2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake
 Tehran
Hamedan
Baghdad
 |
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| Date | 22 June 2002 |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 02:58 UTC (7:28 a.m. Iran Standard Time) |
| Duration | 7 seconds |
| Magnitude | 6.3 Mw |
| Depth | 10 km (6.2 mi) |
| Epicenter | 35°38′N 49°03′E / 35.63°N 49.05°ECoordinates: 35°38′N 49°03′E / 35.63°N 49.05°E |
| Areas affected | Iran |
| Max. intensity | VIII (Severe) |
| Landslides | 59 |
| Aftershocks | more than 20 |
| Casualties | 261 dead, 1,500 injured, and 50,000 homeless |
The 2002 Bou'in-Zahra earthquake (also known as the 2002 Avaj earthquake or the 2002 Changureh earthquake) occurred on 22 June 2002. The epicenter was near the city of Bou'in-Zahra in Qazvin Province, a region of northwestern Iran which is crossed by several major faults that is known for destructive earthquakes. The shock measured 6.3 on the moment magnitude scale, had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), and was followed by more than 20 aftershocks. At least 261 people were killed and 1,500 more were injured.
According to the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), the earthquake was felt as far away as the capital city of Tehran, approximately 290 kilometres (180 mi) east of the epicenter, although no damage was reported there. Most houses in the region were single-story masonry buildings, and virtually all of these collapsed. The public became angry due to the slow official response to victims who needed supplies. Residents of the town of Avaj resorted to throwing stones at the car of a government minister.
The northeastern part of Iran lies across part of the belt of active continental collision between the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. Iran is crossed by several major faults, with 90% of them being seismically active and subject to many earthquakes each year; the area around the rupture experiences minor quakes almost daily. The most seismically active parts of this area are the Zagros fold and thrust belt and the Alborz mountain range.Qazvin Province, which is located between these two zones, suffers less earthquakes, but these may be more powerful because stresses have longer to build.
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