M5.2 earthquake southern Iran
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck in southern Iran on Sat, May 3, 1986, 2:07 PM GMT+3:30 (10:37 UTC), 27 km (17 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.2 (Mw, moment), moderate
- Magnitude from
- USGS National Earthquake Information Center
- Local time
- UTC
- 1986-05-03 10:37:41 UTC
- Depth
- 27.0 km (16.8 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 28.025° N, 53.356° E
- Region
- Iran
- Strongest shaking
- V, moderate shaking
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
Magnitude estimates
Different scales measure different things and differ by a few tenths. The USGS marks one as preferred, and it is the one this page uses.
| Mag. | Scale | Computed by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.2 | Mw, moment | USGS National Earthquake Information Center | Preferred · Reviewed |
| 5.19 | Mw, moment | ISC-GEM global catalog | Final · ±0.1 |
| 5.2 | Mwc, centroid moment | Global CMT project | Preliminary |
What happened
The USGS’s account of the effects of this earthquake.
Additional damage in the Khonj area. CENTROID, MOMENT TENSOR (HRV) Data Used: GDSN L.P.B.: 13S, 29C Centroid Location: Origin Time 10:37:43.2 0.8 Lat 27.90N 0.13 Lon 53.00E 0.10 Dep 15.0 BDY Half-duration 1.6 Moment Tensor; Scale 10**23 D-CM Mrr=5.95 0.47 Mtt=-3.90 0.72 Mff=-2.05 0.58 Mrt=-1.37 2.47 Mrf=3.83 2.30 Mtf=3.61 0.51 Principal Axes: (T) Val=7.49 Plg=68 Azm=270 (N) Val=0.12 Plg=16 Azm=136 (P) Val=-7.61 Plg=15 Azm=42 Best Double Couple:Mo=7.6*10**23 NP1:Strike=111 Dip=33 Slip=60 NP2:Strike=325 Dip=62 Slip=108
From the USGS event page for usp0002tfs. U.S. Geological Survey text and figures are in the public domain.
Shaking
The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.
- Strongest estimated
- V, moderate shaking
- Peak ground acceleration
- 11.6% of gravity
- Peak ground velocity
- 1.8 cm/s
- Map
- Automatic
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Depth from
- FROM_LOCATION
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 2.2 and up: 0 in the 60 days after this one and 4 in the 30 days before it.
Before
Earthquakes todayIran earthquakesLive radar here
Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0002tfs (also filed as gcmtb050386a, gcmt19860503103742, iscgem494571). Read Fri, Oct 2, 2026, 4:28 PM UTC.