Earthquakes in Delhi NCR: Monitoring around Rohtak increased by National Centre for Seismology! Haryana’s Rohtak, which is a part of the National Capital Region, has been the epicentre of 18 of the 29 earthquakes that shook the NCR since April, according to a report in IE. With that in mind, the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) has increased the monitoring around the area by installing more seismometers. The institute is also trying to ascertain the amount of energy that is released with each quake, so that they can figure out the extent to which the earthquakes are occurring around Rohtak, the report added.
The report said that with more seismometers, even earthquakes of very low magnitude can be traced. The seismometers would be able to trace earthquakes even below a magnitude of 1.8, which the report said was the lowest recorded magnitude of earthquakes in Rohtak recently, and it was recorded four times in June.
Quoting NCS scientist JL Gautam, the report stated that several small earthquakes in an area reduce the possibility of a major one occurring. Rohtak, which is around 80 km from the India Gate, is close to the Mahendragarh-Dehradun geological fault, and according to Gautam, the fault is apparently active currently. A geological fault is a fracture in the rocks of the Earth’s crust, and when an earthquake occurs, the rock on one side slips as compared to the other one. With each earthquake, Gautam was quoted as saying, a certain amount of energy is released, and more seismometers will aid the scientists in ascertaining the number of earthquakes occurring in the region.
He added that three temporary seismometers were fitted around the city last week, apart from a permanent device that was already installed.
Presently, it seems that seismic activity in the region might have subsided, as the NCS has not recorded any earthquake in the region since June 30. On the other hand, the most recent earthquake which shook Delhi on July 3 was a 4.7-magnitude earthquake with its epicentre in Rajasthan’s Alwar. On this, Gautam said that the earthquake might have been due to Aravalli faults. He added that the reduction in seismic activity in Rohtak is normal and it neither indicates nor rules out a larger earthquake.
Meanwhile, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has directed the authorities of over 100 buildings, including residential societies and educational institutions, to submit the audit report of the structures within 30 days so that the seismic stability of the buildings can be ascertained, an IE report stated. In June, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation had also issued notices to a total of 66 authorities. Moreover, the NDMC has also started the identification of structures that need to undergo structural audit and has issued 115 notices, the report added.