M7.4

1990 Iran Earthquake

Manjil-Rudbar, Gilan Province, Iran — June 20, 1990

The 1990 Manjil-Rudbar earthquake killed 40,000 people and injured 60,000 others in northern Iran, close to the Caspian Sea. The earthquake struck at 12:30 AM, collapsing thousands of unreinforced masonry buildings in the Alborz Mountain region. Over 500,000 people were left homeless.

Earthquake Facts

Magnitude

M7.4

Date

Jun 20, 1990

Depth

18.5 km

Deaths

40,000

Latitude

36.960°

Longitude

49.410°

Tsunami

No

Region

Iran

Tectonic Cause

Strike-slip and thrust faulting in the Alborz Mountains, formed by the convergence of the Arabian Plate pushing northward into the Eurasian Plate across Iran.

Sources & Further Reading

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