In brief
An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 rattled southern Iran on Saturday night, with a 10‑km depth and a surface focus near 28.05°N, 51.55°E, according to GFZ. The event was recorded by global seismographic networks, and no additional details on damage or casualties were provided at the time of reporting.
An earthquake measured at magnitude 5.1 shook southern Iran at 2120 GMT on Saturday, according to the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. The German centre, which monitors seismic activity worldwide, supplied the details of the event to the press.
The shaking was felt in the southern part of the country, where the quake’s epicenter was located near 28.05 degrees north latitude and 51.55 degrees east longitude. The GFZ report indicated that the focus of the quake was only ten kilometers below the surface.
In its brief statement, the GFZ confirmed the magnitude, depth and coordinates of the earthquake, noting that the data were taken from seismographs that recorded the seismic waves as they traveled through the Earth’s crust.
Because the event was located at a depth of 10 km, it was classified as a shallow earthquake, a classification that is used to describe quakes whose hypocenters lie within the upper 70 km of the Earth’s interior. Shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking at the surface than deeper ones of the same magnitude.
The coordinates 28.05°N 51.55°E place the epicenter inside Iran’s southern latitudinal band, a region that the GFZ has noted for its active tectonic setting. The centre’s routine monitoring recorded the event within seconds of its occurrence at 2120 GMT.
As is standard practice, the GFZ issued a rapid seismic bulletin that detailed the magnitude and depth, as well as the latitude and longitude of the event. The bulletin is intended for scientists, emergency managers and the public, and is available on the centre’s website.
The announcement was made in the early hours of the following day, when the world’s seismological infrastructure was certainly online and ready to process the data from the newly recorded event.
Southern Iran, a region known for its complex fault systems, experienced the immediate effects of the quake, though no official press briefings or local reports of damage were available at the time of the GFZ release. Residents near the epicenter were likely to feel the tremors and some buildings may have experienced minor stress.
The GFZ's rapid assessment determined the quake’s energy release and helped place the event in the broader context of regional seismicity. The centre’s ongoing work supports understanding of Earth’s interior and the hazards associated with plate boundaries.
Following the announcement, seismic agencies across the globe may cross‑check the data with their own instrumentation. The international seismic community traditionally shares information to build comprehensive recordings of each event.
Because the earthquake was classified as moderate in magnitude, it did not trigger a tsunami warning or a significant loss of life as of the time the GFZ statement was released.
In summary, a 5.1‑magnitude earthquake struck southern Iran on Saturday night, with a shallow depth of 10 km and an epicenter near 28.05°N 51.55°E. The GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences provided the first official details on the event.
