Earthquake of magnitude 8.0 may strike Himalayas, warns MHA

New Delhi: Post tremors that shook Manipur on Monday, disaster management experts from the Ministry of Home Affairs have warned that more trouble is set to befall the region with possibilities of earthquakes measuring more than 8.0 magnitude on the Ritcher scale. And an earthquake of such magnitude would destroy the Himalayan region.

According to reports, the collision between the Himalayan plate in the north and the Indo-Burmese plate in the east and the risk created as a result is apparently the highest at this moment.

Post the Nepal earthquake the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) had warned that the there was an enhanced risk of earthquake in region around the 'ring of fire' that passes through Northern India, specifically the mountains, said reports. The tectonic shift that took place in the region during the earthquakes in Manipur and Nepal have also 're-ruptured' the plates that had already developed cracks during previous earthquakes.

The disaster could hit not only the states, which fall under the severe seismic Zone V, but also Delhi, which is classified under the less severe seismic Zone IV, NIDM director Santosh Kumar said.

More concerning is the Union Home Ministry's assessment that concedes that the regulatory mechanism in Indian cities which are at high risk, are not optimal and would cause huge casualties.