Earthquake in Bhutan: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 rocked Bhutan on Monday. According to the Indian National Center for Seismology, the earthquake jolted the region of Xizang at around 5 pm (local time). 

“Earthquake of Magnitude:4.6, Occurred on 26-02-2024, 16:59:29 IST, Lat: 29.68 & Long: 88.15, Depth: 18 Km, Location: Xizang,” the National Center for Seismology wrote on X, formally known as Twitter. 

The vulnerabilities of Bhutan

Bhutan like many other regions in the Himalayas witnesses significant seismic activities due to the ongoing tectonic interaction between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. However, the country is vulnerable to other natural calamities like flooding, wildfire, landslides, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and windstorms. Not only this, the county's urban areas are also vulnerable to flooding and extreme heat in the south. It is important to note that Bhutan has been exposed to at least 12 earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 in the last half-century including the devastating  2009 earthquake. According to the World Bank, the earthquake that killed 7 in Bhutan and four in India generated a whopping $97 million in losses.