Earthquake of magnitude 2.8 strikes Bhutan | World News

According to the statement made by the National Center for Seismology (NCS), a 2.8 magnitude earthquake occurred in Bhutan on Sunday. The fact that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km underground made it susceptible to aftershocks.

NCS said in a post about

Earlier, on January 7, a 3.8 magnitude earthquake hit the region at a depth of 10 km. NCS said in a post about

Shallow earthquakes are generally more dangerous than deep earthquakes. This is because seismic waves from shallow earthquakes have a shorter distance to reach the surface, resulting in stronger ground shaking and potentially more damage to structures and more casualties.

Like the rest of the world, Bhutan is not spared from the wrath of natural disasters and is susceptible to many types of them. The Asian Disaster Mitigation Center noted that geophysically, Bhutan is located in the young Himalayan Mountains and is considered one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

According to the Indian Earthquake Code, Bhutan falls under seismic zones IV and V, which are the most active zones. Considering its location and as past earthquakes have proven, earthquakes are one of the most imminent dangers in Bhutan. Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) as a result of global warming pose another risk to the people of Bhutan. Due to climate change, seasonal strong winds have also become one of the hazards in Bhutan, causing serious damage to rural houses.

Storms in 2011 and 2013 caused extensive damage to rural homes in Bhutan. The Asian Disaster Mitigation Center stated that other hazards such as landslides, flash floods, forest fires and structure fires have also spread across the country and caused serious losses of property and life.