rediff.com: Quakes in Saurashtra (Gujarat)

The entire Saurashtra region, including Bhavnagar, and Kutch region in Gujarat are vulnerable to earthquakes as per available seismic data.

Official sources in Ahmedabad said that among the earthquake prone areas, two zones figured in Gujarat. Zone three was located in the Saurashtra region, north and south Gujarat where there was a possibility of slight tremors while zone five, centred in Kutch region, was very active and vulnerable to tremors.

Mild and moderate tremors, numbering 22 in all, had been recorded in the Saurashtra region between 1938 and January 2000, sources said. Seventy per cent of them had been recorded between the months of July and September with the magnitude varying between 1.6 and 5.5 on the Richter scale.

Rajula had experienced 12 tremors - first time in 1986. The magnitude varied between 1.6 and 5.2 on the Richter scale.

Paliyad recorded a quake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale in 1938, Amreli 3.2 in 1978, Surendranagar 3.6 in 1978, Bhavnagar 3.3 in 1979, Maliya 2.6 in 1979, Bhavnagar 3.6 in 1979, Rajkot 4.4 in 1998, Bhavnagar 2.5 in 1999 and again Bhavnagar 3.8 on January 31, 2000. Even Anjar had experienced a quake with an intensity of 7 on the Richter scale in 1956.

In August 2000, mild tremors were recorded six times in Bhavnagar with the magnitude ranging between 2.5 and 4.6 on the Richter scale.

On Friday, the Koyna region of Maharashtra experienced yet another mild earthquake measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale at 1350 hours (IST) while Bhavnagar and surrounding areas experienced a mild tremor. The tremor experienced in Bhavnagar at 0400 hours measured one on the Richter scale.

The earthquake had its epicentre at 17.3 degrees north latitude and 73.6 degrees east longitude, according to the India Meteorological Department in Pune.

The Asst Chief Engineer of the Koyna Hydro Electric Project M V Soman when contacted said the quake was localised and its tremors were felt mainly in Patan and Koyna areas. He said since the tremor was minor it did not activate the accelerograph placed on the Koyna dam.

The acceleration recorded by the accelerograph is an important parameter in the safety of the dam.

The quake of September 5, which measured 5.0 on the Richter scale with its epicentre near Koyna, had activated the accelerograph. It recorded a gravitational acceleration of 0.13 in the body of the dam.

The Koyna region is considered to be one of the most earthquake prone zones of Maharashtra and, in the last 35 years, this region has experienced more than 100,000 tremors.

Bhavnagar and its surrounding areas have been experiencing tremors since Tuesday last after an earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale jolted the area, creating panic among the residents as several houses developed cracks.


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Seismic data says Saurashtra prone to earthquakes