Lok Sabha Question No. 4277 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-21
Subject: Earthquake Prediction
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: KIRTI (JHA) AZAD, SADASHIV KISAN LOKHANDE, RITI PATHAK, SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNPURIA

- (a)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4277

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 2018

## EARTHQUAKE PREDICTION

## 4277.  SHRI KIRTI AZAD:

SHRI SADASHIV LOKHANDE: SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK:

SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- whether the frequency of earthquakes has increased in the country;
- (b) if so, the locations in the country which have experienced earthquakes along with the intensity of the earthquake during the last one year;
- (c) whether any system/technology is available to predict earthquake and tsunami in the country or in global market;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and whether the Government has initiated or proposes to initiate any research on earthquake prediction either by ISRO or  any  other  organization  indigenously  or  in  collaboration  with any global organisation; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof along with the funds allocated for the purpose and if not, the steps proposed to be taken to pre-empt the calamities enforced by the earthquake and tsunami?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

## AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a)-(b) National Centre for Seismology (NCS) of Ministry monitors earthquakes in the country. Based on the earthquake data collected by NCS, there is no apparent increase in the frequency of earthquakes in the country.
- (c) To date, there is no proven scientific technique available, anywhere in the world, to predict the occurrence of earthquakes with reasonable degree  of  accuracy  with  regard  to  space,  time  and  magnitude. However, National Centre for Seismology (NCS), maintains a country wide national seismological network, to detect and locate earthquakes  occurring  in  and  around  the  country.  The  network consists  of  state-of-art  digital  broadband  seismographs,  VSAT  based communication systems and latest tools for dissemination of earthquake   information   to   the   concerned   disaster   management

authorities  and  other  user  agencies  in  least  possible  time.  The network  also  includes  a  17-station  real  time  seismic  monitoring system to monitor and report large magnitude earthquakes capable of generating tsunamis on the Indian coastal regions.

The  Indian  Tsunami  Early  Warning  Centre  (ITEWC)  established  at Indian  National  Centre  for  Ocean  Information  Sciences  (INCOIS), Hyderabad is capable of detecting tsunamigenic earthquakes occurring in the Indian Ocean as well as in the Global Oceans within 10 minutes of the occurrence of the earthquake and disseminates the advisories to the concerned authorities through email, fax, SMS, GTS and website.

- (d) Indian  Tsunami Early Warning System comprises a real-time seismic monitoring network of 17 broadband seismic stations established by Indian Meteorological Department to detect tsunamigenic earthquakes.  In  addition  to  that,  INCOIS  is  also  receiving  data  from around 90 national seismic stations which are established by various national local/regional centres. INCOIS and National Institute of Ocean Technology  (NIOT)  have  installed  5  Tsunami  Buoys  in  the  Bay  of Bengal and the 2 Tsunami Buoys in the Arabian Sea. To monitor the progress of tsunami waves, INCOIS has installed 35 tide gauges along the Indian coast and Islands.Real time data from above observational networks transmitting through satellite  communication to ITEWC for processing and interpretation with necessary redundancy in transmission.  In  addition,  INCOIS  also  takes  the  help  of  numerical model  to  assess  the  tsunami  potential  at  different  locations  on  the coast. The centre is operational round the clock on all days. ITEWC is also receiving data in real time from 350 seismic stations, 50 tsunami buoys  and  300  tide  gauges  established  in  the  Indian  as  well  as  the other oceans by other countries and international agencies. A robust communication  system also has been employed for the timely reception of data and for the timely dissemination of advisories.

ITEWC  is  considered  as  one  of  the  most  modern  tsunami  warning centre in the world. Considering the performance of ITEWC, in October 2012, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO has designated ITEWC as the Tsunami Service Provider (TSP) for the entire  Indian  Ocean  Region.  Since  then,  ITEWC  is  providing  tsunami advisories and related services to all countries on the Indian Ocean rim (25) countries.

- (e) Total Rs.125 Crore was sanctioned in 2005 by the Govt. of India for the establishment  of  National  Early  Warning  System  for  Tsunami  and Storm Surges.

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