Two tremors jolt central, southeastern Iran

Kerman, June 4, IRNA – Two earthquakes measuring 4.7 and 4.1 on the Richter scale respectively shook two areas in the central province of Kerman and Southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan on Saturday.

According to Seismological Center of the Geophysics Institute of University of Tehran, the tremor occurred near Sirch in Kerman province at 14:24 hours local time (09:54 hours GMT) measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale.

Its epicenter was recorded at 61.57 degrees longitude and 04.30 degrees latitude. it was registered in a depth of 10 kilometers underground.

Another tremor measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale jolted Sefidabeh in Sistan and Baluchestan province on Friday.

The tremor occurred at 14:53 hours local time (10:23 hours GMT).

The two earthquakes caused no damages or casualties, according to local officials.

Iran sits astride several major faults in the earth's crust, and is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of which have been devastating.

The worst in recent times hit Bam in Kerman province in December 2003, killing 31,000 people - about a quarter of its population - and destroying the city's ancient mud-built citadel.

The deadliest quake in the country was in June 1990 and measured 7.7 on the Richter scale. About 37,000 people were killed and more than 100,000 injured in the northwestern provinces of Gilan and Zanjan. It caused major damage to 27 towns and about 1,870 villages.

In August 2012, two quakes in Northwestern Iran also claimed the lives of 306 people and injured more than 4500 others.