Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region – A series of earthquakes, the strongest measuring 5.0 in magnitude, shook the Garmiyan area in Sulaimani province early Sunday, with tremors reported near the Iran-Iraq border, seismological officials confirmed.

Mohammed Kamal, a meteorological and seismological forecaster in the Kurdistan Region, told Rudaw that five earthquakes were recorded in the region. The initial tremor, measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale, struck at 3:14 am with an epicenter 15 kilometers deep.

The most significant quake, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake, hit near the Parvizkhan border crossing with Iran around 4:00 am. Shortly afterward, an aftershock measuring 3.0 struck west of Sulaimani’s Kalar town, Kamal added.

Impact on Iran-Iraq Border

Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported a 5.1-magnitude earthquake at 4:30 am in Qasr e-Shirin, located in Kermanshah province, approximately 4 kilometers from the Parvizkhan border crossing.

The earthquakes have caused concern in the region, though no reports of damage or casualties have been confirmed as of yet.

Recent Seismic Activity

This series of tremors follows a 3.1-magnitude earthquake west of Halabja on Friday morning. Amir Jabri, spokesperson for Iraq’s meteorology department, stated that the quake, which occurred at a depth of 5 kilometers, caused no damage and was barely felt by residents in the area.

The frequent seismic activity near the Iran-Iraq border has prompted authorities to remain vigilant and monitor developments closely.

Residents in the affected areas have been urged to take precautionary measures and report any damage or emergencies to local authorities.