• Earthquake Alert: Indian plate moving 5cm per year, increasing earthquake chances, says NGRI's chief scientist

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    Earthquake Alert: Indian plate moving 5cm per year, increasing earthquake chances, says NGRI's chief scientist
    The Earth's surface is made up of numerous plates that are continually moving. Every year, the Indian plate moves roughly 5 centimetres...

    Digital Desk: A leading meteorologist and geologist have warned that the Indian tectonic plate is moving at a rate of about 5 cm per year, increasing tension along the Himalayas and raising the prospect of large seismic events, including earthquakes, shortly.

    On February 21, Dr N Purnachandra Rao, the Chief scientist and seismologist at the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) remarked, "The Earth's surface has numerous plates that are continually in motion. The Indian plate moves around 5 cm each year, accumulating tension throughout the Himalayas and increasing the likelihood of large earthquakes." 

    "In Uttarakhand, we have a reliable connection of 18 seismograph stations. The region, known as the seismic gap between Himachal and the western section of Nepal, including Uttarakhand, is prone to earthquakes that can happen at any time, according to the Chief Scientist.

    A 3.6-magnitude earthquake struck 56 kilometres north of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, at 10:38 p.m. on February 20, according to the National Center for Seismology.

    As stated by the organisation, the epicentre was 10 kilometres beneath the earth's surface.

    "An earthquake of magnitude 3.6 happened 56 kilometres north of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, at roughly 10:38 p.m. yesterday," according to the National Centre for Seismology. The earthquake was 10 kilometres below ground. 

    On February 19, an earthquake struck Andhra Pradesh's Nandigama in the NTR District. There were no casualties reported in the incident.