Eight quakes strike along Iran-Iraq border

TEHERAN: A series of eight earthquakes hit the Iran-Iraq border area and rattled Baghdad, apparent aftershocks of a temblor that struck the mountainous region in November and killed over 530 people. Four people suffered minor injuries in Iran, state television reported.

The US Geological Survey said seven of the quakes struck near the Iraqi city of Mandali, 120km northeast of the Iraqi capital. Mandali is right on the border between the two nations. The eighth hit near Mehran in western Iran.

All the earthquakes struck within an hour of each other, beginning at 6.59am local time.

Six had a preliminary magnitude of at least five, while two registered at magnitude four.

Scientists consider earthquakes of magnitude five as moderate.

Iranian authorities offered similar figures for the earthquakes on state television. All the information could change as scientists examine the data.

Iranian state television said online that people rushed into the streets as the temblors hit.

All the earthquakes struck at a depth of 10km, according to the USGS. The temblors also all were very shallow, which causes more ground shaking and potential damage, particularly in places without strict building codes.

Randy Baldwin, a geophysicist with the USGS’ National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, said the earthquakes all appeared to be aftershocks from the November temblor.

That area is home to many shallow faults, he said.

“It’s ongoing activity there,” Baldwin said.

“If there was a stressed fault that’s ready to move, they happen like that until the stresses are relieved, so it’s not too unusual.”