Everest may have shrunk due to quake: satellite data analysis

 Kathmandu: The devastating earthquake that has rocked Nepal not only killed thousands but may have also shrunk the height of the world’s tallest peak – Mount Everest – by about 2.5 cm, according to analysis of satellite data.

The first good view of the aftermath of Nepal’s deadly earthquake from a satellite showed that a broad swath of ground near Kathmandu lifted vertically, by about 1 metre, which could explain why damage in the city was so severe.

The data also indicated the tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest, got a wee bit shorter, Live Science reported.

The new information comes from Europe’s Sentinel-1A radar satellite.

Scientists are racing to interpret the Sentinel data, which were made available last week just hours after the satellite passed over Nepal.

The devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25 has claimed over 7,500 lives and injured another 16,390 people.

The Home Ministry said that a total of 2,79,234 houses have been completely damaged and 2,37,068 partially damaged due to the quake.

PTI