Earthquake century may occur in Bangladesh, scientists warn – RIA Novosti

17:53 12.07.2016

(updated: 19:00 12.07.2016 )

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MOSCOW, July 12 – RIA Novosti . On the border between India, Bangladesh and Myanmar is very large zone of tectonic stress, the destruction of which would cause potentially the most powerful earthquake in the last century or even millennium, say seismologists in an article published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

“Bangladesh is overpopulated in all senses of the word. All of oil and gas rigs, heavy industry, power plants are located near potential epicenter of the earthquake, and they all will be destroyed at the first strong push. Dhaka, the capital of the country, will survive such a scale destruction and transformed into a hell, it is likely everything will be completely abandoned population, “- said Syed Akhter from Dhaka University.

Akhter and his colleagues found that the entire south Asia threatens a large-scale natural disaster, studying the displacement of the Earth’s rocks near the Himalayas, which is now facing three major tectonic plates – Sunda, Eurasian and Indo-Australian

. Using data from ground-based GPS sensors, satellite images and radar data from geodetic aircraft, seismologists have discovered that the Indo-Australian plate, contrary to the opinion of some geologists, sinks under the Eurasian plate on the east side at a speed of 30-40 millimeters per year, which is much higher than expected. This plate moves in the opposite direction: the Eurasian plate – in the south-west, and the Indo-Australian – the north-east.

This creates on the border of India, Bangladesh and Myanmar to the special zone of tectonic stress – before these areas are only on the ocean floor, which faced major lithospheric plates. Accumulation of potential energy in the fault as a result of Indian pressure plate below the Eurasian megazemletryaseniyu may result.

As a general rule, the longer the accumulated energy in such faults, the stronger the earthquake. In the case of the area found Akhter and his colleagues, this process lasted more than 400 years. It faces an earthquake of magnitude 8.2 or higher 9 points. In this plate, according to the calculations of scientists, can jump 5.5 meters.

The fault lines, according to scientists, pass through the Brahmaputra river valley and the Ganges in an area of ​​250 to 250 kilometers, are under threat from Dhaka and a number of major cities in Bangladesh and India, according to the calculations Akhter and his colleagues – . more than 140 million people

it is not clear when this will happen cataclysm – it can happen in the near future, and in 500 or even more years. Scientists plan to make an expedition to one of the tectonic faults and explore it using radar to give a more accurate prediction and assess risk to people in the region.