Is India prone to major earthquake threats following disasters in neighbouring countries? Know here

In the last four to five hours, a series of earthquakes have struck Pakistan and Tibet, adding to the growing list of countries experiencing natural disasters this week. Apart from Pakistan and Tibet, Myanmar was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Friday, March 28, which claimed the lives of over 2,700 people. These recent disasters in neighbouring countries have raised concerns about the risk of earthquakes in India.

Earthquake in India

There is a high possibility of a major earthquake to hit India, which will have a greater impact than Myanmar, especially for heavily populated cities such as Delhi or Guwahati, according to a report by India Today citing experts on the matter.

Cause of earthquake

The report warns of a devastating “Great Himalayan Earthquake” with a magnitude above 8. The Indian plate is subducting below the Sunda and Burma plates in northeast India, which may result in strong earthquakes and tsunamis. Additionally, Central and Peninsular India may witness rare and deadly intraplate earthquakes. However, India remains largely unprepared for the anticipated earthquake.

States at high risk

Nearly 59 per cent of India is at risk of earthquakes. States such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Northeastern states face the highest risk, while cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata lie in dangerous seismic zones, the report added. Concerns also arise as buildings do not have proper earthquake protection. This raises the possibility of buildings falling as earthquake strikes, killing more people than the natural disaster itself.

Cost of earthquake

In the last twenty years, India has lost nearly $79.5 billion to climate-related disasters. The 2001 Bhuj earthquake in Gujarat cost nearly $10 billion, while the 2015 Nepal earthquake that hit north India also caused $7 billion in damage, the report said.

Earthquakes in Himalayan region

The Himalayan region is prone to strong earthquakes. In the last 50 years, four devastating earthquakes with a magnitude of over 8.0 have hit the region, including the 1987 Shillong earthquake (8.7), the 1905 Kangra earthquake (8.0), the 1934 Bihar-Nepal earthquake (8.3), and the 1950 Assam-Tibet earthquake (8.6).