Multiple earthquakes strike China, Tibet, Nepal within hours, says National Center for Seismology
New Delhi, July 31
A series of earthquakes struck parts of China, Tibet and Nepal within a few hours early Friday, according to the National Center for Seismology, with the strongest measuring magnitude 4.5 in China.
In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.5, On: 31/07/2026 01:44:06 IST, Lat: 35.259 N, Long: 99.716 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: China."
Earlier, the agency reported a magnitude 4.2 earthquake in Tibet. The post read, "EQ of M: 4.2, On: 31/07/2026 00:50:07 IST, Lat: 29.068 N, Long: 86.402 E, Depth: 90 Km, Location: Tibet." The NCS also advised users, "For more information Download the BhooKamp App."
The seismic activity continued with a magnitude 3.4 earthquake recorded in Nepal. According to another update posted on X, "EQ of M: 3.4, On: 31/07/2026 01:18:42 IST, Lat: 27.102 N, Long: 87.514 E, Depth: 15 Km, Location: Nepal."
Hours earlier, late on Thursday night, the NCS had also detected a magnitude 4.3 earthquake in Tibet. It said, "EQ of M: 4.3, On: 30/07/2026 23:25:39 IST, Lat: 30.379 N, Long: 85.789 E, Depth: 130 Km, Location: Tibet."
The four earthquakes occurred between 11:25 p.m. IST on Thursday and 1:44 a.m. IST on Friday, affecting different parts of the Himalayan region and western China. The recorded depths ranged from 10 kilometres to 130 kilometres, indicating varying seismic characteristics.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage following any of the earthquakes. Authorities have not issued any tsunami warnings or emergency advisories related to the tremors.
Authorities in China, Tibet and Nepal had not issued any emergency updates as of Friday morning.
The Himalayan belt, which includes Nepal, Tibet and adjoining regions of China, is among the world's most seismically active zones due to the ongoing collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, resulting in frequent earthquakes of varying intensity.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Four earthquakes in just a few hours? That's concerning. The Himalayan region is truly a tectonic hotspot. India's earthquake monitoring systems are improving, but we need better public awareness, especially in the northern states.
Glad there's no damage reported! These small tremors are reminders that we must be prepared. My dad always says the Himalayas are still growing because of the plate collision. 😊 Stay safe everyone!
A 4.5 magnitude is manageable, but the depth of 10 km in China is shallow. These variations in depth show how complex the geology is. NCS is reliable, but I wish the media would report such news with more technical accuracy.
It's a bit worrying how frequent these quakes are becoming. Science says it's normal, but we should definitely invest more in earthquake-resistant infrastructure in the Himalayan states. Better to be safe than sorry! 💪
My cousin lives near the Nepal border in Sikkim, I called her right away! She said everything was fine but this reminds us all — this region is like a living geological laboratory. We just have to stay alert and trust agencies like NCS.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.