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29 March 2024

From Dubai to Doha, Bushehr to Barka, readers' quake moments

(FILE PHOTO) An Iranian woman reacts as she sits among the rubble of buildings after an earthquake struck southern Iran, in Shonbeh, Iran, Tuesday, April 9, 2013. A 6.1 magnitude earthquake killed dozens of people and injured hundreds more in a sparsely populated area in southern Iran on Tuesday, Iranian officials said, adding that it did not damage a nuclear plant in the region. (AP)

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By Staff

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake killed 32 and injured hundreds more in a sparsely populated area in southern Iran on Tuesday.

The tremors of this high magnitude quake were felt far and wide in the Arab world, with residents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi high-rises reporting minor swaying of buildings.

According to the Seismology department of the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS), the UAE’s official weather forecaster, the epicentre of the quake was 146km south-west of Shiraz, Iran, and it stuck at about 15:58 UAE time (11:58 GMT).

A second quake was felt 14 minutes after the first one, with its epicentre also about 153km south-west of Shiraz, Iran.

Emirates 24|7 was among the first media outlets to share the news on our website, with a host of readers writing in to share their experiences.

We encourage our readers to write in about their ‘earthquake moment’ and tell us what you were doing at the time. Did you feel strong tremors or felt an undercurrent? Tell us where you were and what were you doing when the earth quaked. Did you rush out of your home or office premises? Was your building evacuated?

Below are a few comments that Emirates 24|7 received from our readers, All messages are unedited and published as received:

“Feel very powerful intensity here in Alkhobar Saudi Arabia” (Waqas)

“Crescent Tower, Bohaira Cornich, Sharjah also had tremor” (Muhammad Ali)

“It lasted around 18 seconds more or less. At first I thought I was having a strong giddiness until my colleagues start saying its an earthquake and building is shaking. I guessed as much it would have been an earthquake in Iran and tremor being felt here. It was a nice experience, Thank God its safe here and hopefully no loss of life in Iran (Sanjeev Vijayan)

“I am working in high rise building in TECOM and my office is on 21st floor i thought I was dizzy but turns out it was actually an earthquake!!!!! It was a horrible feeling...” (Uzma Khan)

“We felt also the earth quake here in Rastanura, Saudi Arabia office 3rd floor building” (Danny)

“Yes” (Aftab)

“I felt the jolt! it was like a strong wave in Dubai, Ya Allah Reham!” (Faryal)

“I live on 14th Floor building in Abu Dhabi felt tremor around 3:55pm.I was in kitchen doing work i felt the tremor & suddenly door chimes ringing & holder on top was moving. But Alhamdulilah safe” (Farzana)

“OMG I felt the earthquake in Dubai (Sh. Zayed Road)...It felt like I was on a boat, but i was in my apartment on the 26th floor...so weird !!! I thought it was just me...” (Ousama)

“We Also feel like shaking in Jubail”  (Musthafa)

“I felt dizzy in my home in the Marina and thought it was just me but then my husband called from Tecom to ask if I had felt the earthquake” (Samara Pope)

“I feel here in the office at Abu Dhabi. .I thought it was me who feel dizzy but suddenly when I saw my glass of water was dancing then I realized that there's an earthquake. . .first time I experienced in Emirate. . .” (jhaycee)

“From Media City... didnt feel anything :|” (Hammad)

“Twin Towers @13th floor-Deira Dubai, I felt as if the building was moving slightly back and forth, I thought something was wrong with my head. Looking around, I found the colleagues busy with their work. It was a mild movement.” (Triby Augustine)

“I was in the balcony smoking on the 30th floor and was rocking back and forth thought I had a headache”  (Yousef)

I“’m living in Fujairah UAE...we didn’t fell anything here thank god....May Allah keep us all safe” (Ahmed Ansari)

“In Deira creek we could feel the same giddiness.It was a tuff task to run down 15 floors in no time” (Shabnam)

“I am in Deira and I did not feel anything!! My friend called me and informed me, even none of us felt in our hotel!!! Thank god!!” (Talha)

“I feel fully shaking my building where I’m staying in 16 floor Abu Dhabi” (roshan)

“I thought I was getting a heart attack and should eat less, when i seen my overhead light swaying that's when i realized its an earthquake. 17 years in gulf and i experienced it first time” (sunita)

“ohh goodddd..!! shockin newzz rieee..!! M in 10th floor...wz little scared..!!” (sweety)

