Spectre of a temblor in NCR

Little done to quake-proof region

Delhi-ncr, already reeling under the onslaught of the coronavirus, seems to be headed for big trouble of a different kind if any of the recent seismic activity is any indication. The National Centre for Seismology recorded an earthquake measuring 3.2 on the Richter scale late on the night of June 3, the epicentre of which was 19 km southeast of Noida. What is scaring residents the most is the fact that the latest quake is the 11th to strike the Delhi-ncr region in a span of just 45 days, with two previous earthquakes measuring 4.6 and 2.9 being recorded on May 29. And the common man is not the only one worried, this wave of seismic activity over such a short span has led some of India’s foremost geologists to believe that a temblor of a much greater magnitude may very well be on its way, although they cannot predict the exact time, scale and location of an earthquake.

The areas next to the Yamuna are particularly vulnerable as the water from the river would turn the watersoaked subsoil to jelly, making buildings collapse like a pack of cards. And despite this knowledge being in the public domain for decades, both the Centre and the state governments have done little to quake-proof Delhi-ncr. How well they can cope with the added burden of major disaster and relief operations is anybody’s guess.