Lok Sabha Question No. 2841 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Earthquake Early Warning System
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Gopal Chinayya Shetty, D.K. Suresh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2841

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY,12 MARCH,2021

## EARTHQUAKE EARLY WARNING SYSTEM

## 2841. SHRI. GOPAL CHINNAYA SHETTY SHRI. D.K. SURESH

## Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:-

- (a)     whether 54 percent geographical area of India is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)      whether the Government has maintained any data of Indian cities which are in the highly vulnerable zone and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (c)      the  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  create  awareness  about  earthquakeresistant buildings in such cities;
- (d)    whether the country's earthquake early warning system is able to predict earthquakes of any   intensity;
- (e)     if so, the extent to which an earthquake can be accurately predicted; and
- (f)      if not the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) Yes Sir, Considering the recorded history of earthquakes in the country, a total of ~59% of the land mass of India is prone to earthquakes of different intensities. As per the seismic zoning map of the country, the total area is classified into four seismic zones. Zone V is seismically the most active region, while zone II is the least. Approximately, ~ 11% area falls in zone V, ~18% in zone IV, ~ 30% in zone III and remaining in zone II.
- (b) The cities of the country falling under very high-risk zone V/highly vulnerable zone, state/UT wise, are given below:

State:

Cities

Andaman and Nicobar Island : All cities

Bihar: Araria,  Sitamarhi,  Darbhanga,  Madhubani,  Motihari,  Saharsa,  Kishanganj, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul

Gujarat:

Bhuj

Himachal Pradesh:

Hamirpur, Dharamsala, Chamba, Mandi, Kullu

Jammu Kashmir:

Srinagar

NE states: All  cities  of  Tripura,  Arunachal  Pradesh,  Assam,  Meghalaya,  Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland

Uttarakhand:

Pithoragarh, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Bageswar, Almora

West Bengal: Cooch Behar

- (c).     NDMA has been conducting regular awareness campaigns every year through print, electronic      as  well  as  social  media  from  time  to  time,  on  earthquakes  that  include precautions for building safety from earthquakes. Also, Guidelines have been published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Building Materials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) and Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) etc. for design and construction of earthquake resistant structures to minimize the loss of life  and  damage  to  property  caused  by  earthquakes.  These  guidelines  are  in  wide circulation amongst the public and the administrative authorities responsible for the design and construction of earthquake resistant structures in earthquake prone areas.
- (d), (e) and (f)

Presently,  no  proven  system  exists  in  the  country  to  provide  the  early  warning  of earthquakes. Moreover, there is no scientific technique available anywhere in the world to predict an earthquake precisely in terms of time, location and its magnitude.

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