2021 Hormozgan earthquakes

The 2021 Hormozgan earthquakes was a doublet earthquake event in Iran that occurred on November 14, 2021 with magnitudes of 6.0 and 6.4 on the moment magnitude scale. The two quakes occurred just a minute and a half apart, killing 2 people and injuring a further 100.

Tectonic setting
Bandar Abbas lies at the southern margin of the collision zone between the Eurasian Plate and the Arabian Plate. This collision has created the well known Zagros Mountains and the Iranian Plateau. The main fault system that runs through the Zagros Range is the Zagros fold and thrust belt, which has caused many destructive earthquakes in Iran over the years.

Earthquakes
The first quake was initially measured at magnitude 6.1, but was later revised to 6.0 by the United States Geological Survey. A minute and a half later, the second quake happened. It was initially measured at magnitude 6.4 by the Iranian Seismological Center but was revised to 6.3 later. This event is considered a doublet earthquake because there were two earthquakes of similar size occurring in the same area a short time apart. The second earthquake had an intensity of IX (Violent) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. The quakes were felt as far away as Dubai as well, however not much damage was caused there due to the low intensity of shaking in the area.

Impact
The earthquake triggered a landslide in the mountains of the Geno Biosphere Reserve in the Hormozgan Province. Two people were killed; one by a falling utility pole, and the other died while running from his home. A total of 98 people were injured mostly due to widespread panic and some were injured from falling debris.

The total cost of damage is estimated at 700 trillion Iranian tomans ($US 165 million). In the city of Fin in Bandar Abbas County, roughly 2,125 structures were destroyed and 1,025 damaged. An official said that the worst damages were in the villages Gishan Gharbi, Ab Shirin and Rudshour.