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Himalayas Drop in Height From Earthquake

The May 12 earthquake in Nepal not only shook the ground, but it moved the surrounding mountains.

The Himalayas sank three feet and in many areas up to five feet, but geologists say the mountains will return to their pre-quake height.

The European Space Agency captured before and after images of the area hit by the earthquake.

This image shows how the Eurasian plate bent, the land falling in some places (yellow) and rising in others (blue). Everest sank about an inch.

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Photo European Space Agency

“Between earthquake events, Nepal is being squashed and the part (including Kathmandu) nearest the big fault underneath it is being dragged down by the Indian plate, and [areas] further back are being lifted up as you imagine squashing something is going to push things up,” said Tim Wright, professor of satellite geodesy at the University of Leeds.

BBC Story on Himalayas “Shrinking”

“Now, during the earthquake itself what happens is the opposite. The part that was dragged down because it was stuck at the fault – that slips freely and rebounds up, and the part that was being squashed upwards drops down.”

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