1997 Qayen earthquake
 Mashhad
Kerman
Yazd
 |
|
| Date | May 10, 1997 |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 12:57 local time |
| Magnitude | 7.3 Mw |
| Depth | 10 km (6 mi) |
| Epicenter | 33°49′N 59°48′E / 33.82°N 59.80°ECoordinates: 33°49′N 59°48′E / 33.82°N 59.80°E |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Areas affected |
Iran Afghanistan |
| Total damage | $100 million USD |
| Max. intensity | X (Extreme) |
| Casualties | at least 1,567 dead, 2,300 injured, and around 50,000 homeless |
The Qayen earthquake, also known as the Ardekul or Qaen earthquake, struck Northern Iran's Khorasan Province on May 10, 1997, at 07:57 UTC (12:57 local time). The largest in the area since 1990, the earthquake measured 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale and was centered approximately 270 kilometers (170 mi) south of Mashhad on the village of Ardekul. The third earthquake that year to cause severe damage, it devastated the Birjand–Qayen region, killing 1,567 and injuring more than 2,300. The earthquake—which left 50,000 homeless and damaged or destroyed over 15,000 homes—was described as the deadliest of 1997 by the United States Geological Survey. Some 155 aftershocks caused further destruction and drove away survivors. The earthquake was later discovered to have been caused by a rupture along a fault that runs underneath the Iran–Afghanistan border.
Damage was eventually estimated at $100 million, and many countries responded to the emergency with donations of blankets, tents, clothing, and food. Rescue teams were also dispatched to assist local volunteers in finding survivors trapped under the debris. The destruction around the earthquake's epicenter was, in places, almost total; this has been attributed to poor construction practices in rural areas, and imparted momentum to a growing movement for changes in building codes. With 1 in 3,000 deaths in Iran attributable to earthquakes, a US geophysicist has suggested that a country-wide rebuilding program would be needed to address the ongoing public safety concerns.
Iran experiences regular earthquakes, with 200 reported in 1996 alone. Like dozens that had preceded it, the 1997 Qayen event was of significant magnitude. It occurred on Saturday, May 10, 1997, at 12:57 IRST in the Sistan region, one of the most seismically active areas of the country. The first major earthquake in that region since 1979, it registered 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale (Mw), 7.2 on the surface wave magnitude scale (Ms), 7.7 on the energy magnitude scale (Me), and had a maximum perceived intensity of X, or Extreme on the Mercalli intensity scale.
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