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| Hard reality of JK: State witnesses 15 earth quakes annually | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Apr 30: One might find it hard to believe, but it is the reality of Jammu and Kashmir that around 15 earth quakes get reportedly annually in the state.
These also including few high magnitude earth quake, creating panic among the common people, and concern among the experts about the fallout of frequently occurring earthquakes.
According to the Indian Meteorological department, most parts of Kashmir covering the districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Budgam, Anantnag and parts of Jammu region, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar come under the Seismic Zone V, which are prone to earthquakes. While the rest part of the state comes under Seismic Zone IV.
So far in the first four months of 2018, the Meteorological Department figures reveal that four earth quakes have been recorded so far.
Similarly, the state felt tremors nine times in 2009, recorded earthquakes six times in 2010, seven times in 2011, 11 earthquakes in 2012, 25 in 2013, and 19 in 2014.
The earthquakes were recorded highest number in 2015 in the decade when Kashmir was jolted 27 times of which 19 were significant and eight having less than 4 magnitude measured on the Righter scale.
In October 2015, two earth quakes were recorded including a powerful one on October 26 of 7.5 magnitude in which three people lost their lives and caused damage to scores of houses across the state.
In 2016, Jammu Kashmir was jolted at nine times with the magnitude of 4 to 6 on the Richter scale. However, there was increase in 2017 when Kashmir witnessed earthquakes 19 times.
The researchers, Yann Gavillot, a doctoral student at OSU, and Andrew Meigs, a Geology professor at the same university after studying the new geologic mapping in the Himalayan mountains, had pointed towards a possibility of a major earthquake.
"Scientists have known about the Reasi fault in Indian Kashmir, but it wasn't thought to be as much as a threat as other, more active fault systems. However, following a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in 2005 on the nearby Balakot-Bagh fault in the Pakistan side of Kashmir - which was not considered particularly dangerous because it wasn't on the plate boundary - researchers began scrutinizing other fault systems in the region," they had said.
An official said most of the earthquakes that hit the state had origin in the Hindukush region of Afghanistan. "We need to take some measures like building earth quakes resistant constructions," he said.
Ironically, the government does not seem to have learned any lessons as it has failed to equip the agencies which could deal with these disasters to mitigate sufferings of people at a time when any natural calamity hit the state.
The state's vulnerability to natural disasters clearly indicate that there is a dire need of having well equipped agencies to deal with natural disasters.
"We don't have a proper training centre in Jammu Kashmir nor do we have equipment to make rescue operation during any natural calamity."
He admitted that SDRF lacks equipment and proper training to deal with natural calamities.
An official posted at Divisional Commissioner Kashmir office said that there are many buildings in the state, which have been constructed without adhering to the norms pertaining to the earthquake resistant construction.
"Such buildings are not safe enough to resist the impact of a severe earth quake. If earthquake resistant technology is used in construction of buildings, such structures can withstand earthquakes up to a certain magnitude," the official said. |
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