The United States Geological Survey
recorded a Magnitude 5.7 Earthquake at a depth of 118 km about 72 km to
the northeast of the town of Khorugh in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of southern Tajikistan, at about 6.30 am local
time (about 1.30 am GMT) on Tuesday 16 June 2020. There are
no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, but
people have reported feeling across much of the country; which
is roughly what would be expected from an Earthquake of this size at
this depth; the quake is big enough to be felt over a wide area, but
most of its energy has dissipated before the shock-waves reach the
surface.
The approximate location of the 16 June 2020 Tajikistan Earthquake. USGS.
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...
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