Earthquake Strikes Tajikistan

On November 27th, at 11:01 PM Indian Standard Time (IST), an earthquake of magnitude 4.6 jolted Tajikistan. The tremor occurred at a depth of 80 kilometers, with its epicenter located at latitude 37.21 N and longitude 71.49 E, near the Garam Chashma hot springs in the Pamir Mountain range. This earthquake was the eighth to hit Tajikistan within a 30-day period.

The earthquake occurred close to the international border that Tajikistan shares with Afghanistan. The World Bank has previously reported that Tajikistan is located entirely within a seismically active zone. Approximately 50% of the country's territory lies in a 9-magnitude seismic zone, 38% in an 8-magnitude zone, and 12% in a 7-magnitude zone. This means that a significant portion of the population, 73.7%, resides in areas prone to earthquakes of magnitudes 8 and 9.

In recent years, Tajikistan has experienced several earthquakes that have resulted in significant loss of life and damage to the country's economy. The World Bank has emphasized the need for Tajikistan to invest in earthquake preparedness and mitigation measures to minimize the impact of future seismic events.