The 2021 Assam earthquake struck 11 km (7 miles) away from Dhekiajuli, Assam, India at 07:51 (IST) on April 28, 2021 with a richter scale magnitude of 6.4.[1] The quake struck at a depth of 34 km (21 miles), 140 km (86 miles) north of the main city of Guwahati. It resulted in two fatalities and at least 12 injuries.
Tectonic setting
The tectonics of the Assam region is dominated by convergence of the India, Burma and Eurasian plates. Major fault structures like the Main Frontal Thrust, Main Boundary Thrust and Main Central Thrust, all splay branches of the Main Himalayan Thrust, accommodate the shortening rate as India is pushing into Asia. The large 8.6 Template:M Assam–Tibet earthquake in 1950 was a megathrust earthquake that resulted from a rupture along the Main Himalayan Thrust and Main Frontal Thrust.
Earthquake
.jpg){kind=link}
The earthquake occurred as a result of oblique-slip faulting at a shallow depth just at the foothills of the Himalayas.[2][3] Analysis by India's National Centre for Seismology revealed that the earthquake involved slip along the Kopili Fault, near the Main Frontal Thrust.[4] This is a northeast striking fault structure that runs from east of the Shillong Plateau, through the Assam Valley and into Bhutan for a total estimated length of 300 km, and a width of 30 km.[5] Its predominant slip sense is right-lateral strike-slip.[6]
The same fault is believed to have caused the an Template:M 6.1 earthquake in Bhutan in 2009, killing 11 and injuring dozens.[7] Two other Template:M 7.0+ earthquakes rocked the Assam Valley in 1869 and 1943, is believed to have been on this fault, as well as the deadly 2016 Imphal earthquake.[5]
Impact
The earthquake caused moderate but widespread damage to nearby buildings, but no collapses were reported.[8] Among the buildings affected was a multi-story structure in Nagaon which tilted to its side and leaned against an adjacent building. Cracks also appeared in the walls of homes and commercial buildings. A few vehicles were damaged when bricks fell on them.[9] Landslides and liquefaction of the ground were reported in Assam.[10] Damage to buildings were also reported in nearby Bhutan, and two individuals were injured.[11] Two people in the Kamrup Metro and Nagaon districts died of heart attacks caused by the earthquake while 12 others suffered injuries.[12][13]
See also
References
- ↑ Northeast India hit by magnitude 6.4 earthquake. The Independent(2021-04-28). Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ↑ Assam Earthquake: 6.4 magnitude quake, 7 aftershocks jolt Northeast, tremors felt in Bengal. India Today. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- ↑ Official Website of National Center of Seismology. seismo.gov.in. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
- ↑ Assam earthquake: Known to cause deadly tremors, Kopili fault eludes experts(29 April 2021). Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The 2009 Bhutan and Assam felt earthquakes (Mw 6.3 and 5.1) at the Kopili fault in the northeast Himalaya region. Geomatics, Natural Hazards and Risk({Template:Date).
- ↑ Strong earthquake jolts Assam. Temblor. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ↑ M 6.1 - Bhutan. earthquake.usgs.gov. USGS. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ↑ Quake of magnitude 6 strikes India's Assam, damages some buildings. Reuters(2021-04-28). Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ↑ From damage caused to relief operations, Assam earthquake explained in 10 points(29 April 2021). Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ↑ Cracked roads, tilted buildings: Assam earthquake captured in scary photos, videos(28 April 2021). Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ↑ Earthquake causes structural damage. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ↑ Assam earthquake: At least 10 injured, houses damaged(29 April 2021). Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ↑ Two die of shock after 6.4 magnitude quake in Assam(28 April 2021). Retrieved 15 May 2021.
Template:Earthquakes in 2021 Template:Earthquakes in India Template:Himalayan earthquakes