Abu Dhabi and Dubai feel tremors from Iranian earthquakes

Tremors were felt in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates yesterday after two earthquakes hit Iran.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded in southern Iran at 4.07pm, followed by one measuring 6.7 a minute later, the National Centre of Meteorology wrote on Twitter.

The NCM said that the first earthquake was “slightly felt in the northern and eastern side of the country without effect”.

People in Downtown Dubai as well as in Dubai Media City and Dubai Sports City reported buildings shaking.

“I felt the ground shake and the lights were moving,” said Varsha Vasant, who works in Dubai Design District.

People posted videos on Twitter of items in their flats being shaken by the quake about 1,000km away.

They told how some buildings and offices were evacuated as a precaution.

A number of countries across the region have been affected.

Another earthquake had been recorded in the early hours of yesterday, but there were no reports of it being felt in the Emirates.

“The stations of the National Seismic Monitoring Network of the National Centre of Meteorology recorded a tremor of magnitude 4.7 in southern Iran at 12.52am, corresponding to November 14,” the NCM said.

The UAE has previously dealt with the after-effects of earthquakes in Iran.

Such earthquakes do not typically have a significant effect on life in the Emirates, but can sometimes make their presence known if of sufficient strength.

Tremors were felt in the Emirates after a 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck Iran in June last year.

In February last year, residents across the UAE felt the ground shake after a 5.8-magnitude quake struck Iran’s Qeshm Island.

Buildings swayed in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the Northern Emirates, causing computer monitors to shake.

The country has also been hit by earthquakes, albeit on a smaller scale.

A “micro-earthquake” with a magnitude of 1.9 struck Dibba on the east coast last month.