Mohammadabad Earthquake of 16 February 1941, Ms 6.1

Mohammadabad Earthquake of 16 February 1941, Ms 6.1

In the early Night of 16th February 1941, an earthquake with a magnitude Ms = 6.1 caused heavy damages to the sparse populated Mohammdabad area in the north west of Birjand. The city was completely destroyed and 680 out of its 920 residents were killed. Evidences indicate that the earthquake has been associated with a surface fault rupture which was located about 4 km south of Ghomenjan with a length of 8 to 10 km toward the south. The surface rupture had a N-80-E trend with some vertical displacement lees than 1 meter. The February 16, 1941 earthquake caused widespread clay liquefaction in the east and south of Mohammadabad where the groundwater table at the time of the earthquake was very close to the ground surface. The ground collapsed between Mohammadabad and Teghdar and mud spilled out of its cracks. The city of Mohammadabad was again built about 500 meters north of its former place and many townships that were destroyed, were abandoned. The earthquake was felt strongly in Birjand and Ghaen and Torbat-e Heydarieh.