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Bombay unprepared for earthquakes: Studies

If ever a major earthquake hits Bombay, it can be the scene of an major catastrophe and the casualties could run into millions, according to experts who have drawn up a Disaster Management Plan for Maharashtra and Bombay.

The Maharashtra government was prompted to undertake a disaster vulnerability study by the World Bank and the Department for International Development after the Latur earthquake in 1993.

Based on different studies, comprehensive DMPs for Maharashtra and Bombay have been prepared by teams of experts. The findings were presented at an International Workshop held in Bombay in July 1998. The emerging scenario is absolutely frightening.

In Maharashtra, seismic activity can be observed along the western coast, around Ratnagiri, Koyna Nagar and Bhatsa and Surya areas of Thane district. This north-south line of activity extends deep inside Gujarat. The striking characteristic of this narrow stretch is its alignment with a hot spring belt.

The off-coast activity is associated with submerged faults along the western coast of Maharashtra, a backgrounder prepared by the Maharashtra government for the workshop noted. Beed, Latur, Parbhani, Nanded, Nagpur, Nashik, Thane, Satara, Pune, Sangli, Ratnagiri and Bombay are the districts most prone to earthquakes, according to the backgrounder.

The experts have studied various causes of disasters like floods, cyclones, epidemics, industrial accidents and earthquakes. They have pointed out that materials used for housing have a significant role to play in determining the damage following a disaster, as was seen in the Bhopal gas leak of 1984 and the Latur earthquake of 1993.

The data shows that as many as 7.76 million houses or 67.75 per cent of over 11.58 million in Maharashtra are vulnerable to earthquake.

Traditional houses use stone, mortar, heavy wooden beams while more recent constructions use bricks and concrete. Once buildings are constructed, the findings show that no attention is paid to correct maintenance, resulting in deterioration of their condition.

In Bombay city alone, there are 17,000 old and dilapidated structures, which have on an average 100 tenements each. Thus, not less than one million people reside in these buildings, some of which are used for commercial purposes and as godowns. Because of the expenses involved, repairs or reconstruction are not undertaken.

For old buildings in Bombay, the rate of replacement and repairs is not more than 760 tenements (just about ten buildings) per year.

The studies did not dwell on the numerous skyscrapers that dot the city, each with hundreds of apartments, many built by reclaiming marshy land. At the time of their construction, no special precautions were taken to make them sturdy enough to withstand an earthquake.

It is observed that while building codes based on zoning exist, there is a laxity in the implementation of these codes. The studies call for rezoning in the context of earthquakes and defining building codes in specific zones.

Further, inspection of existing structures as per the new codes and classifying them in terms of vulnerability to earthquakes is equally important, the studies concluded.

Friday's earthquake was felt in coastal areas of Bombay, which faces a serious risk of an earthquake. People in the eastern suburbs hardly felt the tremor but those near the coast and especially in high-rise buildings rushed into the open as soon as the shaking began.

Surprisingly, neither dogs nor birds wailed prior to the earthquake.

Therefore, the shock literally came out of the blue.

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EXTERNAL LINKS
The RD Killer Quake of Jan 26, 2001: Technical details
All about earthquakes in India and their impact
India Meteorological Department's earthquake reports
Disaster relief set-up in India
Major earthquakes across the world in recent times
Earthquake News: Web site offering comprehensive news, information and features
Earthquake site map

COMPLETE COVERAGE
Quake hits western India

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