China reports magnitude 7.2 earthquake near border with Tajikistan
Feb 23, 2023, 09:07 IST
BEIJING: An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 magnitude struck eastern Tajikistan on Thursday. The earthquake occurred at approximately 5:37 am local time (0037 GMT) at a depth of about 20.5 kilometres (12.7 miles).
The China Earthquake Networks Centre said the quake was 7.2 magnitude and 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep. However, initial seismic measurements by different agencies, including the USGS, often differ in reporting the magnitude of the earthquake .
The earthquake's epicentre seems to be located in Gorno-Badakhshan, a semi-autonomous region that borders Afghanistan and China, roughly 67 kilometres from the small mountain town of Murghob. Following the initial quake, the area experienced a 5.0-magnitude aftershock about 20 minutes later, followed by a 4.6-magnitude earthquake.
The region where the earthquake occurred is sparsely populated and is surrounded by the towering Pamir Mountains. Lake Sarez, one of Tajikistan's largest lakes, is located in this area, which has an aquamarine hue and was created as a result of an earthquake in 1911. A natural dam deep in the Pamir mountains exists behind Lake Sarez, and experts have cautioned that the consequences would be catastrophic if the dam were to fail.
Tajikistan, like much of Central Asia, is prone to natural disasters, including floods, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, and heavy snowfalls. In Gorno-Badakhshan earlier this month, an avalanche killed nine people on February 15, while another person died on the same day in an avalanche on a highway near the capital, Dushanbe.
China News: An earthquake of about 7.2 magnitude occurred near the border of China's Xinjiang region and Tajikistan at around 8.37am (0037 GMT), Chinese state tel
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