Posted on 03/30/2006 9:31:26 PM PST by Flavius
EHRAN, Iran - A strong earthquake followed by an even stronger aftershock jolted western Iran early Friday, killing at least 17 and injuring hundreds, state media reported. ADVERTISEMENT
The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 5.0 and was centered near Boroujerd and Doroud, two industrial cities in western Iran, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
Hours later, it was followed shortly before dawn by two weaker aftershocks and a third tremor with a magnitude of 6.0, IRNA reported.
Provincial official Ali Barani said the quake flattened several villages. Rescue teams have been sent to the region, 210 miles southwest of Tehran, Barani told IRNA
Seventeen bodies have been pulled out of destroyed houses in Silakhor, a region north of Doroud, state-run radio said, reporting 300 injured. The injured were taken to hospitals in Boroujerd and Doroud.
Doroud governor Nasrollah Rashno told IRNA that the quake has damaged buildings and toppled telephone lines.
People in Doroud ran into the streets in panic when the first quake hit shortly after midnight. Many spent the remainder of the night outside.
"We are afraid to get back home. I spent the night with my family and guests in open space last night," Doroud resident Mahmoud Chaharmiri told The Associated Press by telephone.
Chaharmiri said there were no scenes of destruction in Doroud such as those seen in the past in the wake of similar quakes around Iran.
In February 2005, a 6.4-magnitude quake in southern Iran killed 612 people and injured more than 1,400.
A magnitude 6.6 quake flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam in the same region in December 2003, killing 26,000 people.
Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. On average, it experiences at least one slight earthquake every day.
Perhaps, can't remember the name of the fault except that it ran under the skyscrapers downtown. Elysian Valley ... I think that's it.
The seismogram of Iran's earthquake this morning shows that this was a natural, not a man-made event (such as a nuke test).
Well, if you want to not sleep at night, read this (Elysian Park thrust is mentioned.)
http://www.gps.caltech.edu/~sieh/pubs_docs/papers/P95a.pdf
Hypothetically speaking, if the Iranians get fully functional nukes from Russia, there is no need to test them.
Great graph!
Only if they used them within 60 days of getting them.
The high-tech maintenance issues for nukes is non-trivial, and runs contrary to most urban myths about them.
Also, keep in mind that nukes leave a unique radiation signature much like DNA. We'll know who built the nuke, where the uranium was enriched (or plutonium bred) shortly after any surface or aerial detonation anywhere (sub-surface can take up to 90 days depending on depth and rock formations above the blast)...something that Russia, China, Pakistan, or France would not appreciate some 15 minutes later (ICBM travel time from the U.S. and from our Boomers at sea).
Live seismogram data worldwide: http://aslwww.cr.usgs.gov/Seismic_Data/heli2.shtml
The anthrax was Iraqi as best that I can tell, but apparently we can't blame Hussein unless we find anthrax (or biological growth material) in Iraq...due to politics and PR fallout.
President Bush isn't shy about knocking out foreign leadership that attacks the U.S.
Libya's Khadafy certainly figured that fact out in a hurry.
Thanks for the ping.
Surely this is a sign from Allah. Everyone who survived must beat themselves with sticks.
How often is there a stronger aftershock than the preliminary quake...
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