A significant Magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck under land 131 kilometer from Khorugh in Tajikistan in the late afternoon of Monday November 13th, 2023. Other nearby countries are Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Tajikistan, 131 kilometer (81 mi) north-northeast of Khorugh in Gorno-Badakhshan. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 41 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Nov 13, 2023 17:16 (Dushanbe Time) - Nov 13, 2023 12:16 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 279 km south of Namangan, Uzbekistan. Coordinates 38°31'46"N 72°14'47"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 18 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.073 . |
| Depth: | 41 km (26 mi) A quite shallow depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
4 countries can be found within 300km of the epicenter of this earthquake: Tajikistan , Kyrgyzstan , Uzbekistan and Afghanistan .
Located 131 kilometer (81 mi) north-northeast of the epicenter of this earthquake, Khorugh (Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan) is the nearest significant population center.
Multiple large cities are in proximity of today's earthquake. Namangan is located 279 km to the north. Andijon is located 251 km to the north. Qo‘qon is located 249 km to the north-northwest.
A complete list of nearby places is included below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 131 km (81 mi) SSW from epicenter |
Khorugh Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan. |
| 192 km (119 mi) N from epicenter |
Kyzyl-Kyya Batken, Kyrgyzstan. |
| 194 km (121 mi) N from epicenter |
Iradan Batken, Kyrgyzstan. |
| 198 km (123 mi) N from epicenter |
Quvasoy Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 208 km (129 mi) SSW from epicenter |
Ishqoshim Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan. |
| 210 km (130 mi) N from epicenter |
Fergana Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 215 km (134 mi) SW from epicenter |
Fayzabad Badakhshan, Afghanistan. |
| 216 km (134 mi) N from epicenter |
Kirguli Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 217 km (135 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Oltiariq Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 220 km (137 mi) N from epicenter |
Toshloq Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 221 km (137 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Marg‘ilon Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 222 km (138 mi) N from epicenter |
Quva Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 226 km (140 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Kŭlob Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 226 km (140 mi) NW from epicenter |
Isfara Sughd, Tajikistan. |
| 227 km (141 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Osh Osh, Kyrgyzstan. |
| 235 km (146 mi) N from epicenter |
Asaka Andijon, Uzbekistan. |
| 239 km (149 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Yaypan Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 239 km (149 mi) N from epicenter |
Xo‘jaobod Andijon, Uzbekistan. |
| 241 km (150 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Hulbuk Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 245 km (152 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Chubek Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 248 km (154 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Kara Suu Osh, Kyrgyzstan. |
| 249 km (155 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Qo‘qon Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 249 km (155 mi) N from epicenter |
Qo‘rg‘ontepa Andijon, Uzbekistan. |
| 251 km (156 mi) NW from epicenter |
Konibodom Sughd, Tajikistan. |
| 251 km (156 mi) N from epicenter |
Andijon Andijon, Uzbekistan. |
| 254 km (158 mi) NW from epicenter |
Beshariq Fergana, Uzbekistan. |
| 255 km (158 mi) W from epicenter |
Norak Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 256 km (159 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Sultonobod Andijon, Uzbekistan. |
| 258 km (160 mi) N from epicenter |
Oyim Andijon, Uzbekistan. |
| 258 km (160 mi) W from epicenter |
Danghara Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 259 km (161 mi) N from epicenter |
Dardoq Andijon, Uzbekistan. |
| 263 km (163 mi) SW from epicenter |
Rustāq Takhar, Afghanistan. |
| 265 km (165 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Uzgen Osh, Kyrgyzstan. |
| 266 km (165 mi) N from epicenter |
Haqqulobod Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 271 km (168 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Toshbuloq Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 274 km (170 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Farkhor Khatlon, Tajikistan. |
| 275 km (171 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Jalal-Abad Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan. |
| 278 km (173 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Pop Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 279 km (173 mi) N from epicenter |
Namangan Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 281 km (175 mi) W from epicenter |
Vahdat Republican Subordination, Tajikistan. |
| 282 km (175 mi) N from epicenter |
Bazar-Korgon Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan. |
| 282 km (175 mi) NNW from epicenter |
To‘rqao‘rg‘on Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 285 km (177 mi) N from epicenter |
Chortoq Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 285 km (177 mi) N from epicenter |
Uychi Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 286 km (178 mi) NW from epicenter |
Qayroqqum Sughd, Tajikistan. |
| 288 km (179 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Chust Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 288 km (179 mi) N from epicenter |
Uchqŭrghon Shahri Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 290 km (180 mi) NW from epicenter |
Buston Sughd, Tajikistan. |
| 298 km (185 mi) NW from epicenter |
Khujand Sughd, Tajikistan. |
| 300 km (186 mi) N from epicenter |
Yangiqo‘rg‘on Namangan, Uzbekistan. |
| 300 km (186 mi) W from epicenter |
Boshkengash Dushanbe, Tajikistan. |
Shaking reported by 1 person
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 1 person has reported shaking in one place in Tajikistan.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.
Places with most reports:
- Garm, Karotegin, Tajikistan: 1 person.
Aftershocks detected
Before this earthquake struck, 1 smaller foreshock occurred. A 3.4 magnitude earthquake hit 2 days earlier nearby.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 3.4 |
2 days earlier Nov 11, 2023 12:18 (Dushanbe Time) | 89 km (55 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 5.3 |
Nov 13, 2023 17:16 (Dushanbe Time) | - |
More earthquakes coming?
Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.
The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since October 2nd, 2023, when a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit 56 km (35 mi) further west-northwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck on October 26th, 2015.
In total, 52 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 2 months.
Tsunami very unlikely
While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 41 km (26 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 08/12/23 15:58 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000lamf
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20231113_0000100
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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