THE GUJARAT earthquake has proved that even in highly seismic zones like Bhuj, Uttarakhand and the Northeast, our preparedness management and crisis is a monumental failure. Bhuj is one of the 13 hotspots on India's seismic hazard map that was prepared three years ago. The assessment was that Bhuj might experience earthquake with a maximum magnitude of 8.5 in 50 years. The assessment never got incorporated into the nation's crisis management programme.
"We are a nation with a casual attitude," says V K Gaur, a renowned seismologist with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore (now Bengaluru).
This story is from the May 16, 2023 edition of Down To Earth.
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This story is from the May 16, 2023 edition of Down To Earth.
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