“The Earth’s surface comprises various plates that are constantly in motion. The Indian plate is moving about 5 cm every year, resulting in the accumulation of stress along the Himalayas and raising the possibility of a major earthquake,” National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) chief scientist Dr N Purnachandra Rao told ANI. “We have a strong network of 18 seismograph stations in Uttarakhand. The region, referred to as the seismic gap between Himachal and the western part of Nepal, including Uttarakhand, is prone to earthquakes that might occur any time,” he added.