Troubling news emerges from the Middle East as an earthquake that struck the south of Iran on Thursday night was “slightly felt” in the UAE. However, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) confirmed that the 5.3-magnitude earthquake had no serious impact on the emirates. The National Seismic Network of the NCM indicates that the earthquake occurred at 5:59 PM UAE time.
Around 6 o’clock, residents of high-rise buildings reported feeling a slight tremble. People in Dubai and Sharjah reported feeling tremors and saw swaying in homes and chandeliers that waved. Residents used social media to share their tremor experiences shortly after the alleged incident.
UAE Faces Constant Tremors
“Was that an earthquake in Dubai?” one user posted. “Thought it was just breeze shaking my chandelier.”Following this tweet, a number of locals, including one from Sharjah, remarked they felt it too
“I thought I was the only one who felt the quake.” – quipped the user.
Several earthquakes that shook Iran earlier this year also impacted the UAE. The majority of them lasted only a few seconds, but some made people leave their homes because furniture and chandeliers started to tremble.
But, Khalifa Alebri, the director of the NCM’s Tsunami Early Warning Centre, giving relief to the emiratis, previously stated in an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times that UAE residents shouldn’t be concerned about aftershocks because “most of the energy has already been released. He continued by saying that because of this, aftershocks are typically “less intense”.
Specific Consequences In The Recent Past
Back in June, a Dubai resident was reported conveying that after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Iran, things in their room began to tremble shortly after 10 am. Another Twitter user reported that for about 30 seconds, their desk chair shook.
Almost this time last year, in November 2021, the UAE experienced tremors after Iran experienced two powerful earthquakes in a single minute. A 6.2-magnitude earthquake and a 6.7-magnitude one were both felt in southern Iran.
Buildings were shaking, according to residents of Downtown Dubai, Dubai Media City, and Dubai Sports City.
Videos of objects in people’s apartments being shaken by the earthquake that occurred about 1,000 km away surfaced on Twitter. According to the reports, some offices and buildings were evacuated as part of the safety measure.
A 5.1-magnitude earthquake that struck in June 2020 at a depth of 30 kilometers in southern Iran’s Fars Province caused light tremors in the northern Emirates. Residents in the UAE felt the ground tremble in February of that year as a 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck Iran’s Qeshm Island.
On the whole, these earthquakes have little impact on daily life in the Emirates, but they can occasionally be felt if they are strong enough, specifically if they are higher than a magnitude of 5.0.
Precautions During A Proposed Earthquake
Khalifa Alebri urged people to learn as much as they could about earthquakes in order to get over their fear. He continued by saying that because of their knowledge and awareness, people in areas where tremors are frequently felt know how to act.
What To Do:
- Remain calm! Stay inside if you’re inside. If outside, don’t try to enter any buildings.
- If you’re inside, position yourself against a wall close to the center of the building, in a doorway, or underneath large furniture (a desk or table). Avoid openings like exterior doors and windows.Â
- If you’re outside, stay clear of power lines and anything else that could fall. Don’t enter buildings, because the building could collapse on you or things could fall.
- Use no candles, matches, or other flames. Fire and busted gas lines don’t mix.
- If you’re driving, stop and stay put until the earthquake stops.
- Also, avoid using elevators as the probability of getting trapped in them is higher.