Strong Earthquake Strikes Western Iran

The U.S. Geological Survey and European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre recorded a magnitude-4.9 earthquake south of Javanrud in western Iran at 06:43 Israel time, followed five minutes later by a stronger magnitude-5.2 quake in the same area. Both agencies placed the events at about 10 kilometers depth, while GFZ calculated magnitudes 4.81 and 5.24. Walla's first Hebrew report cited an initial EMSC magnitude of 5.5. USGS issued no tsunami alert, and none of the cited sources reported casualties or damage at publication time.