Lok Sabha Question No. 123 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-07
Subject: Mapping of the Seismic Zones
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: Chandeshwar Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 123 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 7 TH  DECEMBER, 2022

## MAPPING OF THE SEISMIC ZONES

## † 123.   SHRI CHANDESHWAR PRASAD:

Will the Minister of EARTH SCIENCES be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  classifications/mapping  of  the  seismic  zones/earthquake  prone  areas, particularly  in  the  Jehanabad  and  Arwal  district  in  Bihar  during  the  last  two  years,  districtwise; and
- (b) the details of the steps taken for spreading awareness about earthquake resistant buildings in Bihar?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) As per the seismic zoning  map of India, prepared by Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the total  area  of  Bihar  State  falls  under  three  zones,  i.e.  zone  V,  IV  and  III.  The  corresponding description  of  these  zones  with  respect  to  intensity  (Modified  Mercalli  scale)  is  given  as below:

Zone V

Very high-risk zone (Intensity IX or above)

Zone IV

High risk zone (Intensity VIII)

Zone III

Moderate risk zone (Intensity VII)

District  wise  detail  of  seismic  zoning  of  Bihar  State  is  provided  in  the  following  table. Jehanabad district lies in the zone III and IV, while Arwal in zone III.

|   S.No. | City       | Seismic Zone   |
|---------|------------|----------------|
|       1 | Araria     | IV and V       |
|       2 | Arwal      | III            |
|       3 | Aurangabad | III            |
|       4 | Banka      | III and IV     |
|       5 | Begusarai  | IV             |
|       6 | Bhagalpur  | IV             |
|       7 | Bhojpur    | III and IV     |
|       8 | Buxar      | III            |
|       9 | Darbhanga  | IV and V       |

|   10 | East Champaran (Motihari)   | IV and V   |
|------|-----------------------------|------------|
|   11 | Gaya                        | III        |
|   12 | Gopalganj                   | IV         |
|   13 | Jamui                       | III and IV |
|   14 | Jehanabad                   | III and IV |
|   15 | Kaimur (Bhabua)             | III        |
|   16 | Katihar                     | IV         |
|   17 | Khagaria                    | IV         |
|   18 | Kishanganj                  | IV and V   |
|   19 | Lakhisarai                  | IV         |
|   20 | Madhepura                   | IV and V   |
|   21 | Madhubani                   | V          |
|   22 | Munger (Monghyr)            | IV         |
|   23 | Muzaffarpur                 | IV         |
|   24 | Nalanda                     | III and IV |
|   25 | Nawada                      | III and IV |
|   26 | Patna                       | III and IV |
|   27 | Purnia (Purnea)             | IV         |
|   28 | Rohtas                      | III        |
|   29 | Saharsa                     | IV and V   |
|   30 | Samastipur                  | IV         |
|   31 | Saran                       | IV         |
|   32 | Sheikhpura                  | IV         |
|   33 | Sheohar                     | IV and V   |
|   34 | Sitamarhi                   | IV and V   |
|   35 | Siwan                       | III and IV |
|   36 | Supaul                      | V          |
|   37 | Vaishali                    | IV         |
|   38 | West Champaran              | IV         |

Three  earthquakes  have  been  reported  by  National  Centre  of  Seismology,  Ministry  of  Earth Sciences within the territory of Bihar during 01-12-2020 to 30-11-2022 (in last two years) as mentioned in table below, however Bihar state is also affected by the earthquakes occurring in the  adjacent  central  Himalayan  region  associated  with  Nepal  and  Bihar-India  Border  areas from  time  to  time.  Details  of  earthquakes  reported  in  and  around  the  country  by  National Centre of Seismology, Ministry of Earth Sciences is available on the website (seismo.gov.in).

| Origin Time         |   Latitude ( 0 N) |   Longitude ( 0 E) |   Magnitude |   Depth (km) | Region        |
|---------------------|-------------------|--------------------|-------------|--------------|---------------|
| 2022-06-22 18:41:59 |             26.2  |              87.38 |         3.8 |           29 | Araria, Bihar |
| 2022-03-15 00:32:07 |             25.38 |              85.78 |         3.2 |           10 | Patna, Bihar  |
| 2021-02-15 21:23:47 |             25.41 |              85.35 |         3.5 |            5 | Patna, Bihar  |

- (b) NDMA conducts regular awareness campaigns every year through print, electronic as well as social  media  from  time  to time, on  earthquakes  that  includes  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  through  the  administrative authorities  responsible  for  the  design  and  construction  of  earthquake  resistant  structures  in earthquake prone areas. National Centre for Seismology (NCS), Ministry of Earth Sciences is investigating the Capital City of Patna to generate inputs for earthquake risk resilient building codes using seismic microzonation of the city in collaboration with Institute of Seismological Research (ISR), Gujarat.

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