1956 Hormozgan earthquake
1956 earthquake in southern Iran
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The 1956 Hormozgan earthquake struck southern Iran on October 31. The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.4 Mw, a focal depth of 15 km (9.3 mi), and an epicenter near the present-day area of western Hormozgan province, southeast of Gerash.[1] It killed 347 people and caused major damage.[2]
The event was the deadliest earthquake recorded in 1956.[2]
Tectonic setting
Southern Iran lies within the broad collision zone between the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. West of about 57° E, shortening is mainly accommodated by folding and thrust faulting in the Zagros Mountains; farther east, deformation changes toward the Makran subduction zone.[3]
The earthquake occurred in the southeastern Zagros region, west of the Zendan-Minab-Palami fault system and north of the Persian Gulf coast. In this part of Iran, damaging earthquakes are generally shallow and are associated with active folding and reverse faulting in the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt.[3][4]
Earthquake
The instrumental epicenter is listed at 27.407° N, 54.462° E, about 43 km (27 mi) southeast of Gerash.[1][5] The maximum intensity was VII on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.[2]
Impact
The earthquake killed 347 people. Damage was severe in the affected rural settlements, where local building stock was vulnerable to strong shaking.[2]
