Kope Dagh Earthquake of 1 May 1929, Mw=7.3

Kope Dagh Earthquake of 1 May 1929, Mw=7.3

This large-magnitude earthquake killed more than 3800 people (the exact number is unknown) and injured more than 1100 people in 300 villages in the Central Kopeh Dagh Shear Zone (CKDSZ), northeast of Iran. Wilson (1930), based on the Daily Telegraph of 6 May 1929, wrote that: “a cleft three yards wide [2.7 m] was opened between the towns [villages] of Khaki and Baghan to the east of the Tehran-Isfahan road, the cleft extending to a distance of 28.9 km. The towns of Quchan and Robat also suffered severely, huge fissures in the ground being opened up, one being, according to a report in the Times of 9 May 1929, 38.9km long and 2.7m wide. The total casualties were subsequently given in an official report from a government inspector at Quchan as 3253 persons killed, 1121 injured, 83 villages destroyed, and 6542 cattle killed” (Wilson, 1930). The distance between Kakoli and Baghan, where earthquake faulting along the Baghan fault was reported, is 36 km. M. Pashinskiy, chief of the Khairabad Meteorological Station near the Russian border (in Popov, 1940), wrote that there was a horrifying crash from the talus in the mountains and landslides and fissures in the surrounding areas. Nazarevsky (1932) reported some earthquake fissures at the area immediately northeast of the Germab village in southern Russia (present Turkmenistan), along the northeastern embankment of the Mergen Ulya River running NW–SE parallel to the river, indicating sliding along the northern embankment of the river course. He also added that all buildings at Garmab were destroyed and the Sakiz Ab River to the south of Garmab was waterlogged. The earthquake produced coseismic ground ruptures about 70 km in length with a vertical motion of about 2 m on the northeast side of the Baghan fault. No fresh strike-slip motion was documented in 1974 when the area was visited (Tchalenko et al., 1974b; Tchalenko, 1975; Ambraseys and Melville, 1982). The Baghan right-lateral strike-slip fault is a member of the “CKDSZ” of closely spaced NW–SE trending parallel right-lateral strike-slip faults cutting and displacing the Kopeh Dagh fold-and-thrust belt. The CKDSZ resembles the Eastern California Shear Zone (Sauber et al., 1986, 1994). A total right-lateral offset of about 10km can be measured between the displaced Upper Cretaceous Abderaz Formation outcrops at about 37°35′ N – 58°00′ E (Afshar-Harb, 1979; Hollingsworth et al., 2006). The total length of the fault is 80 km and is capable of right-lateral slip of about 3.0 m (Wells and Coppersmith, 1994). Hollingsworth et al. (2008) and Shabanian et al. (2009a) suggested a right-lateral slip-rate of 1.0 and 2.8 mm/year, respectively (Berberian, 2014).

Berberian, 2014_Page_250

Southeast Tabriz Earthquake of 26 April 1721, Mw=7.7

Southeast Tabriz Earthquake of 26 April 1721, Mw=7.7

Early in the morning of Sunday 26 April 1721, a major earthquake shook the region of Tabriz, killing at least 40,000 people. In Tabriz itself the shock ruined about three-quarters of the houses and caused substantial damage to most of the larger buildings which did not, however, collapse. Detailed information about the extent of the affected region outside Tabriz is lacking, but internal evidence suggests that the heaviest destruction, accounting for the large number of casualties, occurred within a zone that extended from near Tabriz to the southeast, through Shibli and beyond Qareh Baba. The shock triggered many rockfalls and was associated with a fault break that extended for at least fifty kilometers, from Tameh Dash to near Tabriz. The break through Shibli was still visible in 1809, and parts of the fault trace that seems to be connected with this earthquake can be seen today on the ground. The shock seems also to have been strongly felt in the Qazvin region and was followed by many strong aftershocks.

