Great Himalayan earthquake of intensity 8.5 or more ‘anytime in future’, says recent study

For a very long time, seismologists have warned about the impending ‘Great Himalayan earthquake’. With an intensity of over 8 in the Richter scale, it is predicted to have a catastrophic effect in areas which are extremely densely populated. The Nepal earthquake of 2015 with an intensity of 7.8 killed nearly 9,000 people. But scientists warned that it will not be the last big earthquake and a massive quake is just round the corners. Now, another research has added credence to that theory. Research team led by CP Rajendran of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research in Bengaluru has warned of at least one earthquake of intensity over 8,5 or more ‘anytime in future’, reported news agency IANS.

The report quotes study published in ‘Geological Journal’, where scientists have pointed at an increase of strain being an indicator to an impending earthquake. The database used for the study are from Mohana Khola in Nepal and Chorgalia in India along with data already in public domain.

The research which used maps made by GSI, imagery from ISRO’s satellite, alongside Google Earth has some grim prediction for India and its neighbouring countries. The research concludes,” An earthquake of magnitude 8.5 or more is overdue in this part of the Himalayas, given the long-elapsed time”. It also indicates towards poor preparation by authorities to deal with some natural calamity which is only likely to increase the level of destruction.

According to researchers, almost 600-700 years back a massive earthquake took place in the Himalayas. Since then, the area covering parts of India and eastern Nepal has been ‘seismically silent’ although the plates are having an annual displacement of around 15 metres, building up huge tectonic pressure. Hence scientists believe a strong earthquake is due anytime now.