Shallow seismic activity triggers alerts across mountainous Tibetan plateau regions
Tibet experienced a series of tremors this Thursday, with the National Center for Seismology (NCS) recording a magnitude 4.1 earthquake in Tibet. This seismic event occurred at 1:07 PM IST, originating at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers. Because the energy was released so close to the surface, the region remains susceptible to aftershocks, keeping local authorities on high alert.
This was not the only activity recorded during the day. Just an hour earlier, at 12:04 PM, a smaller 3.5 magnitude tremor shook the same region at a similar depth. These back-to-back incidents highlight the volatile nature of the Tibetan Plateau, an area known for frequent geological shifts.
Geologically, this region is a primary hotspot for seismic energy. The Himalayan landscape exists because the Indian tectonic plate is constantly pushing northward into the Eurasian plate. This massive collision causes the Earth's crust to thicken and rise, forming the high peaks we see today. However, this movement also creates immense pressure along complex fault lines. In southern Tibet, this pressure often manifests as rifts that began forming millions of years ago, while the northern sections are dominated by strike-slip faulting.
Experts note that shallow earthquakes, like the ones witnessed today, pose a significantly higher risk to infrastructure than deeper ones. Unlike deep-seated quakes where seismic waves lose energy while traveling long distances to the surface, shallow quakes deliver intense ground shaking directly to buildings and roads.
Historical data confirms that the Tibetan Plateau has been under geological extension for at least 4 to 8 million years. While strike-slip faults in the area can produce massive magnitude 8.0 quakes, the normal faulting currently observed typically results in moderate but frequent tremors. Today's events serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing tectonic forces shaping the roof of the world.
