Tibet, Bhutan see shallow earthquakes within hours; aftershocks possible

Shallow earthquakes struck Tibet and Bhutan on Sunday, NCS said, highlighting ongoing seismic activity along the Himalayan fault line and possible aftershocks.

• Shallow quakes hit Tibet and Bhutan Sunday; no damage or casualties reported.
• Tibet hit by 3.0 and 3.7 quakes; Bhutan experienced a 2.8 tremor at 10 km depth.
• Seismologists warn of potential aftershocks and ongoing Himalayan seismic activity.

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Shallow earthquakes struck Tibet and Bhutan on Sunday, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said, underscoring continued seismic activity across the Himalayan belt and raising the possibility of aftershocks.

No immediate reports of damage or casualties were reported from either region.

According to the NCS, a magnitude 3.0 earthquake hit Tibet at 2:17 pm IST at a depth of 10 km. The epicentre was located at latitude 28.38 N and longitude 87.23 E.

Earlier in the day, the region was shaken by a stronger magnitude 3.7 earthquake at 4:23 am IST, also at a shallow depth of 10 km, with its epicentre at latitude 28.58 N and longitude 87.29 E.

Shallow earthquakes are considered more hazardous than deeper ones because seismic waves travel a shorter distance to the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking.

Bhutan also experienced a shallow earthquake on Sunday. The NCS said a magnitude 2.8 tremor struck the country at 11:11 am IST at a depth of 10 km, with the epicentre located at latitude 27.14 N and longitude 89.02 E.

Earlier this month, on January 7, Bhutan was hit by a magnitude 3.8 earthquake, again at a depth of 10 km, indicating persistent low-to-moderate seismic activity in the region.

Tibet and Bhutan lie along the boundary where the Indian tectonic plate continues to push into the Eurasian plate, a process that formed the Himalayas and still drives frequent earthquakes.

Bhutan falls within seismic zones IV and V under the Indian Seismic Code, the most active categories, according to the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre.

The near-simultaneous shallow tremors in Tibet and Bhutan point to sustained stress along the Himalayan fault system, a region known for frequent low-intensity quakes punctuated by rare but devastating major events.

Seismologists continue to monitor the region closely for aftershocks and further seismic activity in the coming days.