Powerful quake jolts New Delhi

Major earthquake could strike New Delhi and its periphery and this intensity could cause severe damage to the buildings that do not conform to the earthquake resistant norms, an expert from India Meteorological Department (IMP) said Sunday.

Possibility of earthquake in Delhi cannot be ruled out, as it comes under Zone-4. And the intensity could go up to 6.5 on the Richter Scale, the Press Trust of India quoted A K Shukla, director of Earthquake Risk Evaluation Center of IMP, as saying.

However, the Himalayan range, Jammu and Kashmir, Northeastern states and Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the most earthquake vulnerable areas in India and could witness high intensity temblors up to eight magnitude, Shukla said. These areas come under Zone five, he said.

Shukla said the categories of zones have been finalized on the basis of previous historical data and the geological characteristics of the place.

Delhi has already witnessed six high-intensity quakes between 1720 and 1996. The capital region was struck by a quake measuring 6.5 on Richter scale on July 15, 1720. This was followed by another severe quake of 6.8 intensity on Sept. 1, 1803. Another four strong quakes were experienced on Jan. 16, 1842 (5.5 intensity), Oct. 10, 1956 (6.7), Aug. 27 1960 (6.0) and Aug. 15, 1966 (5.8).

Source: Xinhua