A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck Tibet in the early hours of Monday, according to a statement from the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
The quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, which increases the likelihood of aftershocks, the NCS noted.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the agency stated: “EQ of M: 5.7, On: 12/05/2025 02:41:24 IST, Lat: 29.02 N, Long: 87.48 E, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Tibet.”
This seismic event follows a smaller tremor of magnitude 3.7 that shook the region on May 8.
Shallow earthquakes like this in Tibet are typically more dangerous than deeper ones, as they release energy closer to the surface, leading to stronger ground shaking and greater damage.
The Tibetan Plateau is highly seismically active due to the ongoing collision between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, which not only causes frequent earthquakes but also contributes to the uplift of the Himalayas.
"Education about earthquakes and earthquake-resilient buildings combined with funding for retrofits and resilient structures can help protect people and buildings when strong earthquakes occur," Marianne Karplus, a seismologist and geophysicist, told Al Jazeera.
"The earth system is very complex, and we cannot predict earthquakes. However, we can conduct scientific studies to better understand what causes earthquakes in Tibet and to better understand the shaking and impacts resulting from earthquakes," Karplus, who is a professor of geological sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, told Al Jazeera.
(With inputs from ANI)