Earthquake in Tibet: 4.3 magnitude tremor hits region, second quake in days

Earthquake in Vanuatu Islands: An earthquake of magnitude 7 struck the ‌Vanuatu Islands on Monday, March 30, foreign media reported, citing the ​German Research Centre ⁠for ​Geosciences (GFZ). It was at ​a ​depth ⁠of 130 ​km (80 miles). However, there was no tsunami threat from the earthquake, the US Tsunami Warning Center informed.

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake Recorded in Tajikistan

On a separate note, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake also struck Tajikistan on Monday, according to a statement from the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The epicentre was at a depth of 146 kilometres. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.5, On: 30/03/2026 07:45:46 IST, Lat: 37.158 N, Long: 71.861 E, Depth: 146 Km, Location: Tajikistan."

Earlier Tremors Reported in Tajikistan

Earlier on March 26, another earthquake of magnitude 3.9 had struck the region at a depth of 27 kilometres. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 3.9, On: 26/03/2026 23:37:45 IST, Lat: 38.542 N, Long: 73.187 E, Depth: 27 Km, Location: Tajikistan."

Tibet Experiences Multiple Earthquakes

On Sunday, earthquake of magnitude 4.3 struck Tibet, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 145km. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.3, On: 29/03/2026 10:54:27 IST, Lat: 30.187 N, Long: 84.280 E, Depth: 145 Km, Location: Tibet." Earlier on March 27, another earthquake of magnitude 3.2 occurred in the region at a depth of 40km.

In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 3.2, On: 27/03/2026 04:18:47 IST, Lat: 28.842 N, Long: 89.290 E, Depth: 40 Km, Location: Tibet."

Why the Tibetan Plateau Is Seismically Active

The Tibetan Plateau is characterised by seismic activity due to tectonic plate collisions.

Understanding Earthquake Depth Categories

Earthquakes can occur anywhere from the Earth's surface to about 700 kilometres below. For scientific purposes, according to USGS data, earthquake depths from 0 to 700 kilometers is divided into three zones:

• shallow - earthquakes occur between 0 and 70 kilometers in depth
• medium - earthquakes occur between 70 and 300 kilometers in depth
• deep - earthquakes occur between 300 and 700 kilometers in depth

In general, earthquakes with depths greater than 70 kilometres are called "deep-center earthquakes," according to the USGS.

Here are some FAQs for your understanding:

FAQs related to the article

Q1 Is there any tsunami warning after the Vanuatu earthquake?

No, the US Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that there is no any tsunami warning after the Vanuatu earthquake.

Q2 How deep was the Vanuatu earthquake?

The earthquake in Vanuatu occurred at a depth of about 130 km (80 miles) beneath the Earth’s surface.

Q3 Did the earthquake in Vanuatu have widespread impact?

Because the Vanuatu earthquake occurred relatively deep underground, its impact on the surface was likely less severe than a shallower earthquake.

Q4 Why does depth matter in earthquake?

In general, the deeper an earthquake occurs, the more its energy spreads out before reaching the surface, which can reduce the level of damage.

Q5 How are earthquakes classified based on their depth, according to USGS?

According to the USGS, earthquakes are classified into three categories based on how deep they occur - shallow earthquakes, intermediate earthquakes and deep earthquakes.