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Home » Delhi » Here’s why Delhi-NCR witnessed number of earthquakes this year, what is strain energy, how to build an earthquake-proof house

Here’s why Delhi-NCR witnessed number of earthquakes this year, what is strain energy, how to build an earthquake-proof house

According to the reports, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) has recorded a total of 12 earthquakes in Delhi-NCR from April 12 to June 8.

By Newsd
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Earthquake tremors felt in Delhi

Over the past months, Delhi-NCR has experienced several low-intensity earthquakes. According to reports, scientists have also warned a massive earthquake imminent in the Himalayan foothills.

Talking about the Himalayan belt, it has been the most vulnerable areas. On April 25, 1025, Nepal and parts of Northern Bihar and Uttar Pradesh witnessed a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. In the Himalayan region, the 50-second quake was the deadliest in less than 100 years as 9,000 died and more than 22,000 got injured. Within 17 days, the region was struck by a second one measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale. Both earthquakes left 600,000 homeless and properties worth 1,000 crores damaged.

According to the reports, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) has recorded a total of 12 earthquakes in Delhi-NCR from April 12 to June 8. Also according to the WHIG study, “All the earthquakes in Delhi-NCR are due to the release of strain energy which has been accumulated as a result of northward movement of Indian plate and its collision with the Eurasian plate, through the fault or weak zones”.

What is Strain Energy?

When released by the earthquake, strain energy works as potential energy and the seismic moment are two fundamental physical earthquake parameters. The energy balance gives the value of initial stress that is required for the earthquake generation. In order to generate an earthquake, the initial stress needs to be larger than the sum of half of the stress drop and the apparent stress. In other words, earthquakes having rich short-wavelength components in the slip distribution are not generated under a low initial stress level.

Here’s why Delhi-NCR witnessed earthquakes:

According to the opinion of experts, there are small earthquake tremors in Delhi which are 3-4 standard on the Richter scale. However, the danger is when the earthquake magnitude is above 4 on the Richter scale, especially on those areas where the houses are not strongly built.

The main reason behind these termors is the movement of tectonic plates. In areas where there is a high risk of earthquakes, stress in the lower surfaces of the earth increases in hundreds of years.

Tectonic plates movement generally increases during summers. First the earth remains calm for a long time, then the layers start moving for some time and this process is repeated again and again. Nepal is located at the place where the activity of the layers of the earth is highest. Every year the Indian plate slips under the Eurasian plates by about four centimetres. This is a very high speed for the plates of any continent to move. This is also the reason for the increased height of the Himalayas.

As per the reports, Dr Kalachand Sain, Chief of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, said that while one cannot predict the time, place or exact scale, the constant seismic activity around Delhi-NCR indicates that a major earthquake could occur in the national capital.

How to build an earthquake-proof house?

Earthquakes can be disastrous and cause peak destructions when the richter scale is above 4. In the earthquake-prone areas, the houses are generally earthquake-proof. While designing earthquake-resistant buildings, safety professionals recommend adequate vertical and lateral stiffness and strength specifically lateral. Structures tend to handle the vertical movement caused by quakes better than the lateral, or horizontal, movement. Without considering earthquakes, professionals still focus on a building’s vertical stiffness and strength as it has to support itself.

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