Which of the following seas was present in place of the Himalayas before the tectonic shift?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 1 i.e. Tethys Sea.
Before the immense tectonic forces began shaping the Himalayas, the region was occupied by the Tethys Sea, also known as the Neo-Tethys Ocean.
This ancient ocean separated the supercontinents of Laurasia (to the north, containing Eurasia) and Gondwana (to the south, which included the Indian subcontinent). As the Indian Plate drifted northward and eventually collided with the Eurasian Plate, the Tethys Sea gradually closed, and the marine sediments accumulated on its floor were compressed, folded, and uplifted to form the majestic Himalayan mountain range we see today.