2005 Qeshm earthquake

Earthquake in Iran 2005 Qeshm earthquake 2005-11-27 10:22:17 8461669 usp000e501 2005 11 27 13:52 IRST Qeshm Portuguese Castle.jpg The Portuguese fortress in Qeshm was damaged in the earthquake. 6.0 w yEHB 8461669 29 March 2018 10 km mi 0 on Reverse 26.84 N 55.93 E type:event inline,title Iran, United Arab Emirates VII No 13 dead, 100 injured An earthquake occurred on November 27, 2005, at 13:52 IRST (10:22 UTC) on the sparsely populated Qeshm Island off Southern Iran, killing 13 people and devastating 13 villages. It was Iran's second major earthquake of 2005, following the one at Zarand in February. The epicenter was about 1500 km mi -1 us south of Tehran, close to Iran's southern borders. Initial measurements showed that the earthquake registered about 6.0 on the moment magnitude scale, although that was reduced to 5.8 after further analysis. More than 400 minor aftershocks followed the main quake, 36 of which were greater than magnitude 2.5. The earthquake occurred in a remote area during the middle of the day, limiting the number of fatalities. Iranian relief efforts were effective and largely adequate, leading the country to decline offers of support from other nations and UNICEF. Qeshm Island is part of the Simply Folded Belt, the most seismically active part of the Zagros fold and thrust belt. Similar to most earthquakes in the area, the 2005 event resulted from reverse slip faulting. Since it lies in such a seismically active area, there is a high risk of destructive earthquakes in Iran; 1 in 3,000 deaths are attributable to earthquakes. One geophysicist has cited the lack of strict building codes as a serious concern. Background Iran experiences at least one minor earthquake per day on average,http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-11/27/content_498301.htm Earthquake jolts southern Iran, killing 5 China Daily November 27, 2005 January 28, 2009 and the Zagros region is particularly prone to seismic activity. Since 1913, Iran has been hit by more than 160 events stronger than magnitude 5,https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/event-data?minYear=1913&minEqMagnitude=5.1&country=IRAN 165 Significant Earthquakes where Year >= 1913 and Primary Magnitude >= 5.1 and Country = Iran National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 1972 NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information 10.7289/V5TD9V7K March 22, 2024The strongest of these earthquakes occurred in Qir in 1972 and Demshar-e Khurgu in 1977, both measuring w y 6.7. nb with damaging earthquakes near Qeshm recorded in 1360, 1703, 1884, 1897, 1902, and 1905.Nissen et al. 2010, pg 184. The majority of Iranian quakes occur in the upper crust, close to the surface,Relocation and Assessment of Seismicity in the Iran Region December 2005 2005AGUFM.T51C1352E E.R. Engdahl E.A. Bergman S.C. Myers J.A. Jackson K. Priestley 51 T51C–1352 AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts which means that they are potentially more destructive.http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/brochures/earthquake.html Earthquakes and Maryland Reger, J.P. August 24, 2011 Maryland Geological Survey January 3, 2013 October 26, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131026075134/http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/brochures/earthquake.html dead In terms of earthquake protection, Iran was named the "worst offender" in 2004 by Professor Roger Bilham of the University of Colorado at Boulder.https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/12/041219182609.htm Contractor Ignorance Kills Earthquake Victims in Sesmic (sic) Zones, Says U. Of Colorado Professor Science Daily December 28, 2004 October 11, 2009 Bilham, a geophysicist who specializes in earthquake-related deformation and hazards, blames construction practices for many of the deaths in Iranian earthquakes. Since the start of the 20th century 1 in 3,000 Iranians have died in earthquake-related incidents. The United Nations' Common Country Assessment for Iran states that the greatest damage occurs in rural areas, for which no building code exists. Large cities have a building code that takes account of the seismic hazard, but it is not rigorously followed, despite the susceptibility of three quarters of Iranian major cities to damaging earthquakes.United Nations Common Country Assessment for the Islamic Republic of Iran (2003), pg 59. The risk posed by poor engineering is of significant concern to the populace and an impediment to economic development. The 1990 Manjil–Rudbar earthquake, with at least 42,000 fatalities, cost Iran roughly 7.2 percent of its Gross National Product (GNP) for that year, and wiped out two years of economic growth. Geological setting thumb|left|upright=1.5|The main fold structures in the central part of Qeshm island, with the epicenter and area uplifted during earthquake Iran lies within the complex zone of collision between the Arabian plate and the Eurasian plate; near Qeshm the rate of convergence is about 25 millimeters annually.Nissen et al. 2007, pg 2. Part of this convergence is accommodated by crustal shortening and thickening within the Zagros fold and thrust belt, with the remainder occurring to the north of the Iranian Plateau. The most active part of