Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake in northern Iraq.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake at a depth of 10.0 km, 25 km to the southeast of the city of Jamjamāl in Sulaymaniyah Province, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, close to the border with Iran, slightly before 9.25 pm local time (slightly before 6.25 pm GMT) on Monday 9 November 2020. The event was widely felt in the area between Kirkuk and the Iranian border, but there are no reports of any damage or casualties.

 

The approximate location of the 9 November 2020 Jamjamāl Earthquake. USGS.

Iraq is situated on the northern part of the Arabian Plate, which is being pushed northward by the impact of Africa from the south, forcing it into the southern margin of the Eurasian Plate. This has created a zone of faulting and fold mountains along the northeast border of the country and neighbouring areas of Iran, known as the Zagros Thrust Belt. This compressing the rock layers close to the surface and creates frequent Earthquakes, some of which can be very large. 

 

The movement of the Arabian Plate and extent of the Zagros Thrust Belt. Rasoul Sorkhabi/Geo ExPro.

 

Witness accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events, and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.

 

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