Earthquake Shakes Tehran, No Casualties Reported

An earthquake struck Iran’s capital, Tehran, late Tuesday night, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The USGS reported that the magnitude 4.3 quake occurred at about 11:46 p.m. local time (2016 GMT).

Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB, however, placed the magnitude at 4.6, saying the tremor hit the Pardis area east of Tehran at a depth of about 10 kilometres.

There were no immediate reports of deaths, injuries, or major damage following the earthquake.

IRIB also reported that the tremor was felt in Karaj, a suburb located roughly 40 kilometres west of Tehran.

Iran remains one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries due to its location along the convergence of the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates.

The country has experienced several devastating earthquakes over the years, including the 1990 Rudbar-Tarom earthquake, which measured 7.4 in magnitude and claimed more than 40,000 lives.

Another major disaster occurred in 2003 when a 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck the city of Bam, killing over 26,000 people and causing widespread destruction.