Baghdad: The Iraqi Meteorological Organization announced the recording of 38 earthquakes in the country throughout last December.

According to Qatar News Agency, the Organization released its monthly report on the seismic bulletin and the map of seismic activity in Iraq and neighboring regions. The report detailed that 38 earthquakes were documented by the Iraqi seismic monitoring network during December, including 16 within the country and 22 occurring outside Iraq near its borders.

The report highlighted that among the earthquakes recorded outside Iraq, 11 were in Iran, specifically in the regions of Kermanshah, Kurdistan, Azerbaijan, and Ilam. Additionally, 10 earthquakes were noted in Turkiye, particularly in the areas of Van, Zernek, and Bitlis near the Iraqi borders, along with one earthquake occurring in Al-Hasakah, Syria.

The recorded earthquakes varied in magnitude, ranging from 1.1 to 4.5 on the Richter scale, with depths between 9km and 39km.

Iraq's geographical position near active tectonic plates contributes to its susceptibility to seismic activity, particularly from neighboring Turkiye and Iran. This geological setting affects Iraq's eastern and northern regions, with potential impacts extending to central areas of the country.