At least 5 people were killed and 19 others injured due to 3 earthquakes of over 6 magnitude that struck southern Iran early Saturday, according to initial figures reported by the Iranian official news agency (IRNA). The agency stated that "three earthquakes measuring 6.1, 6.1, and 6.3 (on the Richter scale) hit areas in Hormozgan province in southern Iran early Saturday."
The agency quoted Hormozgan Governor Mehdi Doosti as saying that "the powerful earthquakes and dozens of aftershocks have resulted in the deaths of 5 individuals and injuries to 19 others so far in the villages of Bandar Khamir." He explained that "most of the destruction occurred in the village of Sayeh Khush, where most of the houses were destroyed by the earthquakes."
Earlier, the U.S. Geological Survey noted that an earthquake struck an area located 100 kilometers southwest of Bandar Abbas port. In November 2021, one person was killed after two earthquakes exceeding 6 on the Richter scale hit Hormozgan province.
Iran, which spans over 1.6 million square kilometers and is home to approximately 83 million people, is located above many major tectonic plates and has several geological faults and fractures running through it, making it prone to frequent seismic activity. The deadliest earthquake in the past three decades occurred in 1990 when 40,000 people lost their lives, 300,000 were injured, and half a million others were displaced due to a 7.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the north of the country. In 2003, a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit Kerman province (southeast) destroying the ancient city of Bam—along with its famous adobe castle—killing at least 31,000 people.
