As a result of a series of earthquakes in Tajikistan on April 13, a child was killed and 29 houses were partially destroyed.

According to the Geophysical Service of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake was recorded at 09:24.  Its epicenter was located 160 kilometers northeast of Dushanbe, 21 kilometers east of the Rasht district.  

In the capital, the tremor was felt at a magnitude of 3.

According to the Emergencies Committee under the Government of Tajikistan, a three-year-old boy died in the village of Ushturpasht after being buried under a collapsed wall of a house.

In the villages of Safedkunda, Gulkhani, Kul, and Askalon in the Rasht district, 17 residential houses and a school building in Gulkhani were damaged.

In the villages of Kul, Buston, Anvar Qalandarov, and Ganishob of the Tojikobod district, 12 residential houses and auxiliary structures were partially destroyed.

Residents of Rasht and Tojikobod districts are sharing photos and videos of the destruction on social media.

At 12:14 and 13:33, aftershocks of magnitudes 4.0 and 3.0 were also recorded in the country, with epicenters also located northeast of the Rasht district.  Residents of Dushanbe did not feel the aftershocks.

On the same day, the Emergencies Committee chief, Rajabali Rahmonali, and his deputy Hotamsho Latifzoda, traveled to the Rasht region to lead emergency response efforts and assess the damage on-site.

The US Embassy in Dushanbe says a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck eastern Tajikistan yesterday morning at approximately 9:24 a.m. with an epicenter 25km east of Rasht.  U.S. citizens living in or traveling near any of the affected area should follow instructions from local authorities and closely monitor the local media and emergency alerts, the U.S. Embassy noted.

Meanwhile, Reuters, citing the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), says an earthquake of magnitude 6.4 struck the central Asian nation of Tajikistan at a depth of 16 km on Sunday, said.

 

Not only Tajikistan was jolted

The series of tremors on April 13 affected not only Tajikistan but also India and Myanmar, which had already suffered from a devastating earthquake in late March.

For example, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.4 occurred in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, India, according to Indian media outlet Munsif News 24×7.

Mandi is located in one of India's most seismically active zones. No casualties or damage were reported.

Myanmar also experienced another tremor on Sunday, April 13: a 5.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in the Mandalay region.  The quake's focus was at a depth of 20 km, according to the country's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

This followed a 5.0 magnitude earthquake that hit the same region on April 11, amid ongoing seismic unrest after the devastating 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28.  According to Myanmar authorities, that earthquake killed around 3,700 people, injured 5,020, and left 139 missing.

Seismologists note an increase in seismic activity in the Asia-Pacific region and express concerns about possible aftershocks. The rising frequency and intensity of seismic events in this region highlight the need for preparedness, especially in high-risk areas.