The earth trembled 11 times in two and a half hours: After the devastating earthquake of magnitude 7 in Tibet, 10 aftershocks occurred one after the other, people in fear.

The fierce attack of nature has spread great panic in the autonomous region of Tibet and the adjacent Himalayan region. On Friday morning, within a very short span of two and a half hours, the earth was shaken by strong tremors not once or twice, but a total of 11 times. According to seismic monitoring stations, the first and most devastating shock of the morning on the Richter scale Extreme intensity of 7.0 Recorded with. The intensity of this earthquake was so intense that its impact was felt hundreds of kilometers away in the foothills of the Himalayas and beyond the international borders. People were not able to recover from the fear of this terrible shock that a series of aftershocks started underground and in the next two and a half hours, 10 more shocks of moderate to strong intensity were recorded one after the other. Due to this sudden earthquake series (Earthquake Swarm), people ran out of their houses and buildings towards open fields.

According to preliminary data from the National Center for Seismology and global geological agencies (USGS), the epicenter of the largest earthquake, which occurred between about 6:00 am and 6:30 am, was located in the sparsely populated but strategically sensitive mountainous region of Tibet.

• Magnitude: 7.0 Richter Scale

• Center Depth: Just 10 kilometers below the ground (Shallow Earthquake)

• Effect: Due to this shallow earthquake, the emission of energy on the surface was very violent, due to which there are reports of landslides at many places and cracks in old buildings and communication roads. Local administration and disaster relief teams have left for remote hill villages to take stock of the damage.

The earth did not calm down immediately after the main earthquake. The ground shook continuously for the next 150 minutes (two and a half hours) due to rebalancing of geological stresses. Intensity of 10 other tremors recorded during this period on Richter scale 4.2 to 5.8 Measured between:

1. First big shock: Exactly 12 minutes after the main tremor (magnitude 5.8)

2. Second and third blow: At an interval of 15 minutes (intensity 5.2 and 4.9)

3. Fourth to seventh shocks: Continuous tremors of 4.5 to 4.8 magnitude were recorded during the next one hour.

4. Eighth to tenth strokes: Despite slow motion, continuous tremors of magnitude 4.2 to 4.6

These recurring aftershocks are creating huge difficulties for relief and rescue operations, as already weakened buildings and mountain slopes are in constant danger of collapse.

According to geologists and seismologists, Tibet and the entire Himalayan region is included in the world’s most active and dangerous seismic zones (Seismic Zone V). The geological structure of this entire area is extremely sensitive:

• Collision of tectonic plates: The Indian Plate is continuously moving northwards towards the Eurasian Plate at the rate of about 4 to 5 centimeters per year. Due to the collision of these two huge rock plates, a huge amount of geological energy (stress energy) keeps getting accumulated under the Himalayas.

• Result of stress release: When this stored energy exceeds the rocks’ tolerance, they suddenly break or slide, resulting in major earthquakes of magnitude 7 or greater.

• Shallow center risk: When the epicenter of an earthquake is at a shallow depth of 10 to 15 km below the ground, the dissipation of energy on the surface is very rapid, causing widespread tremors and increasing the number of aftershocks.

The tremors of this massive earthquake of 7.0 magnitude that occurred in Tibet were felt in the northeastern states of India, Arunachal Pradesh, areas bordering Ladakh and northern parts of Nepal. However, much of the energy remained concentrated on the Tibetan Plateau amid remote and shallow mountain ranges, with no major loss of life or property reported within the Indian border. Nevertheless, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and local administrations in the border areas have been put on full alert mode to monitor the situation of lakes or dams formed due to any landslide in the flow of cross-border rivers.

Local civil defense agencies have given strict instructions to people in earthquake affected areas not to return inside pucca and multi-storey buildings for now:

• Shelter in safe places: Citizens have been asked to remain in open fields, parks and wide roads until the frequency of aftershocks subsides completely.

• Keep electric and gas lines closed: After an earthquake, the risk of fire due to gas leakage or electrical short circuit is highest, hence instructions have been given to keep the main meter and LPG connections closed.

• Distance from hill slopes: Aftershocks can cause weak rocks to collapse at any time, so non-essential movement on highways and mountain roads has been completely banned.