The calculated
epicenter of the earthquake lies within the zone of
thrusts along the front of the Himalayas formed by the continuing collision of the
Indian plate into the
Eurasian plate.[10] Underthrusting of the Indian subcontinent beneath Tibet along a 2,500 km long convergent boundary known as the
Main Himalayan Thrust has resulted in the uplifting of the overriding Eurasian Plate thus, creating the long mountain range parallel to the convergent zone.[11]
Earthquake characteristics
The magnitude 7.8–7.9 earthquake struck the western Himalaya in the state of Himachal Pradesh at an estimated depth of 6 km along a very shallow dipping thrust fault, likely on the
Main Himalayan Thrust detachment. The rupture area is calculated at 280 km × 80 km.[12] The rupture did not reach the surface, therefore, is considered a
blind thrust earthquake.[12] A more recent study in 2005 estimated the rupture zone at 110 km × 55 km while still not breaking the surface.[13]
Damage
The earthquake reached its peak
Rossi–Forel intensity of X in
Kangra. About 150 km away from this zone to the southeast, an area of increased intensity reaching VIII was recorded. This unusually high intensity away from the earthquake in the Indo-Gangetic Plain included the cities
Dehradun and
Saharanpur. It was felt VII in towns like
Kasauli,
Bilaspur,
Chamba, and
Lahore.[14]
As many as 100,000 buildings were reported to have been demolished by the earthquake. At least 20,000 people are estimated to have been killed and 53,000 domestic animals were also lost. There was also major damage to the network of hillside
aqueducts that fed water to the affected area. The total cost of recovering from the effects of the earthquake was calculated at 2.9 million (1905) rupees.[1]
^
abUtsu, T. R. (2002), "A List of Deadly Earthquakes in the World: 1500–2000", International Handbook of Earthquake & Engineering Seismology, Part A, Volume 81A (First ed.),
Academic Press, p. 702,
ISBN978-0124406520
^Bilham R, Wallace K (2005). "Future Mw 8 earthquake in Himalaya: Implication for the 26 December, 2004 M = 9 earthquake on eastern margin". Geological Survey India. 85: 1–14.
Hough, S. E.; Bilham, R.;
Ambraseys, N.; Feldl, N. (2005), "Revisiting the 1897 Shillong and 1905 Kangra earthquakes in northern India: Site response, Moho reflections and a triggered earthquake", Current Science, 88 (10): 1632–1638,
JSTOR24110489
Srivastava, H. N., Mithila Verma, and B. K. Bansal. "Seismological Constraints for the 1905 Kangra Earthquake and Associated Hazard in Northwest India." Current Science 99, no. 11 (2010): 1549–559.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/24069452.