Magnitude 4.0 Earthquake Strikes Tajikistan; Follows Recent 4.8 Tremor

• A 4.0 magnitude earthquake struck Tajikistan on Wednesday, February 5, at a depth of 135 km, as reported by the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
• This tremor follows an earlier 4.8 magnitude earthquake on February 1, which occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km, increasing the risk of aftershocks.
• Shallow earthquakes are considered more dangerous due to stronger ground shaking and potential for greater damage, as seismic waves travel shorter distances to the surface.
• Tajikistan is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods, and landslides, exacerbated by its mountainous terrain and climate change.
• The country's infrastructure faces chronic deterioration from insufficient maintenance and repeated exposure to natural hazards, with climate change predicted to cause 30% of glaciers to disappear by 2050.