1721 (Eng)

IIEES Membership at IRDR (Integrated Research on Disaster Risk) for Natural Disaster Mitigation

Iran National Committee Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR) Established May 19, 2015

Approved June 1, 2015 by IRDR Science Committee

 

IRDR-IRAN is a group of eight Iranian research institutes and scientific associations that are working toward risk reduction and resilience in Iran. These are the:

  1. International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES); also the coordinating institute for IRDR Iran
  2. Iranian Earthquake Engineering Association (IEEA)
  3. Iranian Sociological Association (ISA)
  4. Water Research Institute (WRI)
  5. Iranian Water Resource Association (IR-WRA)
  6. Disaster and Emergency Health Department at Tehran University of Medical Science
  7. Disaster Management Research Institute of Shakhes Pajouh (DMRISP)
  8. Tehran Disaster Management and Mitigation Organization (TDMMO)

INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBER

The following pages outline the history, missions, structure, technical capabilities and goals of IIEES and other member entities, and alternatively demonstrate that the objectives of the members of this committee are in-line with IRDR’s.

 International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES)

The International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES) is a comprehensive international research institute in the field of earthquake established in Iran based on the 24th UNESCO General Conference Resolution DR/250 and the Iranian government approval in 1989; as an independent institute under the Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. The main goal of IIEES is seismic risk reduction and mitigation both in Iran and in the region by promoting research and education in science and technology related to seismotectonic, seismology and earthquake engineering as well as risk reduction. IIEES activity in research covers all aspects and components of earthquake risk assessment and management; public education and Ph.D. programmes in seismology and earthquake engineering. IIEES consists of 5 Research Centres: Seismology, Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, Structural Earthquake Engineering, Risk Management; National Centre for Earthquake prediction and Graduate School; Public Education; and Information Division.

IIEES disaster risk research topics include: (1) Seismotectonic and seismological studies on the earth crust, active faults, seismicity and earthquake hazard; mapping active faults, hazard zonation; and earthquake catalogues; (2) Vulnerability and risk assessment of cities, developing integrated, feasible and effective risk management and reduction programmes, proposing effective risk reduction measures to the authorities, and cooperate towards its approval and implementation with the consideration of socio-economic and cultural aspects of the country; (3) Promoting the earthquake safety, prevention and preparedness culture in all levels of society (general public, specialist and decision makers) through comprehensive earthquake awareness programmes; and (4) Providing technical and research consultancy to the government and industries for their seismically safe development and construction.

Over the past 26 years, IIEES had major contributions to the development and implementation of the earthquake risk reduction programme in Iran as well as in decision making process and promoting the safety culture and public awareness.

 Iranian Earthquake Engineering Association (IEEA)

Iranian Earthquake Engineering Association (IEEA) is a non-profit association with the mission of encouraging and supporting the effective research and development actions to reduce the earthquake damage and loss, was founded in 1993 by a group of Iranian earthquake researchers, faculties and engineers. The main goal of the association is to improve the quality of the earthquake engineering and seismology as an important field of study in Iran and to provide the students and engineers with required scientific supports. The main office of IEEA located in Tehran organises a close relationship among interested clients from all around the country. Furthermore, the mutual international cooperation with specialists and worldwide organisations enables the members to exchange the newest scientific achievements at the shortest time possible. IEEA has been registered since 1993 by the Iran Scientific Associations Commission (ISAC). IEEA is also registered with the Council of Iranian Scientific Associations (CISA). IEEA is an official member of International Association of Earthquake Engineering (IAEE) which is a member of ICSU. IEEA operates by the Board of Directors that are elected every 3 years by the IEEA members during the annual IEEA general assembly. As of January 2015, IEEA members exceed 1350.

 Iranian Sociological Association (ISA)

Founded in 1991, Iranian Sociological Association (ISA) is the professional organisation of sociologists and social science researchers. Because of its activities, the Association was chosen by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology as an “Outstanding Association” in years 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015. The association is also a full member of International Sociological Association (ISA) and the focal point of Asian Social Science Research Councils (ASSREC) and has launched yearly International conferences focusing on Middle East and North Africa with collaboration of ISA and some regional supporters in Turkey and Arab world since 2010. ISA publishes two quarterly journals that are, Iranian Journal of Sociology and Journal of Social Studies of Iran and one newsletter. The association has 40 specialised committees and 20 provincial offices and the number of its full members has reached to 1200 in 2015. The Specialised Committees of Urban Sociology and Regional Studies, and Sociology of Natural Disasters have performed several workshops, research activities, public discussions and conferences on environmental issues and natural disasters over the past ten years. The research topics include but are not limited to post-earthquake social issues; risks of earthquake and city resistance; management of disasters and reconstruction; social ethics and natural disasters, society, culture and water crisis;  sociological and climate analysis of dust; etc.

