Indian Continental Plate is Splitting Apart

Context: According to a recent discovery, the Indian Plate is splitting into two, with a portion of it sinking into the mantle.

Indian Continental Plate and Himalayan Formation

• The Indian Plate has been colliding with the Eurasian Plate for the last ~60 million years.
• This ongoing collision is the primary cause of the uplift of the Himalayas and the formation of the Tibetan Plateau.
• Traditionally, tectonic plates were thought to be rigid, but this view is now being challenged.

Delamination of the Indian Plate

• Delamination refers to a vertical tearing and peeling away of the dense lower layer of a tectonic plate.
• The lower part detaches and sinks into the Earth’s mantle, while the upper part may remain in place or move differently.
• Scientists discovered that a portion of the Indian Plate is undergoing delamination.
• This means the plate is splitting into two, and one part is sinking into the mantle.
• Delamination increases earthquake risks by changing how stress builds up in the Earth’s crust.

Areas at Risk

• Tibetan Plateau – already prone to earthquakes.
• Cona-Sangri Rift – a deep geological fracture possibly caused by this ongoing tear, may become a new seismic hotspot.

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