Hyderabadis no strangers to light, moderate tremors

Even during and after the 1993 Latur earthquake in Maharashtra, Hyderabad and its surrounding areas reported intense tremors, says top seismologist

Hyderabad: People in Hyderabad and nearby regions are no strangers to light and moderate tremors, which are the result of the aftermath of a significant earthquake.

A similar but far more intense series of tremors were felt across many parts of Telangana, including Hyderabad, during and after the Latur earthquake that struck at around 3.56 am on September 30, 1993, with Killari village in Maharashtra as the epicentre.

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“Since Killari is just 200 km from Hyderabad, that day, people in Hyderabad and surrounding areas also reported tremors. However, the Latur earthquake in Maharashtra measured 6.3 and it was far more destructive, with lives lost and massive devastation of infrastructure. Within Telangana, the Medaram-Mulugu earthquake of 5.3 magnitude on Wednesday has happened after 1969,” recalls Dr Sri Nagesh, former Head of Seismology division, NGRI, Hyderabad.

The top seismologist from Hyderabad pointed out that since the earthquake at Mulugu took place about 40 km below the surface of the earth (depth), light to moderate tremors occurred in areas within 200-300 km of the epicentre.

“I feel that is the reason why, people from Hyderabad, and even from Vijayawada and other far-off parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, experienced light to moderate tremors on Wednesday,” Dr Sri Nagesh said.

The Medaram-Mulugu-Bhadrachalam belt is a well-marked vulnerable region in the seismic-tectonic atlas map, which was prepared by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).

“Since 1969, we have been measuring earthquakes of magnitude between 2 and 5. As that entire region falls under seismic zone 3, they will frequently experience earthquakes ranging from 2 to 3, which we have been recording at NGRI. The seismic recordings in this zone should guide the local municipalities and individuals, who are at the helm of planning and developing infrastructure,” the scientist said.