The 1957 Alborz earthquake struck northern Iran's Mazandaran province at 04:12 local time on 2 July.

Most of the convergence is accommodated along fold and thrust belts of the Zagros, Alborz, Kopet Dag mountains, and in eastern Iran, where seismicity is high.

[4] No evidence of surface rupture was found,[5] partly because the area of maximum damage was inaccessible and rocklides cut off routes through the mountains.

[8] Among the dead, over 200 were killed in Zirab; 60 in Pol-e Sefid; 63 in Dinan; 30 in Shangoldeh; 56 in Hajji Dela; 65 in Nandal; 84 in Pardameh; 30 in Polur; and 180 in Sang Chal.

[9] The meizoseismal area was located between the Haraz and Talar rivers; encompassing the dehestans of Band Pay, Beh, Dala Rustaq and Chalav.

The villages of Sang Chal, Nandal, Chaliyasar, Nasal, Andvar and Pardameh were the hardest hit.

[5] Damage was almost absent on the Caspian Sea plain with the exception of light impacts to tobacco facilities in Sari and Amol, and a water tower in Babol.

Additional damage occurred in Pul-i Safid and Shirgah, and several homes were destroyed in the town of Utu situated along the Kaslian River.