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Tremors hit Dubai and parts of Northern Emirates

DUBAI-Several residents rushed out of their homes after they felt mild tremors at around 3.10 pm.

There was widespread panic in Dubai and parts of Northern Emirates as people feared an earthquake had hit the UAE.

Dubai Police said the magnitude of the tremors was 5.7 on the Richter scale and the epicentre of the earthquake was South of Iran. The centre of the epicentre is120 kms off Sharjah coast and the tremors in the UAE could have been after-shocks.

It was first felt in Sharjah and then spread to the other emirates. Civil Defence officials confirmed that they received several calls from residents in Bur Dubai, Deira, Fujairah and Sharjah. National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology are however investigating the earthquakeís magnitude.

Jamal Abdullah, director at the Earthquake Observatory in the American University of Sharjah (AUS), said, These tremors seem very similar to the ones experienced in November 2005. This is not new activity and could have been caused by the Zagrous fault that lies between the Arabian and Eurasian plates. Any movement in these plates could cause this.

Hundreds of office workers along Shaikh Zayed Road have been evacuated from their buildings since tremors were felt on Wednesday afternoon.

'My whole building shook, said Autumn Mooney, whose office is in Business Bay. We all had to evacuate the building. I’m not going back in there and everyone is a bit panicked. But I can still see construction workers going about their work and cars are going past.'

I was relaxing when I felt the jolt. I thought my head was spinning but then my mother felt it too. Our chandelier began moving vigorously but it lasted for only 4 seconds. Many people have evacuated the building', said Sindhuja S. Rajan fromDeira

I had just come back from work and felt my doors were making a weird sound. Initially I thought it was the wind or it was the construction that was creating the movement. But when my sofa shifted slightly, my wife and I immediately picked our daughter and ran down to our car. It happened for just a few seconds but was frightening nevertheless', said Shrirang Pimplikar from Ajman

If you have been a witness to this incident and have pictures or videos please send them to the following email id: news@khaleejtimes.ae

COMMENTS

Me and Madhav were busy fixing a code at 3rd floor, 9th block of Academic City (which is surrounded by Desert). I thought he is shaking his leg, but surprised to see that everybody around us making noise and looking each other. As we are on 3rd floor, we didn't want to take the lift and started climbing down using the staircase. For our surprise, our colleagues who were on our top floor were also rushing towards the ground floor. It was a great feeling reaching down to see the whole crowd watching the building from outside. I managed to take a snap of the incidence and here it is attached.

-Parmy, Dubai

Is it an after effect of Big Bang?

-Pooja, Dubai

Dear all, I have felt the earthquake in my 14th floor barsha apartment around 3:30 pm. It was fairly weak but noticeable

- Peter Khoury, UAE

I was lying on the bed and all of a sudden the bed started shaking, I woke up immediately and called my friends to check with them, they told me that they had also experienced the tremor and some of the buildings were being evacuated.

-Salman, Abu Hail, Dubai

Hi, I was working on my laptop its started shaking and I have a table fan beside me it as stared shaking. I was wonder what is happening. Its was panic. Later I was out of building everyone is Cool..! so I thought I have dreamt something. Really I was Worried a Lots. Later I got a call from my good friend to tell about this incident. Which was a Really story which I came across. Thank Lord & Mercy

- Lakshmi Ramesh, Sharjah

It felt so very scary! The only thing running through my head during that time was to tell my loved ones that they mean EVERYTHING to me ... and that i love them more than anything else in this world!

-Hitesh Thawani, Dubai

Ohh really! I didn’t feel so

-Noob, Dubai

Yes, it was just about for 30 second, my office table was shaking and ceiling was making lots of sound.

-Zaka Mohd Khan, Abu Dhabi

I would like to inform you that we all staff of our company felt the shaking of tables and chairs.

-Sunil, Meena Bazar, Bur dubai

I was in my office talking on the phone, when I suddenly realized my chair & table shaking. I grabbed my table & looked for other signs of quake. But by then, it was over. It was for 4-5 seconds but a strong one. Regards

-Komal Singh

Few seconds my office chair shook below me and all my colleagues were stunned and looking at each other until it stopped and all the office was in turmoil as people were trying to leave, some panicking and others trying to calm them down.

- Hadi, Sheikh Zayed Road

We were working in the office today around 2:50pm when I talking with my colleague Mr. Fayyaz suddenly I felt shaken and also Fayyaz fel the same then we both ran towards steps to down and we see other office people felt the same and running for safety. (Salmiya building, Al Rigga Road)

- Mohamed Faruk, Dubai (Al Rigga Road)

These scientists by conducting this experiment r putting billions of peoples life in risk....what are they doing by forming black holes and putting the earth in danger...

