The Quake That Shook Semnan
Think about being in the middle of an intense military conflict, and suddenly the ground beneath your feet starts trembling. That’s exactly what happened to people in Iran on June 20, 2025, when a 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Semnan, northern Iran. The earthquake occurred 37 kilometers southwest of Semnan at a very shallow depth of 10 kilometers, making it particularly noticeable to residents in the area. While the US Geological Survey recorded it as 5.1 magnitude, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported it as 5.2 magnitude. The quake struck at 9:19 PM local time and was also felt in Tehran’s Qom region.
When Military Tension Meets Natural Disaster
The earthquake struck during heightened geopolitical stress between Israel and Iran, making the situation more tense. Israel continues to pound Iran’s nuclear facilities and other military targets, with the goal of thwarting the Iranian regime’s efforts to produce nuclear weapons as well as more ballistic missiles. It’s like nature decided to add its own drama to an already explosive situation. Semnan is home to the Semnan Missile Complex operated by Iran’s military as well as the Semnan Space Centre, making the timing of this earthquake particularly significant.
A Surprisingly Powerful Event
This is the strongest earthquake to hit the region since September 6, 2020, when a 5.3 magnitude earthquake occurred 256 kilometers further northeast, and it was also the heaviest earthquake to hit the region in the past 10 years. In total, only 1 earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 or higher has been registered within 300 kilometers of this epicenter in the past 10 years, which comes down to an average of once every 10 years. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth, which explains why this one was felt so widely across the region.
Limited Damage Despite the Intensity
No casualties were reported, with only minor damage confirmed, as Iran’s state news agency IRNA stated there were no casualties and officials reported only minimal damage in the affected regions. Currently, 2 people have reported shaking in Tehran, showing that while the earthquake was felt across a wide area, its impact remained relatively contained. Based on preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter. It’s quite remarkable how a 5.1-magnitude earthquake can shake such a large area yet cause so little destruction.
Iran’s Earthquake Reality
A total of 2,736 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 kilometers of Iran in the past 10 years, which comes down to a yearly average of 273 earthquakes per year, or 22 per month, meaning on average an earthquake will hit near Iran roughly every 1 day. Iran earthquake incidents are common due to the country’s location on the Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt. Iran is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, being crossed by several major faults that cover at least 90% of the country, and as a result, earthquakes in Iran occur often and are destructive. Living in Iran means constantly being aware that the ground could shake at any moment.
Can you imagine dealing with both war tensions and earthquake worries at the same time?
