The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km about 5 km to the west of the city of Gharqābād in Markazi Province in eastern Iran, slightly before 12.20 pm local time (slightly before 8.50 am GMT) on Wednesday 16 October 2013. There are no reports of any casualties or damage arising from this Earthquake, though it is likely to have been felt locally.
The approximate location of the 16 October 2013 Gharqābād Earthquake. Google Maps.
Iran is situated on the southern margin of the Eurasian Plate. Immediately to the south lies the Arabian Plate, which is being pushed northward by the impact of Africa from the south. This has created a zone of faulting and fold mountains along the southwest coast of the country, known as the Zagros Thrust Belt, while to the northeast of this the geology is dominated by three large tectonic blocks, the Central Iran, Lut and Helmand, which move separately in response to pressure from the south, stretching and compressing the rock layers close to the surface and creating frequent Earthquakes, some of which can be very large.
See also Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake in Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran, Magnitude 4.4 Earthquake in northwest Iran, Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake in Semnan Province, northern Iran, Magnitude 4.5 Earthquake in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran and Magnitude 5.4 Earthquake in southwest Dagestan.
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