What the record shows for Tajikistan
The strongest earthquake on record near Tajikistan is a magnitude 7.8 in 1921, centred 71 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan - 105 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 4,585 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of Tajikistan - roughly 229 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Tajikistan in the NOAA NCEI database. A quiet record is not the same as no exposure - a large enough offshore earthquake can reach coastlines that have never been hit in the historical period.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
Popular
Tajikistan sits in the seismically active Pamir mountains, driven by the India–Eurasia collision.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Tajikistan.
Earthquake risk in Tajikistan - FAQ
Is Tajikistan at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 229 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.8 in 1921.
What was the biggest earthquake in Tajikistan?
The strongest earthquake on record near Tajikistan is M7.8, in 1921 (71 km SSW of Jurm, Afghanistan), from USGS.
Does Tajikistan get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 300 km of Tajikistan in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Tajikistan?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.