the Zagros is the Simply Folded Belt, which is characterised by large folds formed above a layer of late Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian Hormuz salt, which locally reaches the surface in the crests of some anticlines as salt diapirs. The sequence of sedimentary rocks above the salt layer comprises a basal Cambrian conglomerate beneath a thick sequence of limestones of Palaeozoic to late Cretaceous age, known together as the "Competent Group" owing to their relatively high mechanical strength, overlain by a sequence of weaker marls and interbedded limestones of latest Cretaceous to early Miocene age, topped by Neogene sandstones and conglomerates. There is evidence of intermediate level detachment at some of the weaker layers, which means that folds at different stratigraphic levels may have different locations, orientations, or wavelengths.Nissen et al. 2010, pg 183. Measurements of earthquake focal mechanisms and hypocentral depths show that shortening is accommodated by a mixture of high-angle and low-angle reverse faulting, within either the lowest part of the sedimentary cover or in the basement beneath the Hormuz salt.Talebian et al., pgs 506–526. The island of Qeshm is elongated WSW–ENE, parallel to the coastline and the regional trend of the main fold axes. Neogene sedimentary rocks outcrop at the surface over the whole island, apart from a diapir of older Hormuz salt that pierces through to the surface at its western end. The sediments are affected by a series of large, mainly anticlinal folds that show a variety of trends in the central part of the island. The axis of the Laft anticline runs mainly NW–SE, while the Salakh anticline trends roughly W–E and the Suza anticline and Ramkan syncline trend SW–NE. The island shows clear evidence of recent uplift in the form of marine terraces, with the highest terrace identified at 220 m ft us above sea level. An uplift rate of 0.2 millimeters annually has been estimated from uranium series dating (230Th/234U) of aragonite from corals on the terraces.Preusser et al. 2003, pg 1320. Characteristics The earthquake was initially measured at 6.0 on the moment magnitude scale, although later analysis suggests a slightly lower value of 5.8.Nissen et al. 2010, pg 186. The epicenter was near the village of Gavarzin in central Qeshm,Nissen et al., 2007, pg 3. and a hypocentral depth of 10 km mi 0 us was estimated. The focal mechanism derived for the earthquake indicates that it was the result of reverse faulting on a fault plane dipping either to the north at 50° or to the south-southeast at 40°. No evidence has been found of surface faulting, but a 3-kilometer-long (2 mi) set of bedding-parallel cracks was observed on the northwestern flank of the Ramkan syncline, interpreted as representing probable slip along bedding planes, possibly due to further tightening of this fold. Other NW–SE trending tensional cracks observed further southwest along the syncline are more likely to be due to salt movement at depth.Nissen et al. 2007, pgs 3–4. Surface displacement during the earthquake was measured using SAR interferometry. The computed area of uplift is elongated W-E, with a maximum value of about 20 cm in 0 us centered over the eastern end of the Latif anticline.Nissen et al. 2007, pg 11. A smaller area of subsidence was observed to the south of the uplifted area, and the lack of a sharp boundary between the two suggests that the fault does not come to the surface. The pattern of displacement is consistent with a north-dipping fault rupturing between about 8 km mi 0 us and 4 km mi 0 us in depth, which also provides a good match to the results of seismic modeling using body waves,Nissen et al. 2007, pg 8. although a SSE-dipping plane remains possible.Nissen et al. 2010, pg 188. This depth range strongly suggests that the fault affected the lower part of the sedimentary cover, while not ruling out some basement involvement.Nissen et al. 2007, pg 12. The mismatch between the orientation of the fault planes that caused the earthquake and the observed surface folds suggests that deformation at these two levels is decoupled by the presence of a detachment, possibly within marl layers.Nissen et al. 2010, pg 193. Most aftershocks occurred at significantly greater depths than the mainshock and are dominated by strike-slip focal mechanisms. This suggests that the mainshock triggered later movement on a complex set of right and left lateral strike-slip faults within the basement, together accommodating north-south shortening beneath the Hormuz salt layer.Yaminifard et al. 2012, pgs 138–147. On September 10, 2008, there was another major earthquake on Qeshm, with a magnitude of 5.9 and hypocentral depth of 8 km mi 0 us. The pattern of uplift observed for this earthquake is also consistent with rupturing within the lower sedimentary sequence, but on a fault with two segments, dipping overall to the southeast. The earthquakes of 2005 and 2008 may have ruptured adjacent segments of the same southeast-dipping reverse fault. Seven deaths were reported as a result of the 2008 earthquake.Nissen et al. 2010, pg 192. Damage and casualties The earthquake hit at 13:52:19 IRST, or 1:52 pm (10:22:19 UTC),Nissen et al. 2007, pg 1. and lasted between 10 and 30 