Why Do Earthquakes Happen? And Which Parts Of India Are Most Prone To It?

Delhi-NCR was jolted by the ripple effects of a 6.5 magnitude earthquake, originating in Afghanistan on Tuesday. Here’s a look at why earthquakes happen and which regions are prone to them.

Earthquakes are attributed to the movement of massive, irregularly shaped slabs of solid rock beneath the surface of Earth known as tectonic plates.

These tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, energy is released in the form of waves.

These waves travel through the Earth's crust and are felt as the shake on the Earth's surface, which we call an earthquake. The edges of the plates where the stress builds up are most prone to earthquakes and are known as seismic zones.

Zone 5, the most fatal zone, parts of northeastern India, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, part of North Bihar, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Delhi, in Zone 4, is vulnerable to earthquakes because it is affected by earthquakes in the Himalayan region and by the fault lines closer to it. Faults are cracks in the Earth's crust along which there is movement.

Delhi is located between the Himalayas and the Aravalli-Delhi Fold Belt, which could be causing frequent tremors. The Aravalli-Delhi Fold receives build up in its faults due to the ongoing movement of Indian tectonic plates towards Eurasian plates.

Also read Which Parts Of India Are Most Prone To Earthquake? Experts Explain