On January 23, an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 struck the remote and mountainous region of Xinjiang in far western China. The tremors were so intense that they were felt hundreds of miles away in Central Asian countries. Over 100 aftershocks were experienced overnight in China and Kyrgyzstan. The shocks felt in Kazakhstan’s largest city Almaty measured 6.7 on the scale, while in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, the magnitude of 3.
Aftershocks
Almaty residents experienced tremors measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale, leading many to evacuate their homes. Shymkent, Kazakhstan reported 2.0 magnitude tremors, while Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, reported tremors between 4.0 and 5.0.
No casualties reported
There are currently no reports of casualties in Almaty or Kyrgyzstan. Residents in Almaty fled their houses and gathered outside despite the cold weather, with some dressed in pyjamas and slippers. No damage was reported.
Following the earthquake catastrophe in southern Türkiye and northern Syria in February 2023, which killed tens of thousands, Almaty lives “in fear of earthquake hell” as the city sits on a huge active fault. Almaty is located in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains and forms part of a broad zone of deformation associated with the continuing collision between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
Measurements and reports
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), which measured the biggest tremors at the “major earthquake” level (a quake of a magnitude between 7.0 and 7.9 is considered “major” and likely to cause serious damage), said the earthquake was centred on the Kyrgyzstan-Xinjiang, China border region and was at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.21 miles). The region is around 264 kilometres (164 miles) southeast of Almaty.
Earlier, Daryo reported that Bekbolat Bugabaev, the head of Almaty’s emergency response department emphasized the importance of remaining calm in the face of danger and seeking safety. He further assured that the rescue teams are prepared to handle earthquakes up to a magnitude of 7.
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