75 years since Assam quake, Himalayas prep for large hydro projects
75 years since Assam quake, Himalayas prep for large hydro projects
Key Points:
- On August 15, 1950, the Great Assam Earthquake (Magnitude 8.6) struck Northeast India, causing widespread destruction and over 1,500 deaths in India; impacts were also felt in Myanmar, Bangladesh, Tibet, and China.
- The earthquake occurred along the Indian-Eurasian plate boundary, near the Eastern Himalayas, at a depth of 15 km.
- The event caused landslides, river blockages, and flash floods, demonstrating secondary hazards of large earthquakes.
- The earthquake displayed a mixed mechanism: thrusting and strike-slip motion, linked to the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis (EHS) — a tectonically complex region.
- GPS data shows Indian and Eurasian plates converge at 10–38 mm/year in the Eastern Himalayas, highlighting seismic vulnerability.
- Historical records show NE India has experienced multiple major earthquakes (e.g., 1548, 1596, 1697, 1262–1635 medieval quake).
- The article warns that future earthquakes of similar magnitude remain a possibility, especially given urban expansion and upcoming hydroelectric projects in the region.
Updated : August 14, 2025 05:30 am IST | The Hindu
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