India's Earthquake Preparedness

REFERENCE NEWS:

• Recently, an earthquake of magnitude 6.4 hit Nepal, with strong tremors felt in northern India, including the Delhi-NCR region, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

WHAT ARE EARTHQUAKES:

• Earthquakes are the sudden shaking of the ground caused by the passage of seismic waves through Earth’s rocks.
• They are caused mostly by rupture of geological faults but also by other events such as volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts and nuclear tests.

   INDIA’S EARTHQUAKE VULNERABILITY:

• Considering the recorded history of earthquakes, around 59% of the land mass of India is prone to earthquakes of different intensities.
• The reason for the intensity and high frequency of earthquakes is the Indian plate driving into the Eurasian plate.
• Bhuj (2001), Indian ocean earthquake (2004), Sikkim Earthquake (2011) Nepal-India Border (2015) were some of the most devastating quakes in recent history.
• The Bureau of Indian Standards has classified regions in India into four seismic zones on the basis of historical seismic activity.

1. Zone V covers the very high-risk areas such as the entire northeastern India, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, parts of Himalayan states and Rann of Kutch.
2. Zone IV comprises of high-risk zones.
3. Zone III covers areas of moderate risk.
4. Zone II covers low risk zones. It includes the continental shield areas of the country, such as the Karnataka Plateau.

INDIA’S EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS:

• National Centre for Seismology (NCS):
  • Under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, NCS is the nodal agency for monitoring earthquakes in the country. NCS operates the National Seismological Network with 115 observatories nationwide.
• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):
  • NDMA has established mechanisms and guidelines for effective earthquake disaster management.

• National Seismic Risk Mitigation Programme (NSRMP):
  • It is a key component of the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project.
  • It encompasses activities that will strengthen risk assessment capabilities, raising public awareness, strengthening of building codes and land-use regulations, piloting retrofitting of critical infrastructure, and developing risk financing framework.
• National Information Center of Earthquake Engineering:
  • It is an initiative intended to collect and maintain information resources on Earthquake Engineering and make these available to the interested professionals, researchers, academicians and others with a view to mitigate earthquake disasters in India.
• Building codes and standards:
  • The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has developed seismic codes. The 1962 guidelines were revised in 2002 after the devastating Bhuj earthquake.For example, IS 4326 covers general principles for earthquake resistant buildings such as selection of materials and special features of design and construction.
• ‘India Quake’:
  • It is a mobile App developed by the NCS for automatic dissemination of earthquake parameter (location, time and magnitude) after the occurrence of earthquakes.
• Earthquake Disaster Risk Index:
  • In 2019, the NDMA published an EDRI that looked specifically at 50 Indian cities to quantify their earthquake risk.

ISSUES IN EARTHQUAKE MANAGEMENT:

• Reactive approach:
  • A reactive approach or a relief-centric approach rather than following resilient strategies.
  • For example, tunnel construction in the disaster-risk Himalayan region without mitigation strategies.
• Poor enforcement:
  • Lack of proper enforcement of earthquake-resistant building codes in India leads to unsafe construction, especially in urban areas.
  • For instance Delhi, located in Seismic Zone IV, has seen rapid urban growth with many buildings in unauthorized colonies not following earthquake-resistant standards.
• Aging Infrastructure:
  • A significant portion of India's built environment consists of old structures not designed to modern seismic codes. Retrofitting such structures is a monumental and expensive task.
  • For example, Kolkata, in Seismic Zone III ( is vulnerable to earthquakes due to its proximity to Zones IV and V) has many aging buildings.
• Weak preparedness:
  • As per UNDP, India's states, despite having disaster management departments, often lack preparedness and face region-specific challenges.
  • For example, during the 2011 Sikkim earthquake, the region's hilly terrain and poor infrastructure hindered effective response and relief.
• Slow relief and rehabilitation:
  • India's disaster response is often short lived and reactive, hindered by politics and bureaucracy. It commonly neglects vulnerable populations, including women, and lacks emphasis on psycho-social and mental health services
• Flawed capacity development:
  • India lacks awareness about seismic risks and has few trained professionals in earthquake engineering.
  • For example, a 2019 National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) report highlighted the limited institutions offering specialized courses in this field, resulting in a professional shortage.
• Delays in updating guidelines:
  • The norms for earthquake protection, such as building codes, have remained unrevised for over a decade, despite India being hit by multiple major earthquakes.
• Coordination among Agencies:
  • Multiple agencies handle earthquake management across central, state, and local levels, often leading to coordination gaps.
  • For instance, after the 2015 Nepal earthquake affecting parts of India, relief efforts in India faced delays due to unclear communication and overlapping duties between central and state agencies.
• Shortage of resources:
  • In a developing country like India, other competing needs and priorities such as poverty reduction, social welfare, education etc. require greater attention and funding. Hence, it is difficult to obtain political and economic commitments towards investing in disaster management.

WAY FORWARD:

• Risk reduction approach: 
  • The prevailing post-disaster reaction cycle should be changed into a pre-disaster pro-action cycle. There should be well-established guidelines on relief and rehabilitation plans and an accountable organizational hierarchy to execute the same.         
• Inclusive policies:
  • Disaster management policies must incorporate programs to protect the most vulnerable segments of society—the poor, marginalized, women, children, disabled, and elderly.
• Strengthen knowledge base:
  • Mechanisms should be implemented to share disaster management lessons between communities. IT services can enhance vulnerability assessments in high-risk areas like North East India. For instance, in Assam, mobile apps have been introduced to educate and alert citizens about earthquakes, offering real-time data and safety tips.
• Update guidelines and codes:
  • The periodic review and updating of codes and guidelines is essential. The integration of safety norms with all development and construction activities needs to be ensured. Building laws or rules should be formulated.
• Capacity building:
  • The presence of trained manpower is vital disaster management activities. For the same, the various governments must invest in developing awareness among the masses, create a cadre of dedicated relief workers and involve philanthropic agencies in disaster management.
• Risk transfer:
  • Compulsory insurance of people and buildings in highly vulnerable areas should be prospected.
• Academy support:
  • State must take measures to incorporate disaster management as an essential part of school curriculum. Also, skilling agencies must be developed to create a cadre of licensed engineers and masons capable of creating quake-proof constructions.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q. “Even though India is highly susceptible to earthquakes, there are notable shortcomings in the nation's preparedness to mitigate their effects”. Discuss. (15 marks, 250 words)