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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Did Israel strikes trigger earthquake in Tehran? Tremors could be linked to Iran nuclear testing
AP photo A 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck northern Iran on Friday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), as Israel continued its barrage of airstrikes on Iranian targets. While Iran's official news agency IRNA reported no casualties and described the damage as 'minimal,' the tremor has sparked international speculation about its possible connection to Iran's controversial nuclear program. The quake, which the USGS said originated at a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles), was centred approximately 37 kilometres (23 miles) southwest of Semnan city. However, Iran's state television reported a stronger magnitude of 5.5, stating that the epicentre was near the city of Sorkheh in Semnan province. The tremor was reportedly felt in the capital, Tehran, located about 150 kilometres (90 miles) from the affected area. Nuclear test suspicions Amid the heightened military tensions with Israel, some analysts have raised the possibility that the seismic activity could be linked to underground nuclear testing by Iran -- a claim that remains unverified. The timing of the quake, coinciding with ongoing Israeli airstrikes, has fueled speculation on social media and among regional security observers. Semnan province holds particular significance in Iran's nuclear and missile infrastructure. The region is home to the Semnan Space Centre, a key launch site for Iran's satellite and ballistic missile programs, and lies relatively close to the Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities, both central to Iran's uranium enrichment efforts. While Iran has consistently denied pursuing nuclear weapons, international scrutiny intensified after the collapse of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) following the United States' unilateral withdrawal in 2018. A history of nuclear tension Iran's nuclear ambitions date back to the 1950s under the US-backed "Atoms for Peace" program but have evolved into one of the West Asia's most contentious geopolitical flashpoints. Western nations, particularly the United States and Israel, have long accused Tehran of seeking nuclear weapons capability under the guise of a civilian program -- a claim Iran firmly rejects. The region's complex seismology, combined with Iran's history of secretive nuclear development, has often triggered speculation whenever earthquakes occur near sensitive sites. However, experts caution that Iran is naturally prone to seismic activity, given its location on major fault lines. Geopolitical implications If verified, any link between seismic events and potential nuclear testing would dramatically escalate tensions, not just between Israel and Iran but also across the broader West Asia. It would likely trigger calls for new sanctions and increase pressure on international bodies like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to launch immediate investigations. For now, both Iranian officials and the global scientific community continue to attribute Friday's earthquake to natural tectonic activity. Still, in a region already on edge, the tremor has added another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile situation.
India Today
11 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Twin quakes shake Iran amid Israel conflict. Is there link to nuclear activities?
Iran has been hit by two back-to-back earthquakes even as tension between the Islamic nation and Israel remains at its peak. An earthquake of 5.1 magnitude struck northern Iran on Friday at 9.19 pm local time. This happened only five days after a 2.5 magnitude quake was reported near Fordo after Israeli quake happened approximately 36 km southwest of Semnan at a depth of 10 km, with tremors felt in Tehran and other nearby regions. The timing of these quakes and recent satellite imagery showing damage at Iran's nuclear sites in Natanz and Fordo amid Israel's fierce attacks, have fuelled speculation regarding a potential AND ITS SEISMOLOGIC HISTORYIran is highly active seismically due to its position on the Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt, and thus, experiences frequent earthquakes, with over 2,000 annually, including 15 to 16 of magnitude 5.0 or higher. A long-term analysis of a decade between 2006 and 2015, showed 96,000 earthquakes were recorded in the country during the period. The ongoing conflict with Israel, which started on June 13, involves Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure, including sites such as Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordo, alongside Tehran's missile retaliations. The quake's shallow depth of 10 km and proximity to Semnan's space and missile complex sparked speculation, but seismic data suggests it was a natural ON NATURAL, NUCLEAR-INDUCTED QUAKES Nuclear activities, particularly underground nuclear explosions, can induce earthquakes by releasing tectonic stress near the blast. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), such explosions can trigger seismic events, but these are typically much smaller in magnitude than the explosion itself and are limited to a range of a few tens of kilometres from the blast site. The quakes are generally less intense and have fewer aftershocks than natural can distinguish these events by analysing wave patterns, with nuclear explosions producing mainly P-waves. Natural earthquakes generate both P and S-waves. Also, the seismic waves generated by nuclear explosions differ from those of natural Berkeley Seismology Lab explains that nuclear test seismograms are dominated by compressional P-waves, while natural earthquakes generate strong shear S-waves as well. This distinction allows seismologists to differentiate between the two, using methods such as moment tensor solutions, as described by the National Geographic, which trace waves back to their origin to identify the mechanism of the earthquakes with a 2.5-magnitude event near Fordo on June 15, coincided with military actions, but expert analysis, including those from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), confirmed they align with natural QUAKE THEORY IN INDO-PAK CONFLICTDuring India-Pakistan's four-day conflict in May, similar tremors were felt in Pakistan. Even then, a theory of atomic activity surfaced but was debunked by India Today after analysing the facts logically based on seismographic evidence and these scientific explanations in mind, it can be conclusively said that while nuclear activities, especially explosions, can cause small, localised earthquakes, the latest seismic events in Iran near nuclear facilities are consistent with natural tectonic activity, given the region's high seismic analysis, including from CTBTO, USGS, and independent seismologists, supports this conclusion, dismissing speculation about nuclear tests or military-induced quakes. The evidence leans toward natural causes, but ongoing monitoring and further research are essential, especially in conflict zones where speculation runs faster than the earthquake InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Israel#Iran
