16 people injured following 5.1-magnitude earthquake in Iran

At least 16 injuries were reported following a 5.1-magnitude earthquake that struck north-northwest of Do Gonbadan, Iran, on Sunday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said.



Emergency personnel was dispatched to impacted areas as soon as the earthquake hit. Gachsaran, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, Iran, are said to have been affected by the quake.

State TV did not release any immediate information about possible casualties or damage, according to Reuters.

The earthquake was not far below the surface at a depth of 10.0 km, which caused damage to buildings.

"Not only will the strength and distance away from the epicenter of an earthquake determine how much a city or town will feel the effects of the quake. But how shallow or deep in the earth's surface the earthquake occurs will also be a factor," AccuWeather Meteorologist Maura Kelly said.

"Earthquakes deeper in the earth's crust will have less of an impact on nearby cities and towns as the seismic waves will have to travel a farther distance for reaching the surface, causing them to lose energy. However, tremors from deeper earthquakes can be felt by cities farther away from the center," Kelly said.

accuweather.com