Iran and China earthquakes: NGRI scientists says Global seismic activity high

U Sudhakar Reddy

NGRI Chief Scientist R K Chadha

National Geographical Research Institute scientists say the global 
seismic activity is high and major earthquakes in Iran and China are no surprises. 
Similar magnitude earthquakes are possible even in Himalayan region ranging from Kashmir 
to Arunachal Pradesh which falls under active zone say experts but timing can’t be 
predicted.
Experts say the seismic shifts don’t happen overnight, it takes millions of years to 
change the direction of plates and tectonic plates move very slowly.
NGRI Chief Scientist Dr R K Chadha says,” China’s south western Sichuan Province has 
suffered major earthquake in 2008 too. It was one of the seismically active regions,”
When asked whether there is a pattern in Iran and China quakes Mr Chadha said,”that’s a 
big research question. From 2004 the seismic activity across the globe has increased. It 
will not be a surprise if it occurs in Himalayan region too. Nobody can predict the 
timing,”
Mr Chadha says ,”The tectonic plate movement is five centimetre per year towards North in 
the country.  There are four major earth quakes in Himalayan region from 1897 that 
aoccured in Shillong. Later major quakes occurred in Himachal Pradesh, Bihar-Nepal border 
and Arunachal Pradesh. We don’t have equipment to go to the depth of 30 kilometres to 
study what’s happened down.  As we can’t predict the earthquakes exactly the preparedness 
should be there. National Disaster Management Authority has taken up the programme,”