An 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck southwest Iran near the town of Mashkel on April 16, 2013. The quake lasted 25 seconds and was felt as far away as Abu Dhabi and Delhi, destroying 85% of buildings in Mashkel and 3000 houses. While 35 people were killed and 127 injured, the death toll was relatively low because the earthquake's deep focus of 82km meant less intense shaking, and mud homes tended to cause injury rather than collapse when they fell. Immediate rescue efforts were deployed to the damaged area.

1. Case Study: Iran April 201
Where did it happen?Iran is found on the destructive boundary between the
Eurasian plate and the Arabian plate. The earthquake is located in the south
west of the country close to the town of Mashkel.
What happened? On the 16th of April 2013 a 7.7 magnitude earthquake stuck the southwest of Iran at
1:30pm. The shaking lasted for 25 seconds. The epicentre was 83 kilometres from the city of Khash
and was felt as far away as Abu Dhabi and Delhi. The focus was at a depth of 82km.
Primary effects
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Secondary effects
85% of buildings in Maskel were
destroyed
3000 houses destroyed
35 people were killed
127 people were injured
Immediate responses
Rescue workers deployed in the area.
Long term responses
Why was the death toll so low?The death toll was low because many of the houses were made of
mud meaning that when they collapsed they mainly caused injury. The focus was deep (82km). The
area was sparsely populated.