India Earthquake Resilience
Kartavya Desk Staff
Syllabus: Disaster Management
Source: TH
Context: A 4.4 magnitude earthquake in Delhi, exposed serious gaps in urban seismic resilience. With rising regional tremors, experts are calling for strict seismic code enforcement nationwide.
About India Earthquake Resilience:
What is Earthquake Resilience?
• Definition: Earthquake resilience refers to the ability of infrastructure, communities, and institutions to withstand and recover from seismic shocks with minimal damage and disruption.
• Global Context: Rising global seismic events—Myanmar (7.7), Tibet (5.7), Greece (6.2)—indicate tectonic unrest, underscoring the urgency for preparedness.
India’s Vulnerability to Earthquakes:
• 59% of India is earthquake-prone across Zones II–V (BIS classification).
• Seismic Zone V includes the Himalayan belt, NE states, Andaman & Nicobar Islands — highly vulnerable due to tectonic convergence (4–5 cm/year drift).
• Cities at Risk: Delhi (Zone IV, PGA 0.24g), Guwahati (Zone V, floodplain risk), Bhuj, Srinagar, and Gangtok face chronic seismic threats
Major Past Earthquakes in India:
• Kangra Earthquake, 1905: Magnitude 8.0, over 19,800 lives lost.
• Bhuj Earthquake, 2001: Magnitude 7.9, 12,932 deaths, 890 villages devastated.
• Nepal Quake, 2015: Magnitude 7.8, impacted Bihar, UP, and Delhi with widespread tremors.
• Delhi Earthquake, Feb 2025: Magnitude 4.0, 159 earthquakes recorded in just 4 months.
Present Vulnerabilities of India:
• Outdated Infrastructure: Over 80% of Delhi’s buildings, especially pre-2000 constructions, do not meet seismic safety standards (IS 1893:2016), posing serious collapse risks during tremors.
• Urban Liquefaction Zones: Cities like East Delhi, Guwahati, and Gangtok are built on soft, water-saturated soils, increasing the risk of soil liquefaction and building failure during earthquakes.
• Overcrowded Urban Centres: Delhi’s population of 33.5 million and 5,000+ high-rises intensify the threat of mass casualties in case of a high-magnitude quake.
• Enforcement Gaps: Weak implementation of seismic codes, lack of retrofitting enforcement, and poor citizen awareness continue to expose cities to preventable disasters.
Key Government Initiatives for Seismic Safety:
• NDMA & Disaster Management Act (2005): Established NDMA, NDRF, and SDMAs to institutionalize disaster risk reduction and response planning at national and state levels.
• Increased Seismic Observatories: India expanded its monitoring capacity from 80 stations in 2014 to 168 in 2025, enhancing early detection and seismic data coverage.
• BhooKamp App: Launched by NCS, this mobile app provides real-time earthquake alerts to citizens, improving public preparedness and rapid response.
• Earthquake Risk Indexing (EDRI): Risk profiling of 50 cities has been completed; an additional 16 cities are being added to guide urban planning and retrofitting priorities.
• Simplified Building Codes (2021): The updated codes reduce technical complexity, enabling better compliance and safer construction practices, especially in small towns.
• Retrofitting Guidelines: Government promotes structural retrofits like shear walls, ductile reinforcements, and jacketing for ageing, non-compliant buildings.
• Himalayan EEW Systems: Early warning systems are being piloted in Seismic Zone V areas to issue seconds-early alerts that can save lives during strong quakes.
Way Ahead:
• Strict Enforcement of BIS Codes: Cities must ensure compliance with seismic standards like IS 1893 and IS 4326 to minimize structural failures during quakes.
• Retrofitting Mission: Launch a nation-wide audit and retrofitting of vulnerable schools, hospitals, and government buildings using modern techniques.
• Urban Planning Reform: Ban construction on high-risk liquefaction zones and mandate base-isolated foundations in critical infrastructure.
• Annual Budgetary Allocation: Experts recommend earmarking ₹50,000 crore per year to fund retrofitting, seismic audits, and risk reduction projects.
• Public Awareness Drives: Nationwide drills, school awareness programs, and promotion of household earthquake kits are vital to building citizen readiness.
Conclusion:
India’s seismic vulnerability is rising, with urban expansion colliding with tectonic instability. Strengthening infrastructure, enforcing seismic codes, and educating citizens must become national priorities. Earthquake resilience is not a luxury—it’s a survival imperative.