Top 10 Earthquake Zones of India

Earthquakes are not unheard of in India. Every year, different regions of the country is prone to facing jolts and tremors. The main reason of rising number of earthquakes in the country is the driving of the Indian plate into Asia, exposing the general population to natural disasters.

In India, the entire seismic zone is divided into 4 different zones according to the vulnerability of the region in experiencing earthquakes. The zones are zone 2, zone 3, zone 4, and zone 5. While zone 5 is most prone to earthquakes, zone 2 is the least prone.

List of Highest Earthquake Prone Areas in India

10. Patna, Bihar:

Although we have hardly heard of any kind of jolts that have been experienced in this city of India, scientists are of the belief that Patna is sitting on the lap of a quake prone region. Patna falls on zone 4 of seismic activity which means that the intensity of earthquakes in this region is somewhere in between medium to high. In the past there have been quite a few jolts that have caused harm to the lives and properties of the innocent masses. Some of the earthquakes in this region have also been of intensity above 5 on the richter scale.

9. Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala:

This city in the Southern state of Kerala is also prone to earthquakes. It has been pointed out a number of times that the state and the city lie in zone 3 of earthquakes which means that the risk of the city experiencing earthquakes is mild. After the realisation of the same, the government officials have started taking appropriate steps to stay prepared in case there is any tremor that might be experienced in the state and city. The officials participants in the Urban Earthquake Vulnerability Reduction Project aim to reduce the damage the loss of life and property caused owing to these earthquakes. Preparing and sharing knowledge related to the same to the general audience is one of the key ways in which the aim of the project is achieved.

8. Kolkata, West Bengal:

Another state in India that is prone to earthquakes is Kolkata and its adjoining cities. Experts are of the belief that Kolkata lies just above the fault line which at present is not so active. however, once it is active, the entire adjoining cities will be affected by earthquakes to a large extent. One of the major reasons for the series of earthquakes that were experienced in the neighbouring country of Nepal in 2015 was this fault line itself. Human activities is known to cause a lot of staring along this particular fault line, which is why there is a chance that the line will try to escape and finally a major tremor might be felt that would be capable enough of engulfing the entire city and its neighbouring cities.

7. Kochi, Kerala:

Kochi in Kerala is also prone to earthquakes, so much so that it gets the 7th spot on the list of top 10 Indian regions or cities that are prone to earthquakes. There has been a significant increase in the total seismic activity that this region has experienced in present times. The reason for the increase in earthquakes in this region has been noted to be the increase in the total change in the way the landscape was naturally built in Kerala. Due to change in the landscape, there has been a total change in various anthropogenic activities. All this has made the South Indian state all the more vulnerable to natural disasters than ever before. Dr. Rajendran, who is a renowned seismologist at the Indian institute of Science in Bangalore have noted that Kerala, particularly Kochi will soon experience earthquakes that the world has been so far witnessing in countries such as Indonesia.

6. Pune, Maharashtra:

What seems rather strange is the fact that even Pune in Maharashtra makes it to the list of top 10 cities that are prone to earthquakes. The reason why Pune makes this list is due to the fact that it lies close to the Koyna Dam, which has experienced a few tremors and jolts in the past. The region lies on zone 3 of the seismic activity and there are chances that the city will experience moderate to mild tremors of earthquakes. Some examples of earthquakes in the city includes the one that occurred early in 2018 and which measured 3.6 on the richter scale. Thus, there have been tremors in the past and experts have pointed out at the possibility of experiencing more tremors in the coming years.

5. Chennai, Tamil Nadu:

Another earthquake prone area of India that makes it to the list of top 10 regions of India that are prone to earthquakes is Chennai. The city now lies under the zone where high seismic activity is reported. This South Indian state is known to have experienced some kind of tremors that took place in the year of September 2001 and the intensity of the earthquake was really high. The reported earthquake had measured somewhere around 5.6 on the richter scale. Not only that, Tamil Nadu is known to be a place which is prone to experience other natural disorders as well, which includes the horrible tsunami that took the lives of so many innocent people while also causing so much of destruction to property and buildings. In 2012 too, the city witnessed a very high intensity earthquake.

4. Mumbai, Maharashtra:

Mumbai in the Western state of Maharashtra is another city that is long prone to earthquakes. Tsunami’s and similar disasters are very common in this city because of the coastal area in which Mumbai lies. Mumbai is known to lie in an earthquake zone which is moderately risky, however there have been several known human activities that has made Mumbai into a highly risky zone when it comes to experiencing earthquakes and other natural disasters. In fact, the local population is slowly realizing this and it is for this very reason that construction in the city is now being done keeping in mind the effect of the same on the seismic zone. In fact, as per a few research conducted by experts, it is now time that Mumbai should say goodbye to skyscrapers, adopt techniques in construction such that the building is protected from any kind of earthquakes, evacuate the places and buildings that lie very close to the quarries, and also take the advice of experts when it comes to the construction of a building particularly when it is a tall one.

3. Delhi:

Delhi lies in the seismic zone 4, which means that the possibility and the intensity of earthquake that shall affect this particular region will be moderately high. Time and again, we have heard the new of Delhi getting shaken by an earthquake or two and this shall continue in the near future too, claim various seismologists and experts on this subject matter. The Indian capital had experience as many as 5 earthquakes of quite high intensities. Within the National capital region, the areas that are most prone to high intensity earthquakes include the sides of the river Yamuna, the area surrounding the Chattarpur Basin, and the Ridge area.

2. Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir:

Coming under seismic zone 5, Srinagar is highly prone to high intensity earthquakes. The majority of the area which includes Ganderbal, Anantnag, Kupwara, Baramulla, Doda Bandipora, Budgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Ramban, amongst others, fall under zone 5. Other areas fall under zone 4. Srinagar is naturally subjected to earthquakes as it lies close to the Himalayas. In the himalayan region, the friction that happens between the Indian and the Eurasian plate often results in earthquakes.

1. Guwahati, Assam:

The North-Eastern state of India had long witnessed some of the major tremors that has ever hit the Indian subcontinent. The nature of seismic activity is really high in this area and that is why the state, particularly the city of Guwahati is known to lie on zone 5 of the seismic activity. Mild tremors are now an everyday thing for the citizens. The nearby areas also get adversely affected due to the major earthquakes that hit this particular city. Some of the major earthquakes that have hit this particular region includes the one with an intensity of 5.6 on the richter scale on 28th June, 2015 as well as the one which the city had experienced on 13th April 2016 which had an intensity of 6.8

Thus, the above are the top 10 earthquake prone areas of the country. You cannot avoid the occurrence of natural calamities, but you can certainly work towards dealing with those calamities in a better way and also minimize loss of precious lives and properties.