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The strong earthquake off northern Sumatra of magnitude 7.3 on early Wednesday morning was felt at places as far afield as Cuttack in Odisha, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Colombo in Sri Lanka.
Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, too, were affected in this manner, according to preliminary data gathered by Pune-based Amateur Seismic Centre (http://asc-india.org). But no damage was reported from anywhere.
DESTRUCTIVE PATH
Seismic waves and tsunamis couldn't care less for geographical boundaries or regional or national domain jurisdictions, as they cut their destructive path of choice for onward movement across land or out into the sea.
Meanwhile, barely 24 hours had passed after the Sumatran jolt before a fresh tremor of moderate intensity rocked Myanmar in the neighbourhood recording 4.5 on the Richter scale early Thursday morning.
The epicentre was only 118 km east-southeast of Kohima, Nagaland, and 134 km east-northeast of Imphal in Manipur, showing once again how the country's backyard is being put to building stress underground.
FRESH TREMOR
The Myanmar event was the ninth in the series recorded into the New Year in the east, northeast and northwest of the country as reported in these columns already.
Seismologists cannot be faulted for perceiving some of these as precursors for something bigger, given the country's vulnerability, says a domain expert.
We could face massive destruction if a high intensity earthquake strikes India, according to this former member of the National Disaster Management Authority.
Studies have shown that more than 60 per cent of India is vulnerable to earthquakes with most of the deaths to be feared from cave-in of buildings.
The biggest problem lies in the non-adherence of the prescribed building codes by private builders while erecting new structures.
BUILDING CODES
The National Building Codes of India contains stipulations for fire safety requirements, materials to be used, structural design and construction, including safety and building and plumbing services.
In cities maintained by municipal corporations it is expected that all building codes are followed for new constructions. But these codes are mostly observed in their breach.
Kashmir, Punjab, the western and central Himalayas, the northeastern region and the Rann of Kutch fall under the Zone Five category, which is referred to as the Very High Damage Risk Zone.
An estimated 229 districts (more than 1/3rd of the total in India) fall under Zones IV and V.
MAJOR CITIES
Major cities like Guwahati and Srinagar are in Zone V; Delhi and Chandigarh in Zone IV; and Kolkata, Chennai and Bombay in Zone III; which is reflective of the high level of risks.
Seismologists across the world generally agree that a major earthquake in the Himalayan belt is a live possibility in the not too distant future. But building contractors couldn't be more divorced from this emerging reality. vinson@thehindu.co.in
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