The United States Geological Survey
recorded a Magnitude 5.0 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km about 17 km to the northeast of the town of Asht in northern Tajikistan, slightly before 9.45 am local
time (slightly before 4.45 am GMT) on Thursday 26 March 2020. There are no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, but people have reported feeling in Asht, as well as in Tashkent in Uzbekistan.
The approximate location of the 26 March 2020 Tajikistan Earthquake. USGS.
Northern Tajikistan lies to the north of the boundary between the Indian and Eurasian
tectonic plates, which runs through northern Afghanistan. The Indian
Plate is moving northward relative to the Eurasian Plate, causing
folding and uplift along this boundary, which has led to the formation
of the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan, The Pamirs in Tajikistan, the Himalayas and the other
mountain ranges of Central Asia., and which makes the nations in this
boundary zone prone to Earthquakes.
Witness
accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events,
and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit
organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.
See also...
Follow Sciency Thoughts on Facebook.