Four earthquakes rattled parts of India, Myanmar, and Tajikistan this morning (April 13) within the span of an hour, triggering panic across Central and South Asia, reports UNB.
From Himalayan towns to Central Asian settlements, residents were seen fleeing buildings as tremors shook the region, underscoring the area’s seismic volatility.
The first tremor struck at 9:00 am local time in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, with a magnitude of 3.4, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) confirmed. The quake, which occurred at a shallow depth of 5 kilometres and was centred at latitude 31.49°N and longitude 76.94°E, caused brief alarm.
Although minor in scale, the shaking was noticeable enough to send residents rushing outdoors, following a low rumble and sudden jolt. No casualties or structural damage have been reported so far.
Soon after, a more powerful quake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale struck near Meiktila in central Myanmar, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). This aftershock comes in the wake of the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake on March 28, which claimed more than 3,600 lives and left thousands injured. Sunday’s tremor was felt in Mandalay and Naypyidaw, with reports of ceiling damage in some homes.
Several residents contacted by phone said people fled buildings in panic. However, those interviewed requested anonymity, citing fears of reprisals from the military regime, which tightly controls information. No new casualties have been confirmed.
In Tajikistan, two successive quakes further heightened concerns.
At 9:54 am, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake—initially estimated at 6.4—struck at a depth of 10 kilometres. The epicentre was recorded at 38.86°N, 70.61°E. The tremor prompted evacuations in some schools and commercial establishments in nearby towns due to its intensity.
Less than an hour later, at 10:36 am, a 3.9 magnitude quake struck the same region, again at a depth of 10 kilometres.
While no injuries or major damage were reported, the back-to-back tremors have raised apprehensions about heightened seismic activity in the area.
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
