Earthquakes in India| Class 11 Geography Notes

Earthquakes is a subpart of the Class 11 Geography Chapter Natural Hazards and Disasters: Causes, Consequences, and Management. This subpart describes the Earthquakes and the different factors related to it. An earthquake is a sudden release of energy in the Earth’s crust that can result in different types of waves of shaking. These waves generally radiate outwards from the source of the Earthquake.

In this article, we are going to discuss the Earthquakes in India in detail.

Earthquakes in India – Major Types

An earthquake is a natural occurrence that is the ground shaking in simple words. It results when the Earth releases its energy that propagates in all directions from the source of it. Here are the major types of Indian Earthquakes as mentioned below.

Tectonic Earthquakes

Tectonic Earthquakes happen when the tectonic plates become stuck with each other and pressure builds up at that moment. This pressure shakes the ground.

Volcanic Earthquake

Volcanic Earthquakes have less frequency than tectonic earthquakes. This type of earthquake happens when an earthquake happens due to a volcanic eruption. It means that the rocks are forced to mix up with the magma during the eruption.

Collapse Earthquake

Collapse Earthquake is a small type of earthquake that happens in the mines or underground. This type of earthquake happens due to the pressure that is generated in the rocks.

Explosion Earthquakes

These types of earthquakes do not occur naturally. This type of earthquake generally happens due to human activities like mining, illegal construction, or explosions.

Earthquakes in India – Different Earthquake Zones

The sesimic zone or the earthquake zones are the geographical areas where the earthquake can occur. These zones can be also known as the fault zones. Here are the major Earthquake Zones as mentioned below.

Modified Mercalli (MM)

It assesses the effects of the earthquake and separates the different earthquake zones from each other. There is no Seismic Zone I because after the 1993 Killari earthquake, the seismic zone criteria were revised.

Seismic Zone II

It denotes the low-intensity category. It covers almost 41 % of the country’s surface. An example of the Seismic Zone II region is the Karnataka Plateau.

Seismic Zone III

Seismic Zone III denotes the moderate intensity. It covers 31 % of the total area of India. The Indian states like Kerala, Goa, and Lakshadweep fall under this zone.

Seismic Zone IV

Seismic Zone IV covers 17.49% of the whole of India. It denotes an area as the high-intensity zone. Some place like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi’s National Capital Territory (NCT), Sikkim, and Uttar Pradesh falls under the Seismic Zone IV.

Seismic Zone V

Seismic Zone V denotes the extremely severe zones that cover 10.79 % of the whole of India. It includes some areas like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand into it.

Earthquakes in India – Major Consequences

There are the Major Consequences of the Earthquakes in India as mentioned below.

• Avalanches and Landslides are the major consequences of the Earthquake. The avalanche is a natural phenomenon, for which a massive amount of ice slides down from the top.
• Earthquakes can cause the flood. It has the potential to fail the dams and reservoirs that can create the flash flood.
• Tsunami are the long waves in the ocean due to the earthquakes. It happens due to the seismic waves that create high sea waves.

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Class 11 Notes Geography Earthquakes in India- FAQs

What is an earthquake in 11th geography?

Earthquakes, in simple words, are the shaking of the earth. It is caused due to the release of energy which produces waves that travel in all directions. The vibrations, which are called seismic waves, are generated from earthquakes that travel through the earth and are measured using seismographs.

What are the 5 zones of earthquakes in India?

The Western and Central Himalayan region, the north-eastern part of India, the Rann of Katch, the Indo-Gangetic Plains, Kashmir and Rajasthan are considered as the weak zones for earthquakes in India.

What are the 4 types of earthquake?

There are four main types of earthquakes: tectonic, volcanic, collapse and explosion. Each type is caused by a different mechanism and results in a different type of shaking.

What are the 5 main causes of earthquakes?

The Main Causes of Earthquakes are the Movement of Tectonic Plates, Volcanic Eruptions, Underground Explosions, Induced Quaking (Human Activities), etc. Apart from these, earthquakes can be caused by a number of geological factors, natural phenomena, and human activity.

Which state has most earthquakes in India?

The three states in India where earthquakes are more likely to strike are Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Assam.

Is India on a fault line?

Across the country, there is the National Seismological Network, consisting of 115 observatories that keep tabs on seismic activity. According to a report, Delhi is located near three active seismic fault lines: Sohna, Mathura and Delhi-Moradabad.