35.53, 54.51
The 2010 Damghan earthquake (also known as the Kuh-Zar earthquake) occurred in northern Iran at 11:53:49 local time on August 27 with a moment magnitude of 5.8 and maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong). This strike-slip event damaged and destroyed a number of small villages in a sparsely populated region near the Alborz mountain range. It left four people dead, 40 injured, and about 800 without homes. The deaths and injuries in this moderate event were attributed to the low-quality construction styles that are typical of the area. The Iranian Strong Motion Network provided data by which seismologists determined the type and extent of the slip as well as the peak ground acceleration. Other large and destructive earthquakes have affected Semnan Province, including several events in 856 AD and 1953.