seconds.http://reliefweb.int/report/iran-islamic-republic/iran-qeshm-earthquake-information-bulletin-no-1 Iran: Qeshm Earthquake Information Bulletin No. 1 ReliefWeb November 28, 2005 February 13, 2009 It killed 13 people and injured 100 on Qeshm Island. In Zirang (Ziranag), a village on Qeshm, 80 percent of the buildings were demolished. Seven villages experienced extensive damage,https://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2005/usfyag/#summary Summary: Magnitude 6.0 South Iran United States Geological Survey July 16, 2008 January 28, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090212032820/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/eqinthenews/2005/usfyag/#summary February 12, 2009 dead and 13 villages were destroyed: Tonban, Ramekan, Gevarzin, Khaledin, Direstan, Kushe, Karavan, Turyan, Tom senati, Gorbehdan, Ziranag, Giahdan,http://www.iiees.ac.ir/english/bank/gheshm/gheshm_report_e.html Earthquake Report for November 27, 2005: West of Qeshm (Persian Gulf) International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES) February 13, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20080603114358/http://www.iiees.ac.ir/english/bank/gheshm/gheshm_report_e.html June 3, 2008 and Gourian.https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2005/nov/28/iran.naturaldisasters Earthquake kills 10 in Iran The Guardian November 28, 2005 January 29, 2009 There were reports of intensity III effects on the Mercalli scale from Bandar Abbas, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah and Ras al-Khaimah; Intensity IV (Light) effects occurred at Sharjah.The Mercalli intensity scale measures the intensity of earthquakes, mainly by the damage they cause and their effect on the surrounding area.https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics/mercalli.php The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale United States Geological Survey January 9, 2013 January 21, 2013 nb Shaking from the earthquake was also noted in Oman. No major damage occurred directly at the epicenter;http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-11/28/content_3844196.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20061128210146/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-11/28/content_3844196.htm dead November 28, 2006 Strong quake kills 10 in southern Iran Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2005 January 28, 2009 residents of Qeshm reported that the shaking smashed windows, leading citizens to evacuate their homes fearing collapse. In total more than 2,000 people were affected.http://reliefweb.int/report/iran-islamic-republic/iran-year-review-2005 Iran: Year in Review 2005 ReliefWeb January 13, 2006 February 13, 2009 One major hospital damaged by the earthquake was inundated with the injured and lacked medical supplies for treatment. An airport on the epicentral island sustained damage, and power lines on the island were severed. The director of Tehran's seismological building dismissed fears of a tsunami, saying that the Persian Gulf was not deep enough to allow for one.https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/27/international/middleeast/27cnd-iran.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=2005%20iran%20earthquake&st=cse The New York Times Fathi, Nazila Powerful Earthquake Strikes Iran, Killing 10 November 27, 2005 January 28, 2009 In one school, some people suffered broken legs when the building collapsed, but there were no fatalities. Buildings in Dubai, including the Emirates Towers, were evacuated because of concerns that the structures might collapse, but no such incidents occurred. One woman described the locals as "panicked".https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4475546.stm Ten dead in southern Iran quake BBC News November 28, 2005 January 28, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20081219115127/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4475546.stm 19 December 2008 live Television stations throughout Iran released footage of quake damage and of injured residents being taken to hospitals.http://archive.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/11/28/10_killed_as_quake_razes_seven_villages_in_iran/ 10 killed as quake razes seven villages in Iran The Boston Globe November 28, 2005 January 28, 2009 A landslidehttp://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/11/27/iran.quake/index.html Strong earthquake kills 10 in Iran CNN November 27, 2005 January 28, 2009 and 36 major aftershocks of more than magnitude 2.5 (in total, 400 aftershocks) followed the earthquake. A former Portuguese fortress, built by Admiral Afonso de Albuquerque in 1507, sustained heavy damage to its eastern wall but otherwise remained intact.http://www.payvand.com/news/05/nov/1281.html Qeshm's Earthquake Damaged Historical Portuguese Fortress Payvand November 30, 2005 25 June 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20150610194900/http://www.payvand.com/news/05/nov/1281.html 10 June 2015 dead If the earthquake had occurred during the early morning while residents were asleep, rather than mid-afternoon (1:52 pm local time), it could have been deadlier as housing in the epicentral area consisted chiefly of mud and brick. Relief efforts and aftermath Aid workers from the domestic region began delivering