Strong likelihood of big earthquake in Himalayan region, need to prepare better: Scientists

Tremors were felt in Uttarkhand after a strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake jolted the remote mountainous region of western Nepal early Wednesday, killing six people

PTI, DEHRADUN, 11 NOV 2022: Scientists on Wednesday saidthere was a strong possibility of a major earthquake in the Himalayan region and underlined the need for better preparation to minimise the damage to life and property.

Tremors were felt in Uttarkhand after a strong 6.6-magnitude earthquake jolted the remote mountainous region of western Nepal early Wednesday, killing six people.

Senior geophysicist of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology Ajay Paul said the Himalayas had come into existence as a result of a collision between Indian and Eurasian plates. 

Due to constant pressure of the Eurasian plate on the Indian plate, strained energy accumulating under it keeps releasing itself from time to time in the form of earthquakes, Paul said." Occurrence of earthquakes due to accumulation of strained energy under the Himalayas is a normal and relentless process. 

The entire Himalayan region is highly vulnerable to tremors and the strong possibility of a major earthquake is always there," Paul said. The magnitude of the future earthquake might be of seven or more on the Richter scale, he claimed.