Massive 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocks Afghanistan and Tajikistan, impact felt in China's border areas

An earthquake of 6.8 magnitude on the Richter scale hit Afghanistan and Tajikistan on Thursday, felt near China's border. The earthquake struck at 06:07 in the morning, with the epicenter located 265 km away from Faizabad. This follows recent devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The earthquake's epicenter was located at Lat: 38.01 & Long: 73.33, specifically 265km ENE of Fayzabad, Afghanistan.

February 23, 2023

Tajikistan was hit by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake, followed by a 5.0-magnitude aftershock and a 4.6-magnitude quake. The area is highly susceptible to natural disasters such as landslides, avalanches, and heavy snowfalls. Experts have warned about the potential catastrophic consequences if the natural dam located deep in the Pamir Mountains is breached. 

Chinese State Media reported a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in Xinjiang and Tajikistan border. No casualties have been reported yet.

February 23, 2023

Reports of shaking in Syria were reported by eyewitnesses at 03:42:40 local time. However, there is no seismic data to confirm this crowdsourced detection at present.

 February 23, 2023

Meanwhile, Turkey and Syria are still reeling from the aftermath of a massive earthquake that killed over 47,000 people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes. 

Two weeks later, the countries were again hit by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, followed by 90 aftershocks. Residents left homeless by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake on February 6 are now living in tents and facing fresh trauma. Tajikistan and Turkey, among other countries, are highly vulnerable to natural disasters and require effective disaster management and emergency response systems to mitigate the impact on human life and property.