7.2-magnitude quake strikes Tajikistan, at least one dead

Image
AFP Dushanbe
Last Updated : Dec 07 2015 | 9:48 PM IST
A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Tajikistan today, US experts said, and state television said one person was killed ten were injured.
The tremor hit at 7:50 GMT in the Central Asian country, some 109 kilometres (67 miles) west of the town of Murghob at a depth of 28 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.
The driver of a truck travelling along a road some 460 kilometres east of the capital Dushanbe died as the result of a landslide triggered by the quake, state television said.
The earthquake was located some 345 kilometres east of Dushanbe in mountainous terrain, according to the US Geological Survey.
The Tajik seismological service noted that the quake's epicentre was just 22 kilometres from the high altitude Lake Sarez.
Sarez, formed following an earthquake in 1911 and containing some 17 cubic kilometres of water, is considered a major threat to the region if its dams break as a result of seismic activity.
Shakarbek, a 50-year-old resident of the region's biggest city, Khorog, told AFP that the quake jolted residents but there was "no major panic and no visible damage."
The quake was also felt in the capital of neighbouring Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan's largest city Almaty to the north, as well as northern parts of Afghanistan to the south, Pakistan and India.
"I felt the windows moving and that only happens when there's an earthquake. The room was swinging," said Sara Seerat, a lawyer in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, where workers voluntarily evacuated office buildings.
Indian television showed residents in Delhi and Srinagar rushing into the streets, although no damage was reported.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 07 2015 | 9:48 PM IST

Next Story