Water Research Institute (WRI)

WRI has founded in 1967 as a research centre for operating physical hydraulic models. Water Research Institute (WRI) serves as the main centre for research and development of country’s water sector for now. Actually, WRI is affiliated to Ministry of Energy which is involved in the field of applied water researches and has the duty to support decision makers to successfully pass the water related challenges of the day. The institute consists of two research departments and 4 individual research centres as following: Hydraulic and Hydro-Environment Engineering Department- Tehran main campus; Water Resource Management Department- Tehran main campus; Water and Wastewater Research Centre- Tehran main campus; Karst and Hard Rock Research Centre- Shiraz; Cloud seeding Research Centre- Yazd; and Caspian Sea Research Centre- Sari. Current activities in different sections of WRI is very broad, including water resources management, climate change and its impact on water bodies, Generating flood alarm network in country’s rivers, River engineering, Hydraulic model development, Research on Coastal engineering and marine science, Development of applied cloud seeding methods, Research on karst water resources of the country, Laboratory affairs as sediment, water quality, Chemical, Physical and Microbiology parameters and much more.

 Iranian Water Resources Association (IR-WRA)

IR-WRA has been constituted as a national non-profit association aiming at enhancing cooperation and exchanges in research and application in the field of water resources. The main goals of IR-WRA comprise, but are not limited to: Promoting research and application of scientific knowledge on water resources to practical engineering activities; Contributing to the dissemination of results of scientific and technical advances by Iranian specialists in the field; and Contributing to the extensive programme of conferences and workshops, discussions and IR-WRA publications. IR-WRA consists of four main committees, including Hydrology, Environmental issues, Water Resources Management and Executive committees.

 Disaster and Emergency Health Department at Tehran University of Medical Science

DEH Academy is a leading scientific center in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. It is a well-known institution for operational research programmes and professional training courses. It is basically affiliated to Iran’s National Institute of Health Research and TUMS School of Public Health, and is a close partner of Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME), National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO), and Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS). The academy is also a Non-UN Member of the United Nations Disaster Management Team in I.R. Iran, and an active member of Global Network for Disaster Reduction (GNDR) for Civil Societies.  DEH Academy has a country-wide network of faculty and staff with diverse backgrounds that includes epidemiology, emergency medicine, environmental health, nutrition, reproductive health, mental health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, engineering, geophysical and hydro-meteorological sciences, sociology and health services.

 

Disaster Management Research Institute of Shakhes Pajouh (DMRISP)

Disaster Management Research Institute of Shakhes Pajouh (DMRISP) is a private research centre on disaster risk management aims to engineering of natural disasters. DMRISP research activities are in three different research sectors of: Management, geography and civil engineering.

Tehran Disaster Management and Mitigation Organization (TDMMO)

Tehran Disaster Management Master Plan (TDMMP) was established by the Tehran Municipality with the approval of the Government in December 1999 in coordination with National Committee for Reduction of Natural Disasters’ Impacts and Natural Disaster Task Force of MOI and many other related ministries and organisations.  According to the provisions of the approved Master Plan and in-line with the goal for the coordination of disaster Management issues (Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Reconstruction), Tehran Mayor was assigned as the commander and Tehran Municipality became responsible for the Tehran Disaster Management task. Based on this, all related organisations were asked to cooperate with Tehran Municipality. The main objectives of TDMMO can be categorised as follow: To improve the level of security and safety and to reduce risks in Tehran through conducting related coordination, reviews, researches, training programmes and executive measures prior to the occurrence of disasters to provide mitigation and preparedness for emergency response; To perform measures and necessary coordination for increasing efficiency of disaster management system in Tehran and in related organisations at the time of occurrence of disasters for the implementation of rescue and relief operations and also reduction of damages and human/property losses; and to monitor and direct reconstruction efforts and recovery activities following the occurrence of disasters within the framework of national rules and regulations and also governmental and non-governmental (community- based) aids.