“Technip Guardian tower abu dhabi also had emergency drill becoz of the waggle and waving from side to side movement” (kristianne matias)

“Definitely felt dizzy and the building shook”  (Sasha Perera)

“We also feel like shaking in Qatar, Doha city” (zuhard Mohamed)

“Felt nothing at all in JBR! Prayers with those affected...” (Sonny)

“Was driving on SK while I felt a slight movement & did not take much notice about it then. But now thinking about it - it might have been what I felt” (Worrel)

“everyone seems to be living on the 14th floor, 26th floor, 30th floor etc etc.. No one from the ground?? :P” (nonamenoaddressonlylife)

“When Time Comes No One Can Escape. So at least be realize our life being on Earth. Be Good, Do Good and Think Good. May God Bless All” (Hyder Shareef)

“I felt the shake, and I thought it was time to party... but alas! it was only an earthquake. so I went back to sleep...” (alexes)

“My office is near Burj Khalifa in Business Bay. There we felt shocks on 35th, 33rd, 38th and 39th floors also” (mk.muneer)

“Praying for all of them for safe” (nirmalamuralidharan)

“I felt a bit dizzy on the beach...” (ZedBox)

“I'm in Abu Hail, Diera and our flat's on the 3rd floor! Everybody's awake at 4pm and on one had ever felt there was a tremor. Thanks God we're all safe, none vacated our complex(only up to 4th flr). My prayers to those who've affected. Take care all, keep a prayer..” (lal)

“Marina 29th Floor. Curtains and lamp was swinging felt very odd. got sick and ran outside as we thought the building will fall. On the ground floor they thought we are insane as they didn’t feel anything” (Marco)

“Dubai Festival City mall near Mark and spencer” (Hiba)

“Dubai Marina, 12th floor, felt nothing ...” (Betty)

“Felt nothing at all....living in a villa” (Petra)

“The quake was back and forth and i felt it in my flat on 15th floor in Abu Dhabi” (afridi)

“My brother called me this evening, he felt shaking on the floor around 4:30pm. Thanks to God no warning here in Sharjah,,,!!” (Abdulsamadvc)

“Buildings should NOT be evacuated unless there is hazardous materials stored inside the building. More awareness and information needs to be distributed for this matter” (Alfred)

“That time im in conventional tower 11 floor all thing around me is shaking door n wall hanging its very scary,first time in my life i feel like that” (Faraz)

“I live on 17th floor!n felt dizzy then I saw my chandler badly shaking..called my hubby if he felt the same at work but he said he felt nothing...so I was right...” (Foz)

“No impact @ mamzar area facing Itihad road Al Mulla Plaza,I was just informed in fb.....but then prayers are the best thing to do....to protect us from any tragedy” (Dra.Fatimah Libid)

“Oh my God!!! Earthquake in UAE!!! i thought there is no earthquake here!!! I hope people don't get panic, because that will be the main reason of casualties in any events!!!” (Nicanora Cayanan)

“It lasted around 18 seconds more or less. At first I thought I was having a strong giddiness until my colleagues start saying its an earthquake and building is shaking. I guessed as much it would have been an earthquake in Iran and tremor being felt here. It was a nice experience, Thank God its safe here and hopefully no loss of life in Iran” (Nabeelazeez)

“It’s not very good to be extremely worldly!” (Muka)

“Sometimes God reminds humans how supreme He is and how helpless humans are. May Allah forgive us” (Muka)

“I was in my office when I felt the tremor, felt myself slightly moving in my chair and started feeling dizzy. When I saw a crowd under my building did I learn that it was an earthquake.. It was quite scary” (Rita Rao)

“Yes, I did feel something different at around 3.30 pm. But since I was busy with meetings I thought that was normal. Now that I get to know the news that there was really disruption in the UAE was really scary and thanks be to God that nothing happened to any one. Keep praying faithfully” (Kenny Fernandes)

“I felt absolutely nothing! had no idea about till this morning. I live in JVC Dubai. A villa” (Suzie)

“At West Tower Abu Dhabi mall, I noticed when the door and the glass windows suddenly shaking, back &forth. That lasted 8seconds. I called right away my kids who's in 10th floor Corniche Apartment to evacuate. The whole apartment are not aware that tremors happened. Prayers to all specially those who we're affected in Iran” (jdstef)