- Aanachal Mehta Singh

It was exactly 3.05 I felt the shake in my legs, I thought it was only for me but my friend near to my seat shouted that building is shaking. Everybody in our office felt the shake. I immediately called my children in Sharjah they told that they could feel the sofa and lights are shaking. My friends in Bur Dubai, Karama, and Al Nadha area told the same thing.

-SUDHA RADHA

Myself Vikas. I just came home and opened my computer I felt my desk is shaking. Again I felt it and suddenly I went outside. I didn't see any difference outside. But later I started hearing the news may be after 10 minutes. Perhaps I was the first person to come out due to this. I tried to open gulf news but nothing was there soon I opened yours. You are the first newspaper to deliver this news. Congradulation. Thanks

-Vikas

I felt the quake @ about 1513hrs, while working in my office in Hyatt regency, Galleria office 264. This was the first time ever I have felt an earth quake. Scary. But safe.

-Muhammad Taqi, Dubai

Our office is in Al Ghurair, and we felt really shaking and many of the offices have closed for the day.

- Karthik Ramadurai, Dubai

I live on Electra Road in Abu Dhabi, felt everything around me moving and shaking, I thought I was feeling dizzy for about 10 - 12 seconds.

- Abbas Shirazi, Abu Dhabi

I was in my house looking into the mirror when suddenly I saw my body move. I was terrified. Moreover we were all aware of the experiment taking place in Geneva. But its just minor tremors.

- Pratik Kumar, Sharjah

I was in my house working on the computer when suddenly I felt my chair shake. First I thought I was feeling dizzy and was imagining it. So I went and washed my face. After ten minutes my friend calls me and asks me whether I felt the tremors ... that’s when I realized it was not my imagination but the an earthquake.

- Shilp Shah, BurDubai

I was surfing on my desktop pc & my mom was sleeping ... to our astonishment both of us felt the tremors pity hard for about 15 seconds ! O Lord forgive our sins!!

- Umair Faruqi, Sharjah

It’s our receptionist who felt the shaking first. She saw the door right to our room moving a bit, the wire outside hanging dangling. She also felt her computer move, she felt lightheaded. She even asked me if I felt it too..Then I said no because I was busy doing something in my computer. Oh my God! I just realized how come I ignored what she had said. After 5 minutes my girlfriend called me and asked me if I felt the tremor just occurred. It took 20 seconds the said tremor actually. Will all pray it won’t happen again that’s the least thing we could do...save UAE!

- Lester, Deira, Dubai

Hi All..... It was really surprising as I was sitting on the computer chair with wheels so I started moving bit here & there but I thought due to wheels I am moving....!!! Then suddenly my brother called me from Mumbai and informed, so I Realised that it was earthquake!! Wow.....now bit scary... after knowing it was earthquake...!! I started browsing all the news paper sites...!!

- CHETAN, BUR DUBAI

Yes, probably the Mid East's own big bang too!

- PAUL PEREIRA, AL GHUSAIS, DXB

Exactly is this the LHC big bang effect??

- Gurson Singh, Karama

I was in City Tower 2. The moment we felt the Projector in the meeting room started moving on its own. We know that it’s a quake. We all rushed immediately to the ground by steps.......

- Senthil, Sheik Zayed Road

Hey all even I felt the earthquake at my house in Deira when the beds and computers started shaking and moreover even I fell down in 2nd floor Deira apartment

- Sid, Deira, Dubai

When I was working in my office which is in 6th floor of Salamiyah Tower , Deira. I felt that my table was moving. I asked my colleague 'Did you pull my table?'' the same question was asked to me. At the time all were running out. Me too....

- Vairamuthu, Deira, Dubai

I was sitting on my sofa. Suddenly I felt that my sofa was shaking. Immediately I opened the door but no movement outside. Same thing I experienced in Gujarat in 2000.

- Haresh, Abu Dhabi

I was in my house working on the computer when suddenly I felt my chair shake. First I thought I was feeling dizzy and was imagining it. So I went and washed my face. After ten minutes my friend calls me and asks me whether I felt the tremors ... that’s when I realized it was not my imagination but the an earthquake.

- Shilp Shah, BurDubai

I was sitting in my Office- Mashreq Bank Deira, suddenly my friend called me from Abu Dhabi telling about this. But here in our area no one felt anything like that.

- Ahmad Khan, Deira, Dubai

I was sleeping on the bed along with my son. I was sleeping on my right side. I felt my heart beat shaking me , I was swaying , but I brushed it off thinking that I was in my dream whilst taking my afternoon siesta. Felt a little uneasy at that moment. Also noticed that my kiddo was close to me. Me checked on him n then when off to sleep. At around 4.30 pm got a call from my husband saying that an earthquake was experienced by residents of UAE. Then it explained what I felt was not a DREAM!

