Iran: A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurs in Bushehr Province at around 16:55 Dec. 5

A magnitude-5.0 earthquake occurred in Bushehr Province at around 16:55 Dec. 5. The epicenter was about 101 km (63 miles) west-southwest of Firuzabad, Fars Province. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and moderate-to-light shaking was probably felt near the epicenter, as well as light shaking throughout much of Bushehr and parts of central and western Fars, far western Hormozgan, and southern Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.