Discuss about the vulnerability of India to earthquake related hazards. Give examples including the salient features of major disasters caused by earthquakes in different parts of India during the last three decades. (Answer in 150 words)

India’s collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, active faults, dense settlements and uneven construction compliance create high seismic risk.

Risk factors

• Seismic Zones IV and V cover the Himalayan belt, Northeast, Kachchh and parts of the Andaman region.
• Unreinforced masonry, soft-storey buildings, urban concentration and weak lifeline infrastructure amplify shaking.
• Liquefaction, landslides, fires, dam failure and tsunami effects can create cascading disasters.

Major examples

• Latur, 1993: intraplate earthquake exposed vulnerability of stone and mud structures.
• Bhuj, 2001: severe collapse and infrastructure damage demonstrated the need for code compliance.
• Kashmir, 2005 and Sikkim, 2011: mountainous terrain intensified landslides and access constraints.
• Nepal-Gorkha effects in 2015 and Manipur, 2016 highlighted regional and urban risk.

Preparedness

Seismic microzonation, retrofitting, strict building permissions, drills, resilient lifelines and community-based response are critical.

Plate collision; seismic zones; liquefaction; microzonation; retrofitting; building codes; cascading risk.