From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Delhi Earthquake and its causes
Why in the News?
A magnitude 4 earthquake struck New Delhi with epicentre near Dhaula Kuan. The quake was shallow (5 km depth), highlighting Delhi’s seismic vulnerability due to its location in Zone IV of India’s earthquake hazard map.
Possible Causes of the Earthquake
- Tectonic Activity along the Delhi-Hardwar Ridge:
- Delhi sits on the Delhi-Hardwar Ridge, an active seismic fault.
- Continuous collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates builds tectonic stress, leading to earthquakes when stress is released.
- Groundwater Extraction as a Seismic Trigger: Excessive exploitation alters rock pressure, potentially inducing fault movements.
- Anthropogenic (Human-Induced) Activity:
- Urbanization, metro construction, and large-scale infrastructure projects alter subsurface stress.
- Vibrations from construction activities can contribute to localized seismic instability.
About the Aravalli-Delhi Fold Belt
- The Aravalli-Delhi Fold Belt is a major geological formation that extends from southern Rajasthan to Haryana and Delhi.
- It consists of ancient folded rock formations that have undergone millions of years of geological transformation.
- This region has several pre-existing faults, meaning seismic activity can occur without direct tectonic subduction.
- Although historically more active, tectonic movements in the belt have slowed over time.
- These earthquakes occur due to fault reactivation and local stress accumulation rather than large-scale tectonic shifts.
- Himalayan earthquakes are caused by subduction, where the Indian plate moves under the Eurasian plate.
PYQ:[2021] 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. [2015] The frequency of earthquakes appears to have increased in the Indian subcontinent. However, India’s preparedness for mitigating their impact has significant gaps. Discuss various aspects. |
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