 SCOPE of COLLABORATION and COOPERATION: 

Proposed area of collaboration in line with the IRDR strategy and programs are as follows:

 Forensic Investigations of Disasters (FORIN) Project

  • Defining forensic objectives and designing the necessary framework and systems.
  • Revisiting past disaster reports and documentation in order to extract the required information.
  • Forming the forensic teams to investigate impacts of future disasters namely earthquakes, flood, drought and coastal disasters from physical, health, environmental and social point of view.
  • Collaborating with the other IRDR NCs and RCs to share the experiences and increasing the synergy.

Risk Interpretation and Action (RIA) Project: Enhancing Risk-Literacy

  • Fostering trans-disciplinary research on risk management and resilience focusing on urban areas.
  • Conducting integrated research with special emphasis on socio-economic and policy aspects of risk and resilience.
  • Forming the special taskforces to conduct high quality research on different aspects of disaster risk management.
  • Holding joint workshops and educational programs with other NCs of the IRDR in order to enhance the research quality and maintain the momentum.
  • Monitoring near shores, river banks and catchments in terms of water quality and quantity, Environmental issues and impacts
  • Encouraging the governmental organizations and private sector at national and local level to more implement DRR measures and also engaging them in the committee’s activities.

Measuring Losses from Disasters:  Human and Economic Impact Indicators

  • Defining a common indicator-base model at the national scale to assess and monitor the economic and human risk.
  • Designing and developing necessary frameworks and systems to collect and manage the loss data in a coordinated manner within the country.
  • Exchanging scientific findings and techniques with other IRDR members through joint meetings and research collaborations.
  • Engaging government and private sector in risk monitoring process benefiting from data resources and also encouraging risk-informed decision making in the national and local scale.

 Highlights of Iran-IRDR-NC Activities:

  1. Iran-NC meeting October 2015 and February 2016
  2. Participation in Conferences and Workshops with IRDR flag
  3. Participation in Water Disaster Think-Thank, Kashan-Iran, November 2, 2015
  4. Participation in Disaster Risk insurance Workshop; November 15, 2015
  5. Supporting School Preparedness Drill, November 29, 2015
  6. IRDR-NC Presentation at 2nd International Conference on Urban Development (8-10 March 2016, Sanandaj, Iran) “From Disaster to Resilience, a Way Forward”
  7. IIEES and IRDR-NC Presentation at UNISDR Science and Technology Conference on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (27-29 January 2016, Geneva, Switzerland) on “Quantification of Resilience in Earthquake Engineering”
  8. Co-sponsoring 7th International Conference on Integrated Disaster Risk Management (IDRIM 2016): “Disasters and Development: Towards a Risk Aware Society” in Isfahan, Iran, October 1-4, 2016. See (idrim2016.com). It is expected that IRDR members will have an active participation in this Conference and sponsor special session or organize one of the Panel discussion.
  9. Inviting the IRDR-NC members as the member of the scientific member of the IDRiM 2016 conference. We envisage that this will provide a platform of cooperation as well.

 Planned Activities 2016

  1. Iran-NC meetings to develop joint project on socio-economic aspects of Resilience.
  2. Resilience City Lecture at Iran Academy of Science
  3. Creating Water Disaster Dialogue among scientist and publics in Iran
  4. Sponsoring meeting to address water disaster in Iran
  5. Co-sponsorship of IIEES-IIASA workshop on “”Resilience of Electricity (Power) Grid Network”

 

Contacts:

Prof. Mohsen Ghafory-Ashtiany

IRDR-Iran National Committee Coordinator

No. 21, Arghavan St., North Dibajee, Farmanieh

Tehran ; 3913/19395; Islamic Republic of Iran

 E-mail: ashtiany@iiees.ac.ir; Mohsen.ashtiany@gmail.com
Tel: +98 21 2229 4050; Fax: +98 21 2229 9479

