Some peaks on the world’s tallest mountain range may have gotten a little shorter following Saturday’s magnitude-7.8 earthquake in Nepal.
Precise figures aren’t available yet, but the dip in the Himalayas mountain range probably measured about 1.3 feet at points north of the epicenter near Kathmandu, according to University of Colorado professor and South Asian earthquake expert Roger Bilham.
It’s not clear what effect the quake had on Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak and where the earthquake caused an avalanche that killed at least 18 people. Any impact would be minuscule considering its size: China and Nepal, whose border touches the mountain, both say Everest measures 29,029 feet. Without the earthquake the Himalayas typically grow naturally from the movement of tectonic plates, though at a rate of less than 1 inch each year, according to the United States Geological Society.
On the fault line, the Nepal earthquake caused the ground to shift by about 10 feet, according to Bilham.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Eyewitness Accounts From the Trump Rally Shooting
- From 2022: How the Threat of Political Violence Is Transforming America
- ‘We’re Living in a Nightmare:’ Inside the Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Stop Feeling Bad About Sweating
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Write to Justin Worland at justin.worland@time.com