built, as their FIRST test
2) In a hole three times deeper than the deepest hole ever drilled by man in the history of the world
Then yeah, it's nuclear testing.
Iran is one of the most seismically active countries in the world to begin with. Quakes large enough to make the news are actually too big to be nuclear tests.
A nuke test would have a magnitude in the 4 to 4.5 range or so and have a very unique signature. And they don't have aftershocks. And they aren't 40 km deep.
It is the will of "Allah"! Allahu fubar!
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