Seismic Fault Database for Tehran

Tehran Municipality has launched an online system through which residents can see whether their dwelling place is located in the areas most prone to earthquakes.

According to Tooraj Farhadi, deputy director of TM’s Urban Development and Architecture Department, over 32,000 buildings sit atop seismic fault lines in the city that is home to 12 million people.

“On services6.tehran.ir and by typing the building’s registration code [recorded on title deeds] users can view a detailed map of the property’s location and their vicinity to seismic faults”, Farhadi was quoted as saying by local technology website CITNA.

He said seismic fault maps for the capital’s 22 districts need to be revised as new fault lines have been discovered.

With a population of over 12 million people, Tehran, along with Istanbul, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Jakarta, is among the world’s 5 most populous cities that are prone to severe damage if a major earthquake occurs.

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake rattled Meshkindasht town 50km west of Tehran in Alborz Province on Dec. 21. This has given rise to renewed concerns over ground oscillation in the capital city.