&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Uttarakhand at risk of magnitude 8 earthquake as Indian Plate converges with Eurasian Plate, scientist warns")
A large area in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand is at risk of a major earthquake, according to leading geoscientists. A stretch of land covering an area of 250 kilometres could witness a magnitude 8 earthquake because of significant tectonic stress that has been building in the region. A report by The New Indian Express, citing Dr. Sushil Kumar, a former Senior Scientist specialising in Geophysics at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, states that the region at risk stretches from Tanakpur in Kumaon to Dehradun. He warned that considerable tectonic pressure has been building in this region, which lies in one of the most active seismic areas of the Himalayan collision zone. This puts it at risk of a mammoth earthquake sooner or later. Since Uttarakhand hasn't witnessed a major temblor for several decades, there is possibly "progressive build-up of underground energy," Kumar told the publication. Also Read: Scientists warn 86,000 people could die in devastating earthquake in little-known US seismic zone
Uttarakhand seismic zone
Uttarakhand is located in a highly seismic zone, with land spread across Seismic Zones IV and V. These are the classifications given to earthquake-prone regions in India, with Zone V being the most seismically active. Besides some parts of the Himalayas, including Uttarkashi, all the northeastern states also reside in Seismic Zone V. Meanwhile, Zone IV is the second most active region, and covers Srinagar, Delhi, and some portions of other northern and western Indian states. Kumar said that a "large seismic rupture" could occur in the region in the future. According to studies, tectonic activity has been high because of the shift in the Indian Plate. GPS studies and geological assessments show that the plate is converging with the Eurasian Plate at a rate of approximately 50-52 millimetres per year. Also Read: Scientists raise alarm for US and Canada, warn of 100-foot tsunami that will alter geography for centuries
A lot of this convergence is absorbed by the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT). Some of the energy is regularly released in the form of small earthquakes and plastic deformation. But despite this, significant stress continues to build up in the region. This continual locking of the MHT extends almost 100 km beneath the Himalaya. An accumulation of strain creates deadly conditions for a massive earthquake, one that can measure up to 8.9 on the Richter Scale. Microseismicity and localised ground deformation have also been recorded in some other areas of Uttarakhand, pointing to tectonic activity. In the past, Chamoli was hit by a magnitude 6.6 earthquake in 1999, while Uttarkashi witnessed a 6.8 magnitude temblor in 1991.
