Tremors felt in UAE as twin earthquakes hit southern Iran

Residents took to social media with photos, videos and messages

By Sahim Salim, SM Ayaz Zakir and Ashwani Kumar

Published: Sun 14 Nov 2021, 4:28 PM

Last updated: Sun 14 Nov 2021, 6:35 PM

The UAE experienced tremors as twin earthquakes hit Iran on Sunday. Residents in Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi reported feeling the tremors that lasted “two to three minutes”. Multiple buildings were evacuated for tenants’ own safety.

The UAE’s National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) confirmed that the tremors were from a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that hit the South of Iran at 4.07pm. The NCM recorded another 6.7-magnitude earthquake at 4.08pm.

It had a slight impact on the northern and eastern side of the country “without any effect”, the NCM said.

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Residents reported tremors in communities like Jumeirah Lake Towers, Nahda, Deira, Barsha, Dubai Investments Park and Discovery Gardens. They were also felt in Sharjah's Al Nahda, Mahatta and Corniche, in addition to some communities in Ras Al Khaimah.

‘Everything was shaking’

Social media was abuzz with photos, videos and messages posted by residents on the day. Some Netizens posted videos showing residents out on the streets as buildings were evacuated.

A Twitter user, Rachel McArthur, said the tremors “lasted a good few minutes”. Emile Atallah said his whole building in DIFC was shaking.

Shivam Parashar, who works at a private firm in Barsha Heights, said he saw chandeliers in his office shaking.

"As we felt the tremors and saw cups falling off a table, we hit the panic mode and rushed out of the building,” he said.

His entire building was evacuated within 15 minutes, he said.

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Ahmed, a resident of Deira, stays with his family on the 10th floor of a residential building. “The doors, windows... everything was shaking. All we knew was we had to get out. We used the stairs to get to the open ground,” he added.

Many residents thought they were having bouts of dizziness. “I thought my head was spinning. It was only when my maid asked if I felt the house was shaking that I realised it was an earthquake,” said Abdullah Ali, who stays in Sharjah’s Mahatta area.

Abu Dhabi

Some buildings in Abu Dhabi City were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

“We felt something shaking, like the chair moving a bit and the glass window vibrating. But we never expected it to be a quake alarm. Soon the building alarm went off and we rushed down following the announcement,” said Dr S.D. Gopakumar, who lives in a building on Electra Street.

Another resident, Sholin John, a private sector employee, was working in his office when the alarm went off. “I thought it was a mock drill. But soon I heard warning cries of ‘run, run earthquake’. We took the staircase and rushed out. The situation is now normal. We are back in office and I hope everyone is fine across the country,” said John, who works in an office on the Muroor Street.

The UAE experiences minor quakes several times in a year and they are not a cause for worry, an NCM official had told Khaleej Times earlier.