9 quakes in 3 months NO MORE SAFE ZONE!
   Date :09-May-2024

9 quakes in 3 months 
 
 
 
Kaushik Bhattacharya
 
 
 
Nagpur district once again witnessed a light magnitude 2.4 earthquake on Wednesday afternoon which was not felt or reported by anyone in the district. The quake took place 5.6 km away from Kamptee around 3.59 pm. the quake had a very shallow depth of 5 km and only reported by National Seismology Centre (NSC). It was the fourth earthquake felt in Nagpur district in last one week and all the tremors were felt near mining area. Back to back quakes in district raised panic among citizens whereas district collector on Wednesday took stock of such seismic activities and appealed citizens not to panic as these quakes are small in intensity. District collector Dr Vipin Itankar on Wednesday chaired a review meeting about the back to back earthquake taking place in the district with concerning departments. Dr Itankar, after the meeting, urged citizens that Nagpur comes under safest Seismic Zone II and all the seismic activities that happening in recent time are of low magnitude.
 
Therefore, these is no need to panic of such swarm quakes. According to NSC, there were nine earthquakes of low intensity of between magnitude 2.4 and magnitude 2.9 took place this year so far which is a rare event for the district. Similarly, two earthquakes took place in October last year. Keeping the frequency in mind, Dr Itankar asked Geological Survey of India (GSI) to conduct Micro Earthquake Investigation and Study of Nagpur district to know the exact reason behind such frequent earthquakes. The District Collector also urged citizens to contact on 0712-2562668 to get more details about such events and to report any future earthquake.
 
 
 
NO MORE SAFE ZONE
 
 
 Theories behind the recent swarm quakes in district
 
Though the district collector urged citizens to be careful and not to panic of such events, the earthquake experts and geologists are concern about the reason behind the sudden increase of seismic activities in the district. These experts are predicting three different type of theories that may be the main reason behind such frequent earthquakes in Nagpur district. “All the swarm earthquakes in the district are happening near mines where blast takes place for extraction of minerals. There is 30% chance of such seismic activities due to blasts in mines. Whereas, to know the exact reason, GSI should conduct a proper study of earthquake sights,” believes Earthquake Consultant Dr Sandeep Shirkhedkar. According to Dr Anjan Chatterjee, Ex-Additional Director General and former Director, Earthquake Geology Division, GSI, “During summer, the excess extraction of ground water creates air gaps in natural small holes of basalt rocks.
 
After monsoon, it again fills and normally, it creates huge sounds under the crust, which can cause light tremors. Nagpur district is also situated over such basalt rocks.” The former ADG of GSI also believes, “Reactivation of old seismogenic faults at great depths can throw surprises and challenges too for us. There is a chance of reactivation of such old deep faults which is not yet in the records of the agencies and causing tremors in the so called “Safe Zone” of Nagpur district. Despite three different theories for the cause of such seismic activities, all experts demanded to conduct Micro Earthquake Study of the region to get the exact reason behind such frequent quakes.