M4.3 Earthquake 13 km W of Damāvand, Iran — May 12, 2026
2026-05-12 20:16:08 UTC (2026-05-12) · approx. 11:16 PM UTC+3 local
Felt by 12 people across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.4 (moderate).
On May 12, 2026 at 20:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 13 km W of Damāvand, Iran, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 35.7150°, 51.9166°. The earthquake was reported felt by 12 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.4 (moderate). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 66 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 289, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Damavand (population 48,380).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 43 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 558 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Iran, a region characterized by the Zagros fold-and-thrust belt, where the Arabian Plate collides with Eurasia at 20-25 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Zagros Fault. View all earthquakes in Iran.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 12 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 9,021,920 |
| MMI 4 | light | 139,987 |
Earthquake Details
51.9166°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Damāvand, Iran?
The magnitude 4.3 earthquake that struck 13 km W of Damāvand, Iran on May 12, 2026 at 20:16 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. It was felt by 12 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.4 (moderate). For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 35.7150°, 51.9166°, which is 13 km W of Damāvand, Iran. The nearest populated place is Damavand (population 48,380). View all earthquakes in Iran.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.3 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Iran had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Iran was the M7.8 Tabas earthquake of September 16, 1978. Today's magnitude 4.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000sx99). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 12, 2026). M4.3 Earthquake 13 km W of Damāvand, Iran — May 12, 2026. Retrieved May 25, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000sx99/