'No damage' in Dubai after tremors from Iraq earthquake are felt by residents

Nearly 1,400 km from Dubai, only slight vibrations were felt by residents in high-rise buildings, Dubai Municipality said

A powerful earthquake shook the Iran-Iraq border late Sunday. Pouria Pakizeh / ISNA via AP

A deadly earthquake that hit Northern Iraq late on Sunday resulted in tremors that were reported by many residents of the UAE.

On Monday, Dubai Municipality said the tremors did not cause any damage to the emirate, despite some residents of high-rise buildings feeling vibrations.

"With the epicenter of the earthquake being 1,378 km away from the emirate, the quake was felt only by high-altitude residents and tall towers where some individuals felt a slight vibration that had no effect on individuals and buildings,” said Mohammed Mashroom, survey director at Dubai Municipality.

The 7.3 magnitude earthquake, which has resulted in more than 300 deaths and over 5,200 injured, could be felt around 10.11pm UAE time throughout the country.

Residents immediately took to social media to share their experiences.

Mohamed Zorob posted on Twitter about the earthquake in the UAE, with people responding from Fujairah, Sharjah and even Kuwait.

Twitter user Vipul had his yoga session interrupted, throwing off his balance. He described a dizzy feeling, and then realised it was the Iraq earthquake aftershock.

Residents can download Dubai Municipality's smartphone application, DB-SAFE/Oasis Plus, to identify locations both locally and regionally as well as viewing safety guidelines.

“Any user can send the extent of tremor felt, which will have a major impact in the accurate assessment of the impact of earthquakes on the facilities in Dubai,” said Iman Al Falasi, the municipality's geodetic and marine survey section head.