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Chapter 7
Ananta MS Pradhan
Introduction
The Indian Plate was moving
gradually towards the Tibetan Plate.
About 40 myrs ago, the Indian
subcontinent came into contact with
the Tibetan Plate and the Tethys sea
retreated gradually.
Indian Plate
Terai Zone
Terai zone is the northern continuation of
the Gangatic plains of India.
It extends the Indo-Nepal boarder in the
south to the base of Churia hills in the
north.
Geologically this zone is composed of
recent alluvium deposits.
The alluvial sediments contain mainly
boulder, gravel, silt and clay
This zone is separated from Siwaliks in
north by Main Frontal Thrust (MFT).
MFT
Wide crush
zone
Active fault
Landslideprone area
Kapurkot Thrust
Glacier lakes
Glacier lakes
outburst flood
hazards
Undulated terrain
Characteristics of
Tethys Zone
a.
b.
c.
d.
SN
Geomorphic Unit
Width
(km)
Terai (Northern
edge of the
Gangetic Plain)
20-50
100-200
River deposition,
erosion and tectonic
upliftment
Churia Range
(Siwaliks)
10-50
200-1300 Sandstone,
Tectonic upliftment,
mudstone, shale and erosion, and slope
conglomerate.
failure
Dun Valleys
5-30
200-300
Alluvium: coarse
gravels in the north
near the foot of the
mountains,
gradually becoming
finer southward
SN
Geomorphic Unit
Width
(km)
Mahabharat
Range
10-35
10003000
Tectonic upliftment,
Weathering, erosion,
and slope failure
Midlands
40-60
3002000
Fore Himalaya
20-70
20005000
Schist, phyllite,
gneiss, quartzite,
granite and limestone
belonging to the
Lesser Himalayan
Zone
Schist, phyllite,
gneiss, quartzite,
granite, limestone
geologically
belonging to the
Lesser Himalayan
Zone
Gneisses, schists,
phyllites and marbles
mostly belonging to
the northern edge of
the Lesser Himalayan
Zone
Tectonic upliftment,
Weathering, erosion,
and slope failure
Tectonic upliftment,
Weathering, erosion,
and slope failure
SN
Geomorphic Unit
Width
(km)
Higher Himalaya
10-60
>5000
Tectonic upliftment,
Weathering, erosion
(rivers and glaciers),
and slope failure
5-50
25004500
Gneisses, schists,
migmatites and
marbles belonging to
the Higher Himalayan
Zone
Gneisses, schists
and marbles of the
Higher Himalayan
Zone and Tethyan
sediments
(limestones, shale,
sandstone etc.)
belonging to the
Tibetan-Tethys Zone
Tectonic
upliftment, wind and
glacial erosion, and
slope degradation by
rock disintegrations