As a result of the earthquake that occurred on April 13 in northeastern Tajikistan, 94 residential buildings were completely destroyed in Rasht and Tojikobod districts, according to the Emergencies Committee under the Government of Tajikistan.

“Dozens of other buildings sustained partial and minor damage.  According to preliminary data, one person was killed," an official source within the Emergencies Committee told Asia-Plus today morning.  

As previously reported, a three-year-old boy died in the village of Ushturpast after being trapped under a collapsed wall.

According to the Geophysical Service of the National Academy of Sciences, the earthquake struck the area yesterday at 09:24 am.  The epicenter was located 160 km from Dushanbe, in the Rasht region. The strength of the tremors reached 5–6 points at the epicenter and was felt at about 3 points in Dushanbe.

In the villages of Safedtundak, Gulkhani, Kul, Askalon, and Khulaki in the Rasht district, 40 houses were completely destroyed and another 5 were partially damaged. Three teahouses, a school building, and one auxiliary structure were also damaged.

In the Tojikobod district, 54 residential buildings were destroyed completely, 45 others were partially damaged, and 61 buildings suffered light damage.  Additionally, two school buildings, one medical point, several teahouses, and nearly 200 utility structures were affected.

By order of President Emomali Rahmon, a special government commission was formed.  It is already working at the scene of the earthquake to assess the actual damaged caused to the area, assist tremor affected people and coordinate recovery efforts.

Currently, emergency services reportedly continue inspecting the affected areas and providing aid to the population.

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

The Emergencies Committee noted that after the initial and most destructive earthquake on April 13, four additional tremors were recorded in the same region.

One occurred at 12:14 local time.  The epicenter was 163 kilometers northeast of Dushanbe, 29 kilometers from Rasht.  The tremors reached a magnitude of 4.0 at the epicenter, felt as 2.0–3.0 in the Rasht district, but were not noticeable in Dushanbe.

The second tremor was recorded at 13:33. The epicenter was 158 kilometers from the capital and 24 kilometers from the administrative center of the Rasht district.  It registered 3.0 points at the epicenter and 2.0 points in the Rasht district.  It was not felt in Dushanbe.

The third tremor occurred at 19:34.  Its epicenter was 170 kilometers from Dushanbe and 32 kilometers from the administrative center of the Rasht district.  The strength at the epicenter was 4.0–5.0 points, 3.0 points in Rasht, 2.0 in Sangvor, and 2.0 in Dushanbe.

On the morning of April 14 at 05:44, Tajikistan was jolted again.  The epicenter was 156 kilometers northeast of Dushanbe and 18 kilometers east of the administrative center of the Rasht district.  The tremors reached 3.0–4.0 points at the epicenter and 3.0 points in the Rasht area.

As previously reported, 85 natural disasters have been recorded in Tajikistan over the first quarter of this year, compared to 130 incidents during the same period last year.