An earthquake of 4.3 on the Richter scale hit Assam’s Nagaon district on Thursday, September 26, 2024. This is the one at 4:30 PM IST striking the ground of areas in the state. It was felt in the state capital city, Guwahati. It was estimated to be 25 km deep under the earth’s crust. Thus, a shiver of panic held the residents suddenly.
The Earthquake
It is true that the National Center for Seismology admitted that it took place in an active seismic zone, which is famous for its tremors. As a matter of fact, the correct locations have been mentioned as latitude 26.12 N and longitude 92.54 E.
Though it was quite strong and vibrations were pretty visible, fortunately, there was no casualty and loss of property, which can be termed as the silver lining as far as the potential of devastation caused by such seismic zones is concerned.
Seismic Background of Assam
The northeastern part of India, and indeed the state of Assam falls in a high seismic zone as defined in the Indian seismic zoning map. Zone V has been marked across large tracts spread over approximately 11% of land area in India.
It implies a very high probability of medium to very strong earthquakes. Some of the geological features that influence such behavior include the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. These collisions cause several stresses along fault lines in the region.
Because such activities occur frequently in the region, different intensities will be experienced than what the seismologists have predicted. Such intensities have promoted the take-off of measures by regional authorities to minimize risks while making communities resilient.
Preparedness and Response Measures
Owing to the relatively frequent incidence of earthquake activities, the government has developed a number of measures that involve earthquake preparation and response. They include:
Public Awareness Initiatives:
educating the public on preparing for an earthquake, as well as the ‘Drop, Cover, and Hold On’ method that would radically reduce injuries during the time of shuddering.
Infrastructures:
Sturdy buildings and infrastructures that will be able to withstand the shock waves produced during an earthquake. This involves ensuring building codes and designs in new constructions.
Exercises on Emergency Response:
Regular practice drills by emergency response teams as well as communities preparing for the great earthquake event.
Monitoring System:
It should be strengthened with adequate numbers of monitoring facilities for earth-quakes which may send real-time data and alerts to give public alert in time.
Community Partnerships:
Engage communities in disaster preparedness and planning by facilitating local response team formation.
As natural inevitabilities, the recent tremors in Nagaon did no damage this time, but the quakes have aptly reminded residents of Assam and the northeasterners that there is some geological reality that they have to live with. Here again, there will be an imperative for sustained efforts in public education, resilience in infrastructure building, and preparedness for emergency to mitigate the possible effects of future quakes.
This response by the NCS and local authorities depicts the proactive approach of management about seismic risks. However, being one of the residents in that seismically active region, it is pretty essential to keep being informative and prepare oneself when nature throws in unpredictable forces on its doorsteps.
But all of this remains in the background to the task that Assam has to accomplish in walking into the troubles of its geological setting and awareness and infrastructure would be crucial among communities in walking into a future promising resilience.
