Bhutan Earthquakes Chronology of earthquakes Bhutan Earthquakes

Chronology of earthquakes in Bhutan

A total of 30 earthquakes have been recorded in Bhutan between the years 1937 to 1998. Records with the department of geology and mines indicate that a 1941 earthquake, on January 21, was the most powerful, measuring 6.75 on the Richter scale.

1713 : Richter M 7.0
Located somewhere in Bhutan or in Arunachal Pradesh severely affected Bhutan and parts of Assam.

11 June 1806: M 7.6
In Tibet near Eastern Bhutan. 12 June 1897: R 8 +
Near Rangjoli, Assam (60 Km south of Bhutan) This earthquake is the largest known in the last two centuries in the Indian subcontinent and destroyed Punakha and Lingzhi dzongs; damaged Wangduephodrang, Trongsa, Jakar and Tashichho dzongs.

12 May 1906: M 6.5
Bhutan - China - India border region,

13 Aug. 1910: M 5.7
North of Punakha, Bhutan - India border

15 Jan. 1934: R 8.0
Bihar-Nepal border

21 Jan. 1941: M 6.7
West of Tashigang, Bhutan- India border

29 July 1947: M 7.3
Arunachal Pradesh - China Border

15 Aug. 1950: M.69
Indo-China Border Region

23 Feb. 1954: M 6.4
Bhutan - China - India border

29 July 1960: M 6.59
Near Tsirang, Bhutan

19 Nov. 1980: M 6.39
Near Sikkim - West Bengal border

20 Aug. 1988: M 6.8
Udaypur Gahri, Nepal,

26 March 2003: M 5.5
Gunitsawa, Paro, Bhutan

11 Feb. 2006: M 5.0
Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The earthquake was felt in Trashigang and the neighbouring region.

14 Feb. 2006: M 5.7
In Sikkim with several damages to buildings recorded in Gangtok, Sikkim.

24 Feb. 2006: M 5.8 - 5.5
The two earthquakes in Bhutan, damaged a total of 126 houses in nine gewogs under Trashigang dzongkhag. Trashigang Dzong had numerous new cracks on the wall.

21 Sept. 2009: M 6.3
Hit Mongar with 1,100 houses affected and 12 dead.

18 Sept. 2011: M 6.9
A 6.9 magnitude earthquake with the epicentre located 64km north-west of Gangtok, capital of Sikkim (India),caused widespread damage in parts of India, Nepal, China, and Bhutan.

This article was contributed by KUENSEL, Bhutan's National Newspaper, 2009 (updated by RAOnline)

Himalaya Frontal Thrust (HFT) fault system

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