TEHRAN: Reports indicate an earthquake in Iran as tensions with Israel continue. The earthquake that struck at 9 pm on Friday night registered a magnitude of 5.1. The earthquake occurred in the Semnal region of northern Iran. However, there were no casualties. The epicentre of the earthquake was at a depth of 10 km. Meanwhile, rumours are circulating that Iran has started nuclear tests and the earthquake was a result of this.
However, the US Geological Survey has refuted such speculations. It is reported that only minor damage has been caused by the earthquake so far. This was reported by the Iranian national news agency IRNA.
Iran, located in the Alpine-Himalayan seismic zone where the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. Iran usually experiences up to 2,100 earthquakes a year, of which 15 to 16 are of magnitude 5.0 or higher. 96,000 earthquakes were recorded in the country between 2006 and 2015.