Q13.Discuss about the vulnerability of India to earthquake related hazards. Give examples including the salient features of major disasters caused by earthquakes in different parts of India during the last three decades.

India's tectonic setting, primarily the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plate collision, makes it highly vulnerable to earthquake hazards, impacting significant landmass and population.

Factors Contributing to Vulnerability

The active Himalayan belt and peninsular intraplate seismic zones, combined with rapid urbanization, unscientific construction, and high population density in high-risk zones (V & IV), heighten India's seismic vulnerability.

Major Earthquake Disasters (Last Three Decades)

• Latur (1993): Intraplate, M6.4, Maharashtra. Over 7,600 deaths, exposed poor rural construction.
• Bhuj (2001): Gujarat, M7.7. Over 13,000 deaths, massive damage, revealed modern building flaws.
• Kashmir (2005): M7.6, near LoC. Extensive damage, over 1,300 deaths in India, difficult terrain challenges.
• Nepal (2015): M7.8. Significant tremors and infrastructure damage in North India, showing cross-border impact.

Mitigating this vulnerability requires robust building codes, effective early warning systems, public awareness, and resilient disaster response mechanisms.