🌍 Earthquakes: India & the World – UPSC Notes
✅ What is an Earthquake?
- A sudden shaking of the Earth’s surface caused by the release of energy in the Earth’s crust.
- Measured using Richter Scale (magnitude) and Mercalli Scale (intensity).
- Main cause: Tectonic Plate Movements, but also volcanic activity and human-induced causes.
- Located along plate boundaries (convergent, divergent, transform).
- Major Seismic Shocks-Prone Zones:
- Pacific Ring of Fire (Most seismically active: Japan, Indonesia, Chile)
- Mid-Atlantic Ridge
- Himalayan Belt
- East African Rift Valley
🇮🇳 Seismic Shocks Zones in India
Seismic Zones (as per BIS 1893:2016)
India is divided into 4 Seismic Zones (Zone II to Zone V):
- Zone V: Very High Risk – NE India, parts of J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Andaman & Nicobar.
- Zone IV: High Risk – Delhi, parts of Haryana, Punjab, J&K, Bihar, Sikkim.
- Zone III: Moderate Risk – Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat.
- Zone II: Low Risk – Deccan Plateau, some central & southern parts.
🧠 Important UPSC Concepts
🔹 Focus & Epicenter
- Focus: Point inside Earth where earthquake starts.
- Epicenter: Point on surface above focus.
🔹 Primary (P) & Secondary (S) Waves
- P-waves: Fast, travel through solids & liquids.
- S-waves: Slower, only through solids, cause more destruction.
🔥 Major Seismic Shocks zones in India
| Year | Location | Magnitude | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Bhuj (Gujarat) | 7.7 | ~20,000 deaths |
| 1993 | Latur (Maharashtra) | 6.4 | ~10,000 deaths |
| 1950 | Assam-Tibet | 8.6 | One of the strongest in India |
| 1905 | Kangra (HP) | 7.8 | ~20,000 deaths |
| 1934 | Bihar-Nepal | 8.0 | ~10,000 deaths |
🛡️ Earthquake Preparedness in India
NDMA Guidelines
- Earthquake-resistant buildings
- Early warning systems
- Public awareness campaigns
- Emergency drills (Mock exercises)
- Capacity building of NDRF, SDRF
Government Schemes/Initiatives
- National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project (NERMP)
- Building Codes (IS 1893, IS 4326)
- Urban Earthq. Vulnerability Reduction Project
📌 UPSC Linkages
📖 Prelims
- Seismic zones, fault lines, wave types, NDMA functions
📘 GS Paper I
- Tectonic plates, distribution, physical geography
📗 GS Paper III
- Disaster Management: Mitigation, Preparedness, Role of institutions (NDMA, NDRF)
📝 Sample Mains Qs
Q. Discuss the vulnerability of India to earthquakes and the measures taken by the government to mitigate earthquake disasters. (GS III, 150 words)
Q. Explain the distribution of earthquakes globally and highlight why the Himalayas are earthquake-prone. (GS I, 250 words)
Table of Contents
🌍 Seismic Shocks in Delhi-NCR: A Wake-Up Call for Urban Seismic Safety | UPSC Angle
“When the ground shakes, it’s a reminder of nature’s silent warnings.”
📌 Table of Contents
- What Happened?
- Seismic Vulnerability of Delhi-NCR
- India’s Seismic Zones & Preparedness
- Earthquake and Urban Planning: UPSC Relevance
- Previous Major Earthquakes in India
- What Can Be Done?
- Conclusion
✅ What Happened?
On July 10, 2025, a 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck near Jhajjar, Haryana, shaking the entire Delhi-NCR region. Tremors lasted 10-15 seconds and were felt in Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and surrounding areas.
- Magnitude: 4.4 Richter scale
- Depth: 10 km
- Epicenter: Jhajjar, Haryana
- Casualties/Damage: None reported
📉 Seismic Vulnerability of Delhi-NCR
Delhi lies in Seismic Zone IV—a high-damage risk zone. Dense population, haphazard urban development, and aging infrastructure increase the vulnerability of this megacity.
Important UPSC Insight:
Q: “Discuss the vulnerability of Indian cities to earthquakes and the measures required to ensure seismic resilience.” (GS3 – Disaster Management)
🗺️ India’s Seismic Zones & Preparedness
India is divided into 4 Seismic Zones:
- Zone II – Low risk
- Zone III – Moderate
- Zone IV – High (Delhi, Srinagar)
- Zone V – Very High (North-East, Kashmir, Gujarat)
Agencies involved: NCS, NDMA, IMD, NDRF
📚Seismic Shocks and Urban Planning: UPSC Relevance
- GS Paper 3: Disaster Management – Earthq. Preparedness
- GS Paper 1: Geography – Plate tectonics, seismicity
- Essay: Resilience in Urban India
- Ethics Paper (Case Studies): Civic response, administrative preparedness
🔁 Previous Major Earthquakes in India
| Year | Place | Magnitude | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Bhuj, Gujarat | 7.7 | ~20,000 deaths, massive damage |
| 2015 | Nepal-India border | 7.8 | Tremors in Bihar, UP, Delhi |
| 1993 | Latur, Maharashtra | 6.4 | ~10,000 deaths |
| 2023 | Assam | 6.2 | Moderate damage |
🛑 What Can Be Done?
- Earthq.-Resistant Buildings (NDMA Guidelines)
- Strict Implementation of BIS Codes
- Seismic Microzonation of Cities
- Community Awareness Programs
- Early Warning Systems
📱 Tip: Enable Google Earthquake Alerts on Android for real-time safety warnings.
✅ Conclusion
Delhi’s tremors may not have caused damage—but they shook the complacency of urban India. As UPSC aspirants, it’s vital to see disasters as opportunities to re-engineer governance, resilience, and planning.
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📘 UPSC Mains Questions on Earthquakes
🔹 GS Paper I (Geography)
Q1. (2022) Why is India considered as a disaster-prone country? Give reasons with examples, especially in the context of seismic vulnerability.
Keywords: Himalayan belt, Seismic zones, Urban risk
Q2. (2019) The frequency of earthquakes appears to have increased in the Indian subcontinent. Examine the reasons and suggest mitigation strategies.
Keywords: Plate tectonics, Fault lines, Preparedness
Q3. (2016) Discuss the concept of vulnerability in disaster management with reference to earthquakes.
Keywords: Structural & social vulnerability, urban planning
📗 GS Paper III (Disaster Management)
Q4. (2020) What are the key provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005? How has it helped in managing disasters like earthquakes in India?
Q5. (2018) Explain how building codes and land-use planning play a key role in earthquake risk mitigation in India.
Q6. (2015) Discuss the role of NDMA in managing earthquake disasters. How effective has it been?
📙 UPSC Prelims PYQs
Q1. (2020) Which one of the following is the best description of the term ‘epicentre’ in the context of earthq.?
A) The point at which fault begins to rupture
B) The point directly above the focus
C) The zone of maximum damage
D) The fault line where maximum pressure builds
👉 Correct Answer: B
Q2. (2017) With reference to India, consider the following statements:
- The Himalayan region is prone to high seismicity.
- The Deccan plateau is free from earthquakes.
- The Indo-Gangetic plain is highly vulnerable to seismic activity.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A) 1 and 3 only
B) 2 only
C) 1, 2 and 3
D) 1 only
👉 Correct Answer: A
Q3. (2013) Consider the following pairs:
Seismic Zone – Region
- Zone V – Delhi
- Zone IV – Northeast India
- Zone II – Peninsular India
Which of the pairs is/are correctly matched?
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 1, 2 and 3
👉 Correct Answer: B
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