A magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred in the Gilan Province between
the towns of Rudbar and Manjil in northern Iran on Thursday,
June 21, 1990 (June 20 at 21:00 GMT). The event, the largest
ever to be recorded in that part of the Caspian Sea region, may
have been composed of two or more closely-spaced earthquakes
occurring in rapid succession. These quakes, exceptionally
close to the surface for this region, were also unusually
destructive. This slide set depicts damage resulting from
intensive ground motion and soil liquefaction. It shows
damage to buildings of various types, including unreinforced
masonry, steel structures, and concrete buildings. |