M4.4 Earthquake near Kŭlob, Tajikistan — 31 July 2026
A light earthquake of magnitude 4.4 was recorded near Kŭlob, Tajikistan on , with an epicentre 10 km south of Kŭlob, at a focal depth of 45.8 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-07-31 20:26:49
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 4.4 (light)
Focal depth: 45.8 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 37.8214, 69.7889
Location: 10 km S of Kŭlob, Tajikistan
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items.
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake radiates roughly 60 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 298, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 37.8214, 69.7889 — 10 km south of Kŭlob. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.3 earthquake 58 km south of here on 11 February 2026.
Why the 46 km depth matters
At 46 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.4 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the 1 day since this event.
165 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.1 event near Jurm on 27 June 2026. This M4.4 event released about 355 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the July 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.3 earthquake near Rustāq, Afghanistan — (58 km S)
- M4.4 earthquake near Ārt Khwājah, Afghanistan — (66 km SSW)
- M4.5 earthquake near Yovon, Tajikistan — (78 km WNW)
- M4.3 earthquake near Fayzabad, Afghanistan — (103 km SSE)
- M4.1 earthquake near Jurm, Afghanistan — (134 km SE)
- M4.2 earthquake near Farkhār, Afghanistan — (135 km S)
- M4.2 earthquake near Farkhār, Afghanistan — (137 km SSE)
- M4.2 earthquake near Farkhār, Afghanistan — (148 km S)
- M4.2 earthquake near Jurm, Afghanistan — (149 km SE)
- M4.7 earthquake near Farkhār, Afghanistan — (150 km SSE)
Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.6 earthquake near Honmachi, Japan —
- M4.2 earthquake near Banda Sea —
- M4.4 earthquake near Ollagüe, Chile —
- M4.4 earthquake near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M4.4 earthquake near Volcano Islands, Japan region —
- M4.5 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
- M4.6 earthquake near Daliao, Philippines —
- M4.3 earthquake near Orosi, Costa Rica —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 4.4 earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake radiates roughly 60 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Kŭlob?
At 46 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M4.4 earthquake near Kŭlob felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.4 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the 1 day since this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near Kŭlob?
165 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.1 event near Jurm on 27 June 2026. This M4.4 event released about 355 times less energy than that event.