Significant M5.2 Earthquake hit near Guwahati in India on Monday Night.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on January 4th, 2026. Last updated January 7th, 2026.

Under land 68 kilometer from Guwahati in India, a significant Magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred in the night of Monday January 5th, 2026. Around 48 million people have been exposed to shaking. Other countries near the epicenter include Bangladesh and Bhutan.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in India, 68 kilometer (42 mi) east-northeast of Guwahati in Assam. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 35 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Jan 5, 2026 04:17 (Kolkata Time) - Jan 4, 2026 22:47 Universal Time.
Location:	68 km ENE of Guwahati, Assam, India. Coordinates 26°22'3"N 92°23'38"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.2 Detected by 202 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.041 .
Depth:	35 km (22 mi) A quite shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	VI Strong On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
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.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 100% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 48 million people exposed to shaking

The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 48 million have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.

An estimated 2,430,000 people were exposed to level V. At this level, moderate shaking and very light damage can be expected. The majority of people (roughly 31 million) live in an area exposed to level III, where weak shaking and probably no damage is expected.

People in 4 countries have been exposed to shaking. In India , around 35 million people, with impact levels up to V (moderate shaking, very light damage). In Bangladesh , around 13 million people. Other countries where people were exposed to shaking include Bhutan and China.

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
1,299,000	II	Very weak	None
30,870,000	III	Weak	Probably none
13,720,000	IV	Light	Likely none
2,430,000	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

3 countries can be found within 300km of the epicenter of this earthquake: India , Bangladesh and Bhutan .

Located 14 kilometer (9 mi) southwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Dhing (Assam, India) is the nearest significant population center. The intensity of shaking and damage in Dhing is estimated to be around level V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (moderate shaking, very light damage).

Multiple large cities are in proximity of today's earthquake. Guwahati is located 68 km to the west-southwest and experienced an intensity of IV (light shaking, likely no damage). Sylhet is located 171 km to the south-southwest and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage). Shillong is located 102 km to the south-southwest and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage).

