A magnitude 2.8 earthquake struck Bhutan on Sunday, with a shallow depth of 10 km, making aftershocks likely. The National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported the quake hit at 11:11:35 IST, with the location at Lat: 27.14 N, Long: 89.02 E.
This follows a January 7 earthquake of magnitude 3.8 in the region, also at a depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes like these can cause stronger ground shaking. They can cause more damage due to the shorter distance seismic waves travel to the surface.
Bhutan is prone to natural hazards, being in the young Himalayan Mountains, a highly seismically active zone. The country falls within seismic zones IV and V, the most active zones. It faces risks from Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), strong winds, landslides, flash floods, and fires.
The 2011 and 2013 windstorms caused significant damage to rural homes. Bhutan’s location and past earthquakes show earthquakes are a major threat.