7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes, Tremors Felt Across India: Causes of Earthquakes and India’s Risk Zone

Can we ever forget the disaster that struck the capital city of Nepal in April and May of 2015? The consequence was great and awful, much of the environment was destroyed and many were left with broken hearts after losing their beloved. These subsequent quakes killed many people, rendered numerous house uninhabitable and completely knocked out critical infrastructure. But what do we actually mean by the words, earthquakes, and how do they take place?

What is an Earthquake and How is it Produced?

Earthquakes are very natural disasters which occur when the surface of the earth experiences a burst or rupture and sends shocks in every direction. This energy produces shaking motion in the Earth and this can be measured using an equipment known as seismograph.

Earthquake Aftershocks reported in Many parts of Northern India

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck on January 7, 2025, at 6:35 am, 93 above sea level and 93 km northeast of Lobuche in the Nepal-TibET border. Consequently, moderate to heavy seismic activity was observed across North India and some parts of Bihar, Delhi NCR regions.

There are videos of individuals who live in Bihar fleeing their homes and apartments whenever there are vibrations. Luckily though there were no reports of property damage.

What Causes Earthquakes?

An earthquake is a shaking of the surface of the earth caused by movement of large segments of the earth’s crust known as tectonic plates. These plates are located beneath the earth’s crust and float on weak and almost more ‘liquid’ layers which are at a slow and continuous movement. When they collide, pull apart or slide against the other the ground is shaken.

Three primary types of plate movements cause earthquakes:

• Convergent Boundaries: Bricks crash and one brick is pushed beneath another.
• Divergent Boundaries: When they part they let magma to rise with a view of forming new crust. Partners would diverge allowing for the formation of the new crust via letting out the magma.
• Transform Boundaries: Two plates glide past each other laterally, which means that they create friction and stress that at some stage cause an earthquake.

Further, movement of magma beneath the surface may lead to volcanic actions which induce an earthquake. This is in addition to other human activities including mining as well as large scale projects such as construction of dams that occasion vibrations on the ground causeing earthquakes.

Is India in a Danger Zone?

Currently, India is located geographically on an area that is prone to earth quakes. The Seismicity of the country is related to the Himalayan lie on the Indian Plate that is continually colliding with the Eurasian Plate which is one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

• Himalayan Region: Earthquakes are quite common due to the nature of the Indian and Eurasian plates frequently rubbing against one another in this region resulting into massive loses.
• Northeast India: This region is sited at the juncture of the Indian, Eurasian and Burma plates; which are still actively involved in tectonic activities that extend the probability of facing an earthquake.

India and Its Earthquake Zones

India is divided into different seismic zones based on the Modified Mercalli (MM) scale:

• Zone II (Low Intensity): A explores about 40.93% of the country and some parts in the south area.
• Zone III (Moderate Intensity): Makes up 30.79 % of Indiansthough some states in India such as Kerala, Goa, portions of Punjab and Rajasthan familiarize themselves with this type of marriage.
• Zone IV (High Intensity): Contributes 17.49% of total outbound flow mainly operated in regions such as Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi.
• Zone V (Severe Intensity): They occupy 10.79 % of the geographical extent of the country; this includes North Bihar, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

Analyzing the causes and the consequences that earthquake often bring helps to prevent those phenomena and reduce their effects, inasmuch as those happen in seismically active areas.