Uttarakhand and its surrounding regions Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab including Delhi experienced tremours of the magnitude of 5.8 on Richter scale sending shivers among the people.
However everyone heaved a sigh of relief as there was no damage to the property or life. The epi centre was 31km below the earth surface in Pipalkoti near Rudraprayag. Northern Himayalan region witnessed many earthquakes of medium intensity in the recent past and analysing them experts predicted not a rosy picture.
An earthquake of 7.9 on 25 April, 2015 devastated Nepal and experts predicted that a devastating earthquake of high intensity will wipe out North India in near future.
Experts analysed the 31km below the earth surface in Pipalkoti near Rudraprayag and pointed out that catastrophe will hit soon Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of north India in form of earth quake.
Dr Sushil Kumar, senior scientist at Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) the Indian Plate is moving towards the Eurasian Plate at the speed of 45 centimeter per year causing immense pressure under the earth surface in the region.
The Himalayan region has had four major earthquakes in the past 150 years. According to geologists, the regions between Kangra and Nepal-Bihar did not experience any earthquake for a long time till the April 25, 2015 earthquake. The region was the "maximum probable zone" for an earthquake. The Himalayas had experienced three great quakes during the past century - Nepal-Bihar (1934), upper Assam (in 1950) and Kangra, Himachal Pradesh (1905). Accordingly 60% of India is vulnerable to deadly and devastating earthquakes.
Geologists say Assam earthquake in 1950 set stage for another bigger one in the Himalayas and after more than 60yrs North India is sitting on a timebomb.