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
14 km (9 mi) NE from epicenter	Dhing Assam, India.	V Moderate
14 km (9 mi) SSW from epicenter	Morigaon Assam, India.	V Moderate
30 km (19 mi) NW from epicenter	Khārupatia Assam, India.	V Moderate
37 km (23 mi) WNW from epicenter	Mangaldai Assam, India.	IV Light
38 km (24 mi) NNE from epicenter	Dhekiajuli Assam, India.	IV Light
50 km (31 mi) NE from epicenter	Tezpur Assam, India.	IV Light
52 km (32 mi) NW from epicenter	Udalguri Assam, India.	IV Light
59 km (37 mi) NNE from epicenter	Rangāpāra Assam, India.	IV Light
61 km (38 mi) SE from epicenter	Hojāi Assam, India.	IV Light
68 km (42 mi) WSW from epicenter	Guwahati Assam, India.	IV Light
70 km (43 mi) WSW from epicenter	North Guwāhāti Assam, India.	IV Light
78 km (48 mi) W from epicenter	Rangia Assam, India.	IV Light
88 km (55 mi) W from epicenter	Hājo Assam, India.	IV Light
102 km (63 mi) SSW from epicenter	Shillong Meghalaya, India.	III Weak
104 km (65 mi) SE from epicenter	Lumding Railway Colony Assam, India.	IV Light
119 km (74 mi) ESE from epicenter	Diphu Assam, India.	IV Light
138 km (86 mi) W from epicenter	Barpeta Assam, India.	IV Light
141 km (88 mi) W from epicenter	Howli Assam, India.	III Weak
142 km (88 mi) ESE from epicenter	Dimāpur Nagaland, India.	III Weak
143 km (89 mi) W from epicenter	Barpeta Road Assam, India.	III Weak
144 km (89 mi) ESE from epicenter	Bokajān Assam, India.	III Weak
145 km (90 mi) NE from epicenter	Itānagar Arunachal Pradesh, India.	III Weak
147 km (91 mi) SW from epicenter	Nongstoin Meghalaya, India.	III Weak
148 km (92 mi) SSE from epicenter	Hāflong Assam, India.	III Weak
153 km (95 mi) ENE from epicenter	Naharlagun Arunachal Pradesh, India.	III Weak
157 km (98 mi) E from epicenter	Golāghāt Assam, India.	III Weak
165 km (103 mi) SSW from epicenter	Chhātak Sylhet, Bangladesh.	III Weak
167 km (104 mi) S from epicenter	Karīmganj Assam, India.	III Weak
170 km (106 mi) W from epicenter	Abhayāpuri Assam, India.	III Weak
171 km (106 mi) SSW from epicenter	Sylhet Sylhet, Bangladesh.	III Weak
176 km (109 mi) SSE from epicenter	Silchar Assam, India.	III Weak
178 km (111 mi) W from epicenter	Goālpāra Assam, India.	III Weak
183 km (114 mi) W from epicenter	Bongaigaon Assam, India.	III Weak
185 km (115 mi) ENE from epicenter	Jorhāt Assam, India.	III Weak
188 km (117 mi) E from epicenter	Wokha Nagaland, India.	II Weak
188 km (117 mi) ESE from epicenter	Kohīma Nagaland, India.	III Weak
188 km (117 mi) S from epicenter	Hailākāndi Assam, India.	III Weak
194 km (121 mi) W from epicenter	Chāpar Assam, India.	III Weak
194 km (121 mi) E from epicenter	Mariāni Assam, India.	III Weak
195 km (121 mi) ENE from epicenter	North Lakhimpur Assam, India.	III Weak
218 km (135 mi) SSW from epicenter	Maulavi Bāzār Sylhet, Bangladesh.
224 km (139 mi) S from epicenter	Dharmanagar Tripura, India.
233 km (145 mi) SE from epicenter	Imphāl Manipur, India.	III Weak
235 km (146 mi) SW from epicenter	Netrakona Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh.	III Weak
237 km (147 mi) WNW from epicenter	Tsirang Chirang, Bhutan.
242 km (150 mi) SSW from epicenter	Habiganj Sylhet, Bangladesh.
268 km (167 mi) SW from epicenter	Mymensingh Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh.
269 km (167 mi) SW from epicenter	Kishorganj Dhaka, Bangladesh.
278 km (173 mi) ENE from epicenter	Dibrugarh Assam, India.
281 km (175 mi) WSW from epicenter	Sherpur Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh.
284 km (176 mi) WNW from epicenter	Punākha Punakha, Bhutan.
293 km (182 mi) SW from epicenter	Jamālpur Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh.
294 km (183 mi) W from epicenter	Koch Bihār West Bengal, India.
294 km (183 mi) SSW from epicenter	Bhairab Bāzār Dhaka, Bangladesh.
295 km (183 mi) S from epicenter	Aizawl Mizoram, India.
298 km (185 mi) W from epicenter	Lalmonirhat Rangpur Division, Bangladesh.
299 km (186 mi) WNW from epicenter	Thimphu Thimphu, Bhutan.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is V.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 76 people in 2 countries

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 76 people have reported shaking in 26 places in 2 countries (India, Bangladesh).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

Sualkuchi, Assam, India: 9 people.
Gauhati, Assam, India: 9 people.
Dimapur, Nagaland, India: 8 people.
Tezpur, Assam, India: 7 people.
Shillong, Meghalaya, India: 7 people.
Dispur, Assam, India: 6 people.
North Guwahati, Assam, India: 4 people.
Nagaon, Assam, India: 3 people.
Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, India: 3 people.
Raha Gaon, Assam, India: 2 people.

Aftershocks detected

This main shock was followed by 1 smaller aftershock. At a distance of 10 km (6 mi) west-southwest of this earthquake, an aftershock struck 13 sec later. It measured a magnitude of 4.9

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.2	Jan 5, 2026 04:17 (Kolkata Time)	-
Aftershock	M 4.9	13 sec later Jan 5, 2026 04:17 (Kolkata Time)	10 km (6 mi) WSW from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this are common in the region

Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since September 14th, 2025, when a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit 42 km (26 mi) further north-northwest. An even stronger magnitude 6 earthquake struck on April 28th, 2021.

In total, 10 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.2 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 year.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

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 5.2. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 35 km (22 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 07/01/26 21:58 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.