Discovered in the Ganges Delta, an Ancient Earthquake Offers a Future Warning
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Finding of an Extended-Lost Seismic Event
An expedition conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Chamberlain, an assistant professor of geochronology at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, visited the Ganges delta in Bangladesh in 2018. Their objective was to investigate an old riverbed, referred to as a "paleochannel," located roughly 45 kilometers south of the present-day Ganges in order to learn more about the historical movements of the river. It turned out that this area, which is being cultivated for rice, contained hints of a major and long-forgotten earthquake event.
The Significance of Sand Dikes and Earthquake Data
A kilometer east of the team's discovery of the paleochannel were two sizable sand dikes. The first hard proof that an earthquake had significantly changed the Ganga's path more than 2,500 years ago came from these formations, which are produced when sediments on a riverbank liquefy and move. Dr. Chamberlain said, "We had a feeling we were looking at a big event—the type that is rarely recorded and studied by scientists."
How Rivers Are Moved by Earthquakes
The group used a method called optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating to validate their results.The dates of the sand dikes' and the paleochannel's creation were determined by examining the amount of natural radiation present in mineral grains. The results showed that the earthquake and the river's avulsion, or sudden change in course, occurred at the same moment, providing strong evidence of the earthquake's role in the Ganga's path shift.
Speculating About the Cause of the Earthquake
Even though the effects of the earthquake are amply demonstrated, one important question is still unanswered: where did the earthquake originate? The experts believe it may have started in the hills of Shillong or the Indo-Burma mountain ranges, which both lie on the border between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. For whatever reason, the earthquake changed the path of one of the most important rivers in the world as well as the landscape.
Potential Risks: The Importance of Being Ready
The study's conclusions, which were released in June 2024 in Nature Communications, will have a big impact on how people are ready for disasters in the future. A University of California, Santa Barbara associate professor of sedimentology, Vamsi Ganti, observes that "this finding implies that the effects of big earthquakes may be even more catastrophic than previously believed."Large river avalanches could result from strong earthquakes.
With an estimated population of 630 million, the Ganges-Meghna-Brahmaputra delta is especially susceptible to these kinds of disasters. Avalanches have been responsible for some of the deadliest floods in recorded history, and they can trigger devastating avalanche cascades in the case of an earthquake.Human activities like building embankments and raising sea levels, together with climate change, make the region more vulnerable to natural disasters.
Call for Collaborative Research and Preparedness
Dr. Till Hanebuth, a marine geosciences professor at Coastal Carolina University, emphasized the importance of this discovery. He pushed for increased efforts to forecast large earthquakes that could produce river avalanches and stressed the importance of decision-makers and the general public being aware of the risks. He cautioned that "climatic and geological issues of such magnitude do not care about political borders" and urged close cooperation in monitoring, research, and disaster planning among Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, preserve the future by drawing lessons from the past.
It is believed that by learning more about the past of earthquake-induced river avalanches, scientists may be able to stop more fatalities. The historic earthquake that changed the Ganga's path in one of the world's most populous areas is a sobering reminder of the unseen forces that mold our environment and the value of being ready for anything unexpected.
India Alliance protest against GST in brief
India Alliance parties protest against GST Life and Health Insurance Demonstration at Makar Dwar of Parliament in protest against 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on premiums. He described this tax as a huge burden on the middle class and termed it "tax terrorism".
Why is this in the news?
India alliance parties protest against implementation of 18% GST on life and health insurance premiums K.T. They claim that it puts more burden on the middle class and this step reflects the government's irrational thinking.
Key Points: Rahul Gandhi claims Modi govt has reduced general health insurance premiums โน24,000 crore has been collected from the people.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor termed GST on health insurance as illegitimate because the people of India Already spend the most on health issues.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also discussed this issue.
Background: There have been many controversies regarding GST in the last few years. The issue of implementing GST on health and life insurance has already come up for discussion. Many officials and leaders have expressed their displeasure on this issue.
Result: The government should understand how important health and life insurance is to the common people and There is a need to remove the GST.
Government should amend policies to increase access to health and life insurance in India So that it can be accessible to all sections of people.
The government needs to help people by subsidizing health and life insurance and making it GST free. A plan should be made.
Keeping in mind the interest of the common people, tax exemption on health insurance should be given, so that their There should not be too much burden on him.
