Magnitude 8 Earthquake To Hit Nepal Again? Is This 'The Big One' Asian Countries Are Preparing For?

Ever since the Gorkha earthquake of 2015 saw the loss of 9,000 Nepalese lives and the destruction of 600,000 structures, other Asians countries have been prompted to prepare for "The Big One."

"The Big One" is predicted to be an earthquake of such great magnitude that it will cause all the fault lines along the Pacific Ring of Earth and Fire to move simultaneously. Now, a research claims that a magnitude 9 earthquake could soon hit Nepal again.

According to the research study published in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, headed by Steven Wesnousky of the University of Nevada-Reno, Nepal will soon be hit by a magnitude 8 or greater earthquake soon. By doing hands-on analysis on the Himalayan frontal fault near Kathmandu, the research team has concluded that a large section of the fault has accumulated 800 years' worth of pressure.

"The earthquake may begin to the west of Tribeni and propagate into the section of the fault beneath Kathmandu that did not rupture during the 2015 Gorkha earthquake," says Professor Wesnousky. This means that the earthquake this section of the fault will cause will have a magnitude of 8 or greater. It will also produce 15 to 30-foot high fractures on the Earth.

This is very alarming as Nepal has not yet recovered from the magnitude 7.9 earthquake that hit their country. A magnitude eight earthquake will be a hundred times more powerful than the one Nepal experienced in 2015.

Professor Steven Wesnousky hopes that with the result of their research, there can still be enough time to prepare for the upcoming earthquake. When this magnitude 8 or greater will occur, will it cause the other fault lines in Asia to move as well?

A so-called "The Big One" is said to devastate the Asian countries in the Pacific Ring of Earth and Fire where fault lines found in these Asian regions will move simultaneously. Asian countries like Japan, China and the Philippines are already experiencing frequent occurrences of earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 2 to 7.

Besides the loss of lives and destruction of properties, the earthquake that will soon hit Nepal and other Asian countries will sure change the surface of the Earth. And with such alarming prediction of the magnitude of the earthquake, are the preparations being done to lessen the devastation of the upcoming earthquake and its accompanying aftershocks be ever enough?