Eight people were injured in the earthquake near Almaty, according to official health authorities. Victims were promptly transported to city hospitals for evaluation and treatment.
Of the injured, three were reported after attempting to jump from upper floors of residential buildings. Two of these individuals were released for outpatient care following initial assessment, while medical staff regard the remaining patient as serious and continuing inpatient care was arranged. Five additional people sustained injuries while fleeing their homes; they received medical attention on site and were later discharged for outpatient treatment as well.
The temblor occurred on January 23 near the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border, registering a magnitude of 6.7. The epicenter was located approximately 264 kilometers southeast of Almaty, at a depth of about 65 kilometers, with the event timing at 0.09 local time (21.09 Moscow time).
Seismic intensity in Almaty reached level 5 on the scale. The tremors were felt in surrounding regions, with reports of weaker shaking in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan; in Bishkek the assessment ranged from 4 to 5 points, while in Tashkent it was around 3 points.
Seismological services noted aftershocks within Almaty approximately 36 minutes after the initial quake, contributing to ongoing caution for residents and authorities as emergency teams continued to assess damage and respond to needs on the ground.
In related, earlier news, reports described a separate event where an underwater volcanic eruption near Japan led to the formation of a new island, a development closely watched by scientists and observers in the region.