Routine seismic activity confirmed in Iraq amid minor earthquakes

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Seismological Monitoring Department at the Ministry of Transport confirmed that recent tremors recorded in Sharqat district, Saladin province, are part of the region's routine seismic activity.

Ali Abdul Khaleq, head of the department, informed Shafaq News Agency that "the seismic activity in Sharqat and its surroundings is due to natural earthquakes recorded periodically. Over the past 24 hours, the area experienced two tremors."

The first tremor, approximately 30 kilometers from Sharqat, measured 4.5 on the Richter scale. The second, occurring 17 kilometers south of the district, measured 3.7. “These magnitudes are within the normal range for seismic activity in the area,” Abdul Khaleq explained.

He further noted that the 4.5-magnitude earthquake caused rock slides on Mount Makhoul’s slopes due to its proximity to the epicenter. “It is natural for tremors to trigger rockfalls in mountainous regions,” he added.

Providing broader context, Abdul Khaleq highlighted that seismic activity in the Halabja-Kalar-Khanaqin triangle intensified after a major earthquake in Halabja in 2017. "That event activated tectonic faults in the region, increasing the frequency of minor earthquakes," he stated.

"Our observatories record daily tremors measuring between one and two on the Richter scale, along with a weekly tremor around three degrees, which may be felt but does not cause significant damage,” he explained.

Abdul Khaleq also emphasized Iraq's geographical position within the Arabian tectonic plate, which interacts with the Anatolian and Iranian plates along the Zagros mountain range. “Movements along these faults cause earthquakes, as seen with the recent activity in Turkiye, where the Anatolian plate has become highly active,” he concluded.