A series of strong earthquakes struck southern Iran on Saturday, killing at least five people, injuring more than 90 and ruining the entire village.
The US Geological Survey said the two earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 struck west of Bandarabbas, the main port city of Hormozgan Province.
Immediately after 2:00 am (2130 GMT), two hours later, a 5.7 sway occurred, and shortly thereafter, before the second magnitude 6.0 earthquake, first in the town of Dezhgan. The USGS said the northern region was rattling.
Hormozgan Governor Mehdi Dousti said five people had died, according to the official news agency IRNA.
Dousti told state television that the village of Sayeh Khosh near the epicenter was "completely destroyed."
There were 93 injured, only seven of whom were still hospitalized for treatment, "said Mojtaba Khaledi, a spokesman for state television. The rubble of Sayeh Khosh fell into the dark due to a power outage.
In another video, I heard a woman screaming in the background, so I saw her family sifting debris and trying to get her belongings back.
As shocked residents wander the streets, ambulances and other vehicles attempt to move on rubble-covered roads.
People spent the night outdoors in Bandarabbas, the capital of the state with a population of over 500,000. , Located about 100 km (60 miles) east of Epicenter — a long line was formed at a gas station there, state media reported. Er and electricity were one of the government's top priorities.
-History of a deadly earthquake-
Iran's Red Crescent said in the morning that search and rescue operations were almost over.
"We are focused on containing the victims of the earthquake," Hormozgan Governor Dousti told state television.
State heritage officials told IRNA that the quake had damaged 50 historic windmills on Qeshm, just off the coast.
Iran sits across the boundaries of several major tectonic plates and is experiencing frequent seismic activity.
The most deadly earthquake in the Islamic Republic was a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in 1990, killing 40,000 people in the north, injuring 300,000 and leaving 500,000 homeless.
In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck southeastern Iran, leveling the ancient mudbrick city of Bam, killing at least 31,000 people.
In November 2017, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Kermanshah Province in western Iran, killing 620 people.
In December 2019 and January 2020, two earthquakes occurred near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran.
Iran's Gulf Arab countries have expressed concern about the reliability of the country's only nuclear facility that produces 1,000 MW of electricity and the risk of radiation leaks in the event of a major earthquake.
In February 2020, a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck northwestern Iran, killing nine people, including children, and injuring dozens on both sides of the border in neighboring Turkey.
One person died last November when Hormozgan Province was hit by a magnitude 6.4 and magnitude 6.3 twin earthquake.
