Warning of more aftershocks issued after earthquake

Pics: Oswald D'Souza/Yahya Hallare
Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai

Dubai, Apr 16 (Emirates 24x7) : An earthquake shook the UAE on Tuesday afternoon for the second time in the month of April.

Residential and commercial buildings and hospitals in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi have been evacuated. People have been standing outside their buildings fearing aftershocks. Jebel Ali, Sheikh Zayed Road and Emaar Square all seeing crowds under the building after the first earthquake.

Qatar has officially warned its citizens to expect aftershocks later today. Residents in the UAE to vacate buildings if case of aftershocks.

Doha

People trying to contact family and friends frantically just after the wuake even as they were being evacuated from their offices and residential buildings.

National Centre of Metrology and Seismology has confirmed with Emirates 24|7 the epicentre was 650km off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah.

A spokesperson said: "The earthquake occurred near the Iran-Pakistan border, 650km north east of Ras Al Khaimah, and approximately 30km underground."

The centre is still investigating the impact that was felt by the UAE on the miracle metre scale.

The US Geological Survey said that a strong earthquake of 8.0 magnitude has struck Iran, near the border with Pakistan, at 2.44pm UAE time (10.44am GMT) on Tuesday.

Tremors of the strong quake were felt across the Gulf region as well as in Pakistan and India.

According to Emirates 24l7 reporters, Al Garhoud hospital has been evacuated and buildings in Jumeirah Lake Towers and Dubai Marina have been evacuated. Dubai Airport Free Zone has also reportedly told its panicked staff to go home.

There have been also been reports of earthquake in different cities of Pakistan, India and Latin America. Iran reports 7.8 magnitude earthquake in southeast.

The National Center of Meteorology and Seismology have confirmed the earthquake, 7.8 in magnitude, struck Iran.

Eyewitnesses said MBC office in Media City have also been evacuated after the tremors.

There have also been reports of mobile phone lines going down. Mobile phone lines on etisalat also stopped connecting as per reports with congestion overloading networks

Dubai Airports has confirmed services are operating as normal.

A spokesperson said: "Passenger operations unaffected by tremors in the UAE. Also, no damage to facilities has been reported in wake of the earthquake."

The tremors were felt across the Middle East, with reports coming in from Qatar and Bahrain also.

In Abu Dhabi thousands of residents rushed out of their buildings and some of them were carrying their children and appeared panicking.

“It was really heavy…we all felt it…the building kept shaking for more than five seconds,” said an Indian resident of Defense Road in Abu Dhabi.

Crowds of people were also seen standing outside buildings at around 14.45 pm in other areas of the capital. Residents in ground floors and low levels said they did not feel any quake.

“I was on my laptop at the 11th floor when I saw the door shaking and the chain on the lock swinging…I then felt the shake…I really panicked as it was the first time I feel a tremor,” said Ayman Hariri, who sounded nervous as he sat on the ground outside his building.

Stronger than last week

That the quake was stronger this last weeks tremors was agreed upon by everybody. People in offices spoke of shaking chairs and tables.

"I am on the 6th floor of my building, and everything started shaking. I got panicked. I walked down the stairs and everything turned blue in front my house. I thought the building would collapse on top of me," describes Kinana Homsi-Mardini (27) from Syria, who works in Tecom.

This time most buildings were immediately evacuated. "Last time we did not move. But now we were told to all evacuate. And now we are told to move away from the building," says a resident of Downtown while standing outside.

"My chair and table started shaking. This was a much stronger quake than last time. It was very obvious," says Lesley (29) from the Philippines, after she evacuated from Atrium Tower.

"For most of us it was the first time to experience an earthquake. It id quite shocking," says Hassan (55) from Sudan, evacuated from the same building.