Earthquakes shake Tajikistan, near border with China
- Epicentre of the strongest earthquake was in a remote eastern part of Tajikistan, closer to the border with China
- Tajikistan, like much of the rest of Central Asia, is prone to natural disasters and has a history of floods, earthquakes, landslides
A series of earthquakes shook Tajikistan on Thursday morning, near China’s far western Xinjiang region.
The US Geological Survey said the strongest earthquake’s magnitude was 6.8, while the China Earthquake Networks Centre reported it was 7.2, according to Chinese state television CCTV.
Preliminary seismic measurements by different agencies often differ.
A 5.0-magnitude aftershock hit the area about 20 minutes after the initial quake, followed by a 4.6-magnitude quake.
The first quake struck around 5.37am local time at a depth of about 20.5km (12.7 miles).
There were no immediate reports of casualties. The USGS estimated that “little or no population” would be exposed to landslides from the biggest quake.
Its epicentre appeared to be in Gorno-Badakhshan, a semi-autonomous eastern region that borders Afghanistan and China, about 67km from the small mountain town of Murghob. The quake was strongly felt in Kashgar and Artux in the western part of China’s Xinjiang region, CCTV reported.
Power supply and communication remained normal in Kashgar, Xinhua reported.
The Xinjiang railroad department called a halt to passenger trains running on the Aksu to Kashgar section of the Southern Xinjiang railway, state media said.
Local authorities were inspecting bridges, tunnels and signal equipment, CCTV said.
In Tajikistan, the sparsely populated territory is surrounded by the towering Pamir Mountains and is home to Lake Sarez.
The aquamarine-coloured body of water – formed as a result of an earthquake in 1911 – is among Tajikistan’s largest lakes.
Located behind Lake Sarez is a natural dam deep in the Pamir mountains, and experts have warned the consequences will be catastrophic if the dam is breached.
Tajikistan – like much of the rest of Central Asia – is highly prone to natural disasters and has a long history of floods, earthquakes, landslides, avalanches and heavy snowfalls.
Earlier this month, nine people died in a February 15 avalanche in Gorno-Badakhshan, while another person was killed the same day in an avalanche on a highway near the capital Dushanbe.
Agence France-Presse, Reuters and Associated Press
