5.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Tibet Days After Deadly Flash Floods Kill Over 1,200

An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 struck Tibet on Thursday days after devastating flash floods in the Himalayan region killed more than 1,252 people in Nepal. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 14km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.

In a post on X, the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said, “EQ of M: 5.0, On: 03/09/2026 13:46:38 IST, Lat: 31.479 N, Long: 80.370 E, Depth: 14 Km, Location: Tibet.”

5.0-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Tibet

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 14km, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage from the earthquake.

Shallow earthquakes tend to pose a greater danger than deeper ones because their seismic waves travel a shorter distance before reaching the Earth's surface. This can produce stronger ground shaking, increasing the risk of structural damage and casualties.

The Tibetan Plateau is seismically active because of the ongoing collision between tectonic plates. Tibet and Nepal are located along a major geological boundary where the Indian Plate is pushing beneath the Eurasian Plate, making earthquakes a frequent occurrence in the region. Tectonic uplift in the area can also become powerful enough to alter the elevation of peaks in the Himalayas.

Tibet-Nepal Region Still Recovering From Deadly Floods

Around 100 Nepalese nationals have been missing following the devastating flash floods that originated on the Nepal-Tibet border, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri has said, as cited by PTI.

More than 1,200 people have been killed while over 4,875 people remain missing a week after the flash floods devastated several towns and villages in the country.

At least 19 bodies, swept away in the Bhotekoshi River of Rasuwa district, were recovered in India, Chhetri said in a press briefing on Wednesday. The bodies were swept away all the way from Bhotekoshi River through Trishuli and Narayani into India, he said.

The bodies were found near the Indian border adjoining Rupandehi and Nawalparasi West districts of Nepal. They are in the process of being handed over to the Nepalese authorities, Chhetri told journalists, as per PTI.

Around 100 Nepalese nationals have gone missing from Tibet during the flash floods, he said.

Around 3,000 Nepalese nationals who entered Tibet for pilgrimage and business purposes were stranded in Tibet. More than 2,500 of them have safely returned to Nepal through Hilsa and Tatopani border points, said Chhetri, adding that some of them also returned by air, PTI reported.