supplies such as food, blankets, and tents.Around 74,151 tins of tuna fish, 40920 kg lb of rice, 46,700 tins of canned beans, 10445 kg lb of sugar, 16836 kg lb of edible oil, 5986 kg lb of pulse, and 1133 kg lb of tea were distributed by the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS). The organization also gave out 4,696 sets of relief tents, 5,677 sets of moquettes, 10,689 sets of blankets, 2,169 kitchen sets, 1,477 ovens, 1,250 sets of lanterns and 4,001 cartons of hygienic kits. nb A dispatch of 101 relief helpers, 40 IRCS staff, and four people from the public relations department at ReliefWeb also assisted survivors. Three ambulances, 46 trucks, three helicopters, 12 vans, nine cars, two minibuses, and two sniffer dogs were also dispatched to help citizens of quake-struck areas.http://reliefweb.int/report/iran-islamic-republic/iran-humanitarian-aids-affected-people-qeshm-island Iran: Humanitarian aids to affected people of Qeshm Island ReliefWeb December 11, 2005 February 13, 2009 Injured residents were transported to Bandar Abbas by helicopter.https://www.cbsnews.com/news/villages-flattened-in-iran-quake/ Villages Flattened in Iran Quake CBS News November 27, 2005 January 28, 2009 An Iranian police official, citing concerns about possible looting, said all movement into and out of damaged houses would require prior approval from the governor's office, the police, and the Unexpected Events Committee on the island.http://english.cri.cn/2239/2005-11-28/65@284498.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20121018112103/http://english.cri.cn/2239/2005-11-28/65@284498.htm dead October 18, 2012 Iran Earthquake Levels Seven Villages China Radio International November 28, 2005 January 28, 2009 UNICEF offered assistance to Iran, and the official in charge of response stated: "we are preparing to respond if needed".http://www.irinnews.org/Report/25749/IRAN-IRAN-UNICEF-ready-to-assist-Qeshm-quake-victims UNICEF ready to assist Qeshm quake victims IRIN News November 28, 2005 January 29, 2009 They elaborated that the Iranian authorities "appeared to have things under control". In 2007, the Asian Centre on Seismic Risk Reduction was formed in response to the regular earthquakes experienced in south, west, and central Asia, to "encourage regional and inter-regional networking and partnerships to reduce seismic damage". Earthquakes account for 73 percent of natural disaster deaths in these locations.https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=22486&Cr=disaster&Cr1=natural Iran, UN agencies launch first regional seismic risk reduction centre United Nations May 9, 2007 November 14, 2009 See also Earth sciences List of earthquakes in 2005 List of earthquakes in Iran Notes nb References Earthquakes and Coseismic Surface Faulting on the Iranian Plateau https://books.google.com/books?id=_ur1AgAAQBAJ M. Berberian Manuel Berberian 2014 Developments in Earth Surface Processes 1st Elsevier 978-0444632920 621 Bibliography EHB Nissen, E. Ghorashi, M. Jackson, J. Parsons, B. Talebian, M. The 2005 Qeshm Island Earthquake (Iran)—A link between buried reverse faulting and surface folding in the Zagros Simply Folded Belt? May 2007 171 1 326–338 Earth and Planetary Science Letters 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2007.03514.x http://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/~johne/pdfs/nissen-etal07b.pdf July 2, 2011 2007GeoJI.171..326N free Nissen, E. Yamini-Fard, F. Tatar, M. Gholamzadeh, A. Bergman, E. Elliott, J.R. The vertical separation of mainshock rupture and microseismicity at Qeshm Island in the Zagros Fold-and-Thrust Belt, Iran June 2010 296 3–4 181–194 Earth and Planetary Science Letters 10.1016/j.epsl.2010.04.049 2010E&PSL.296..181N http://www.earth.ox.ac.uk/~johne/publications/pdfs/nissen-etal10.pdf July 2, 2011 Preusser, F. Radtke, U. Fontugne, M. Haghipour, A. Hilgers, A. Kasper, H.U. Nazari, H. Pirazzoli, P.A. ESR dating of raised coral reefs from Kish Island, Persian Gulf 1317–1322 Quaternary Science Reviews 22 10.1016/S0277-3791(03)00038-6 May 2003 10–13 2003QSRv...22.1317P Talebian, M. Jackson, J. 2004 A reappraisal of earthquake focal mechanisms and active shortening in the Zagros mountains of Iran Geophysical Journal International 156 3 506–526 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2004.02092.x 2004GeoJI.156..506T free United Nations Common Country Assessment for the Islamic Republic of Iran http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/dam/rbap/docs/programme-documents/cca/IR-CCA-2003.pdf United Nations August 2003 1–82 November 23, 2009 December 27, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20151227053551/http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/dam/rbap/docs/programme-documents/cca/IR-CCA-2003.pdf dead Yaminifard, F. Tatar, M. Hessami, K. Gholamzadeh, A. Bergman, E.A. 2012 Aftershock analysis of the 2005 November 27 (Mw 5.8) Qeshm Island earthquake (Zagros-Iran): Triggering of strike-slip faults at the basement Journal of Geodynamics 61 138–147 10.1016/j.jog.2012.04.005 2012JGeo...61..138Y External links 8461669 Category:2000s disasters in Iran Category:2005 disasters in Asia Qeshm Earthquake, 2005 Qeshm Earthquake, 2005 2005 Qeshm Category:21st century in Hormozgan province Category:November 2005 in Iran