- Ann Pinto, Sharjah

I felt my chair shake and thought I imagined but later I received a call from Mumbai. I later confirmed from Khaleej Times news and got to know. I wish I was one of those lucky people who really had a good shake

- Russell Dsouza, Dubai, Deira

Exactly at 3.01 pm I felt the quake , the whole building started shaking. At first I thought its because of the RTA metro project , which is undergoing right before the building but later everyone said its earth quake.

- Sameer, Deira, Dubai

Dear all, I have felt the earthquake in my office 14th floor Shatha Tower around 3:15 pm. It was fairly weak but noticeable, only people on chairs felt it. It lasted for a min. No need for this horror

- Ghada Gohar, Sheikh Zayed Road

I was in my office inside Khalid Seaport, Sharjah and felt the whole office complex shaking, the filing cabinets rattling and initially thought it was some big earth moving equipment passing by but soon realized it was an earthquake. Lasted approximately 8 to 10 seconds!!!

- Suresh, Sharjah

Hi. I was at work when I felt the tremors being on the 7th floor of the building. I felt that the tremors were pretty strong. All of us evacuated the building with immediate effect. I would like to know if there is any reason to worry and if there should be any precautions taken.

- Nikhila, DHCC, Dubai

It was a very surprising that the tremor and the big bang was happening at the same period of time..Hope this was not related... My Family were watching news of the big ban and suddenly my chair swayed extreme right and we all rushed out the building... Thank Almighty all are safe

- G Nelsons, Sharjah

Hi. I live In Ajman. I also felt the earthquake tremors. It was quite frightening. At the time it happened I was sleeping but my family saw many objects in the house shake and we also felt the ground shake. My mum thought that she was dizzy but my Dad confirmed that the building was shaking. We grabbed our passports, car keys, mobile phones and some money and left the house. As we live on the seventeenth floor of a building we were a bit scared to take the lift but we took the risk as we were all fasting thus it would be difficult to descend seventeen floors by stairs. When we reached the ground floor we met one other family and shared our experiences. They also felt the same. Nobody else came down from the building probably because they didn't understand what was happening. After twenty minutes we returned to our apartment and checked the news on the internet and then saw that Khaleej Times had already updated it on the computer. It was quite a shock and all we can do now is pray.

- Aaishah Patel, Ajman

We are in Dubai tower Deira Dubai, witnessed the earthquake. We installed a country made earthquake inventor in 2005 which shows that 3 times mild shaking the building. All the staff started running down to ground floor , our building can with stand any shock because it made too strong old construction much super than any new building

-A STAFF FROM SHALIMAR, DUBAI

I felt as if someone was shaking my seat from behind. Later, I saw the curtains swinging wildly. All of a sudden, one of my colleagues started shouting, “THE BUILDING IS SHAKING!!!!' That's when all of us realized its an earthquake! It wasn’t weak for sure. All of us were required to flee the building immediately. When I came down, I noticed such a big crowd-never knew there were so many people working inside the building!

- Niaz, Emirates NBD Head Office, Baniyas Road, Deira

I would like to inform you that we all staff of our company felt the shaking of tables and chairs.

- Rita, Deira

I think it was a bit difficult moment for me as I was using my laptop and suddenly everything starts shaking..first I thought that it may be my mistake but when I see outside I felt nervous and surprised

- Fahad, Deira

I live in Ajman and I didn’t feel a single thing but trust me, its nothing 2 worry about.......... [inshallah]

-Smood, Ajman

Being the second occurrence of an earthquake aftershock in the UAE, I think the government needs to take the matter seriously and start awareness campaigns to educate residence on how to respond to this kind of crisis. Secondly a thorough check on the existing and upcoming buildings built along the aftershock path to identify whether the occupants are in any danger of the buildings collapsing

- ANDREW, DUBAI

Hi, My wife she called from Sharjah to inform me that I felt some tremors and I just ignored but when I open the Khaleejtimes then I realize that she was right about tremors, but as we all are working in IBA Batuta mall haven’t felt anything

- Dharmendra, Jebel Ali

I felt it too in Sharjah....I was watching T.V while I felt the tremors

- Pooja, Rolla, Sharjah

Am in 16th floor of my accommodation in Khalifa street. It was strong. I thought I feel only dizzy. I am swaying from my chair have to grab to the table to stop moving. Didn't tell my flat mate to avoid panic.

-Mrs. Mala Narayn, Abu Dhabi

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