What?

An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale.

When?

Friday 26th January 2001 at 08:46 local time.

Where?

The earthquake occurred in north-western India. The epicentre was close to the small desert town of Bhuj in the north-western state of Gujarat.

Why?

India lies on a collision margin. The Indo-Australian and the Eurasian Plate collide into each other at the rate of around 2cm per year. As neither can subduct (both plates are continental) the land where the two plate meet is forced upwards. Over the last 60 million years this process has formed The Himalayas

As the two continental plates move towards each other pressure builds up. Eventually this pressure is released. This caused the earthquake in India