 

 

IRDR National Committee Meeting, May 19, 2015. SEE7 Conference, Tehran, Iran

IRDR National Committee Meeting, May 19, 2015. SEE7 Conference, Tehran, Iran

 IRDR 02

Taleqan Earthquake of 20 April 1608, Mw=7.6

Taleqan Earthquake of 20 April 1608, Mw=7.6

On April 20, 1608, a great earthquake with magnitude of Mw=7.6 occurred in South Gilan, Iran and caused great damages in a wide area. Many houses were destroyed in Taleqan, Rudbarat-e-Alamut and Qazvin regions. In Amol, Sari and Behshahr regions, 280 km away from the epicentral area, some houses cracked. In more than 300 km away, in Miankaleh, the earthquake was associated with strong ground motions. Due to this earthquake, huge waves emerged in the Caspian Sea and damaged the shorelines, creating fears among people and animals.

Tazarj Earthquake of 12 April 1971, Mw=6

Tazarj Earthquake of 12 April 1971, Mw=6

The main shock of Tazarj earthquake occurred at 19:03:25.9 GMT and the instrumental epicenter located at 28.3°N, 55.6°E, with a magnitude of 6.0 and estimated focal depth of 44km. The shaking of the ground lasted 30 seconds. Tazarj was worst hit, then Barghany Bala and Barghany Pa’in. Other damaged villages were Baraftab, Daragah, Laibisheh and Madanujeh. A total of 100 houses collapsed in the region. Some qanats collapsed, one person was killed and three or four injured. It is said that were two shocks: the first was slight and warned the population, the second being the main shock.

The recorded aftershocks are summarized below:

* April 13:  20:4:00 GMT, 28.2°N, 55.6°E, Mb=4.8, F.D=44km.

* April 14:  06.15 local time, a few houses already damaged in the Tazarj area collapsed. The shock was felt in Hadjiabad and Bandar Abbas.

* April 15:  10.45 local time, in Tazarj.

* April 19:  midnight onwards, shocks in Tazarj and Barghany.

The recorded intensities  of the 1971 Tazarj earthquake are summarized in the below table (Berberian & Tchalenko, 1976):

Tazarj A few houses collapsed, all others were fissured (120-150). About 100-150 sheeps were killed due to stable ceilings collapsing. About 150,000 Rials estimated for sheep, 400,000 Rials for qanat repairs. Rockfalls were reported from nearby mountains.
Barghany Five to six houses collapsed and the remainder badly fissured. One person killed. Rockfalls nearby.
Baraftab All houses fissured.
Daragah Half the houses rendered unfit for rehabilitation, the other half fissured.
Laibisheh Houses fissured.
Madanuiyeh All houses fissured.
Bainuj About 10-12 old houses collapsed and many fissured. Rockfalls in the mountain in the south.
Sargaz A few old houses collapsed and many fissured.
Dehestan Pa’in Two shocks were felt but no damage is recorded.
Jaleh Shotori Houses fissured, rock falls.
Posht Ziarat Houses fissured, rock falls.
Qalatu Houses fissured, rock falls, a few collapsed.
Bardinu Houses fissured, rock falls, a few collapsed.
Ganj Felt.
Hadjiabad A few houses fissured.
Bandar Abbas Felt.
Dehno Felt, no damage.
Dashtu Felt, no damage.
Sariran Felt, no damage.
Forg A few houses fissured.

 Berberian & Tchalenko 1976c - Bandar Abbas_Page_9

Kusut Earthquake of 11 April 1935, Mw=6.3

Kusut Earthquake of 11 April 1935, Mw=6.3

A few hours after the midnight (local time) on 11 April 1935, a catastrophic earthquake with magnitude of Mw=6.3 and its devastating aftershock sequence occurred in Kusut region of the Mazandaran province of Iran. The event completely destroyed twenty-six villages in Mazandaran and also caused irreparable damages in eighty other villages. Despite the fact that most houses in this part of Iran were made of wood, most of them collapsed and killed about 480 people.

Kusut