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Eruption at Hawaii's Kilauea volcano sends lava shooting 1,000 feet in air
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is erupting again in spectacular fashion, sending lava shooting 1,000 feet into the sky, according to the United States Geological Survey. On Friday morning, "Episode 26" of the ongoing eruption at Halemaʻumaʻu -- the pit crater within Kīlauea Caldera at the summit of the volcano -- spewed lava fountains that reached massive heights, according to the USGS's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. MORE: Hawaii's Kilauea volcano shoots lava 1,000 feet in the air in latest eruption Episode 26 was preceded by small, sporadic spattering and lava overflows, according to the USGS. Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world and located on the Big Island, has been especially active in the last several months, erupting dozens of times since December. In May, Kilauea also spewed leva more than 1,000 feet. On June 11, eruptions at Kilauea measured at more than 330 feet, according to the USGS. MORE: Kilauea volcano erupting in remote area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park The current eruption began at 1:40 a.m. local time, with lava fountains and flows erupting from the north vent, according to the USGS. The eruption is flowing into a remote area of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Flows have been confined to the Halemaʻumaʻu crater and the southwest side of Kaluapele, Kīlauea's summit caldera. MORE: Kilauea, active Hawaiian volcano, could erupt like a 'stomp-rocket toy,' new study suggests The USGS issued a volcano watch – known as a code orange – which means that an eruption is either likely or occurring but with no, or minor, ash. Volcanic gas emissions and tephra -- fragments of rock, minerals and glass -- from the lava fountain may be distributed south of the caldera, due to the winds blowing from the north, the USGS said. Other hazards include Pele's hair -- strands of volcanic glass often produced by lava fountaining activity -- crater wall instability, ground cracking and rockfalls. Kīlauea's caldera rim surrounding Halemaʻumaʻu crater has been closed to the public since 2007 due to such hazards.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Lava fountains over 1,000 feet high shoot from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano sent jets of lava shooting over 1,000 feet into the air early Friday morning, marking another explosive episode for the active volcano. The volcanic activity began at 11:30 p.m. local time Thursday, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which is operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. At first, the activity was "small, sporadic spattering" and lava outflows, the observatory said. But as time went on, the activity "continued to increase in intensity." By 1:40 a.m. Friday, the lava fountains erupting from the volcano's north vent were reaching heights of over 1,000 feet, the observatory said. That intensity overlapped with an increase in seismic activity, the observatory said. Fifteen minutes later, at 1:55 a.m. local time, the volcano was continuing to emit 800-foot-high fountains of lava. A camera at the volcano continued to livestream images of impressive lava fountains shooting into the air. The fountains are feeding a lava flow, the observatory said. The lava flow remains contained in the Halema'uma'u caldera, a crater at the top of the volcano, the observatory said. The volcano also released a volcanic cloud about 15,000 feet into the air. The observatory warned that the plume may include hazards, including strands of volcanic glass known as Pele's hair and rock fragments called tephra. These hazards, along with volcanic gas, can have "far-reaching effects downwind," the observatory said. Winds around the volcano are blowing from the north, so these fragments may be distributed south of the caldera, the observatory said. This is the volcano's 26th lava fountaining episode since December 2024. Most episodes have lasted for a day or less, and are separated by pauses of at least several days, the observatory said. Kilauea, located on the Big Island's Hawaii Volcanoes National Park about 200 miles from Honolulu, is one of six active volcanoes in Hawaii. It is also one of the world's most active volcanoes. Its eruptions have become a popular attraction. The USGS also offers multiple YouTube livestreams of the volcanic activity. Hawaii is also home to the largest active volcano in the world, Mauna Loa. The volcano is also located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and last erupted in 2022. SpaceX Starship upper stage blows up Hurricane Erick approaches Mexico with destructive winds, major storm surge Video shows man driving car down Rome's Spanish Steps
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Earthquake of 5.1 magnitude rattles northern Iran amid Israel war
Jun 21, 2025 01:56 AM IST A 5.1-magnitude earthquake shook northern Iran on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, as Israel pounded the country with repeated waves of air strikes. State television said the earthquake measured 5.5 and "shook the area around the city of Sorkheh in Semnan province". (Representational) Official news agency IRNA reported no casualties and only "minimal damage". The quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) some 37 kilometres (23 miles) southwest of the city of Semnan, the USGS said. State television said the earthquake measured 5.5 and "shook the area around the city of Sorkheh in Semnan province". It said the tremor was also felt in the capital Tehran, about 150 kilometres (90 miles) from Sorkheh.
