A magnitude 5.6 earthquake hit northern Iran, while Tajikistan experienced a 4.0 quake. The latter occurred at a depth of 160 km. Tajikistan is prone to various natural disasters, including earthquakes, due to its mountainous terrain and climate hazards.
Iran
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck northern Iran on Sunday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.
The quake was at a depth of 3 km (1.86 miles), EMSC said.
Tajikistan
An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 jolted Tajikistan on Sunday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said.
As per the statement, the earthquake occurred at 160km.
In a post on X, the NCS said, “EQ of M: 4.0, On: 20/07/2025 01:01:55 IST, Lat: 36.87 N, Long: 72.10 E, Depth: 160 Km, Location: Tajikistan.”
https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1946656827598651619
Earlier on July 18, an earthquake of magnitude 3.8 occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.
Sharing the details on X, NCS said, “EQ of M: 3.8, On: 18/07/2025 03:15:53 IST, Lat: 38.26 N, Long: 74.09 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Tajikistan.”
https://x.com/NCS_Earthquake/status/1945965847018967314
Shallow earthquakes like these are more dangerous than deeper ones due to their greater energy release closer to the Earth’s surface, causing stronger ground shaking and increased damage to structures and casualties, compared to deeper earthquakes, which lose energy as they travel to the surface.
Tajikistan is a mountainous country with diverse topography and is especially vulnerable to climate hazards. It is prone to earthquakes, floods, drought, avalanches, landslides and mudslides. The most vulnerable areas are the glacier-dependent river basins supplying hydropower and water resources for irrigation, fragile mountain ecosystems and isolated forests with mountainous and riverine terrain, which makes it prone to landslides and land degradation.