Monday, May 13, 2013

The Himalayas


In a collision boundary, two plates move toward each other, like in a subduction boundary. However, they are the same density, so neither can go on top of each other. They push together and eventually are pressed up at the seam into a mountain range. This can also cause earthquake activity, because of the pressure between the two plates. 

One example occurs in Nepal, in which the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate collide. They have formed a huge mountain range, the Himalayas, home to the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest. The last large earthquake was in 1934, rated 8.1, although a smaller one occurred only a couple years ago. Earthquakes are said to occur every 80 years, so one may come soon. 


I'm not the mountain-climbing type, so I chose to visit some small villages instead. It was a very different cultural experience. I have included the obligatory mountain photo, though, because this is the Himalayas. 




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