Earthquake and Zones of India

What is an Earthquake?

A fault slips suddenly, resulting in an earthquake. Although the tectonic plates are constantly moving slowly, friction causes them to become impermeable at their borders.

An earthquake occurs when the stress on the edge exceeds the friction, releasing energy in waves that flow through the earth's crust and produce the shaking we experience.

Earthquake zones of India:

Disastrous earthquakes have periodically occurred on the Indian subcontinent.

The Indian plate is moving into Asia at a pace of about 47 mm/year, which is the chief reason of the earthquakes high frequency and severity.

Nearly 58% of the area in India is earthquake-prone, according to geographic statistics.

According to a World Bank and United Nations research, by 2050 there could be 200 million city inhabitants in India who will be at risk of earthquakes and storms.  

The earthquake - proof includes most recent publication of the earthquake zones map of India, which allocates four levels of seismicity for India in terms of zone factors.

In contrast to its earlier form, which had five or six seismic zones for the nation, the earthquake zoning map of India splits the country into four seismic zones (Zone 2, 3, 4 and 5).

The current zoning map predicts that Zone 5 will experience the highest degree of seismicity, whilst Zone 2 will experience the lowest amount of seismicity.

Zones:

Zone 2 (Low Damage Risk Zone) - Bhopal, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Lakshadweep

Zone 3 (Moderate Damage Risk Zone) - Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar

Zone 4 (High Damage Risk Zone) - Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim

Zone 5 (Very High Damage Risk Zone) - Kashmir, Western and Central Himalayas, North and Middle Bihar, North-East Indian region, Rann of Kutch, Andaman and Nicobar

Is it possible to prevent an earthquake?

There are various areas in the India and many other nations across the world where earthquakes caused by human activity have been reported.

A variety of factors, such as the filling of reservoirs, surface and underground mining, the removal of fluids and gas from the subsurface, and the injection of fluids into underground formations, can trigger earthquakes.

Larger, potentially dangerous man-made earthquakes have happened in the past, despite the fact that the majority of induced earthquakes are tiny and pose minimal risk.

By reducing or, in some situations, terminating the activity that is causing the earthquakes to occur, the risk posed by man-made earthquakes can be reduced.

For an instance, after injection was discontinued, earthquakes related to the disposal of wastewater in deep wells ceased.

Even we cannot stop natural earthquakes from happening, we can greatly reduce their consequences by identifying risks, constructing safer structures, and disseminating information on earthquake safety.

We can lessen the risk of earthquakes caused by humans by being prepared for natural quakes.

Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety

Understanding how to act and being prepared are key for earthquake safety.

Your family's survival depends on you practicing earthquake safety at home and assembling a disaster supply kit before the next earthquake.

Prepare emergency supplies, and secure your home to resist earthquake damage.

Follow these suggestions to get ready for an earthquake.

Step 1: Protect Your Space

• By identifying risks and securing mobile devices, secure your space.

Step 2: Make a safety plan

• Create an emergency plan and decide how you'll communicate in an incident to be safe.

Step 3: Arrange emergency supplies

• Prepare emergency supplies in accessible areas.

Step 4: Reduce Financial Difficulties

• Prepare crucial documents, fortify your property, and think about insurance to reduce financial hardship.

Step 5: Drop, Protect, and Stay On

• When the earth began to shake, drop, cover, and hold on.

Step 6: Increase Safety

• By treating the injured, stopping further damage, and evacuating if necessary, you may increase safety following earthquakes.

Step 7: Reconnect and Recover

• Rebuild community, repair damage, and reconnect with others to restore daily life.