Participation of the NNC RK in the 12th International Symposium on Earthquakes in the Tien Shan Region
From 14 to 18 September 2026, the 12th Tianshan International Symposium on Earthquake Sciences was held in Urumqi (China).
At the invitation of the Director of the Institute of Geology of the China Earthquake Administration, Aydin Mukambayev, Deputy Director of the IGR NNC RK, took part in the symposium.
The event brought together experts in the Earth sciences from China, Central Asian countries and other nations. The main theme of the symposium was “Joint building of a seismic safety community and ensuring the sustainable development of the Tien Shan”. The scientific program covered a wide range of topics related to active tectonics, seismological monitoring, geophysical research, seismic zoning, and the assessment of natural hazards and risks. Particular attention was paid to the development of cross-border cooperation between China and the countries of Central Asia.
The symposium also featured the China-Central Asia Workshop on Earthquake Prevention and Disaster Reduction Technologies.
During the symposium, Aydin Mukambayev presented the results of research of the seismicity of high-altitude glaciers in the Tien Shan. The NNC RK specialists are conducting multi-parameter monitoring of glacial processes using seismological and infrasound observations. The data obtained enable the study of glacier dynamics, the processes of ice mass failure and the associated natural hazards, including ice and rock avalanches, landslides and mudflows.
The relevance of this field of research is clearly demonstrated by natural disasters in high-altitude regions. In particular, the ice-rock avalanche and subsequent mudslide that occurred in August 2026 in the border region between Nepal and China showed how the development of a single natural process can lead to a chain of interrelated hazardous events.
In this regard, the development of comprehensive monitoring of high-altitude areas and the international exchange of scientific data is of particular importance for studying the dynamics of mountain systems and assessing the associated natural hazards.
The participation of specialists from the NNC RK in international scientific events helps to strengthen cooperation with scientific organizations in China and other Central Asian countries, facilitate the exchange of scientific data, and develop joint research in the fields of seismology and natural hazard monitoring.
Opening ceremony of the International Symposium
Opening of a China-Central Asia Workshop on Earthquake Prevention and Disaster Reduction Technologies
Report by A.S. Mukambayev “Seismological observations of high-altitude glaciers in the Tien Shan”
