New Delhi: According to the latest census, the population of Dhaula Kuan in New Delhi was pegged at 11,604, and the density was 5,806 people per square kilometer. Nearby areas Naraina, Karol Bagh, and Rajouri Garden where densities exceed 20,000 people/km². An earthquake of magnitude 4, but deep only by 5 km, could have caused widespread damage to the area, causing fatalities and mass destruction of unbelievable proportion. Shallow earthquakes, that mostly occur at depths less than 70 km, are known to pose significant risk due to their proximity to the surface. The 1883 Casamicciola earthquake in Italy, for instance had also registered a low magnitude of 4.2 (and below 5.5) on the Richter scale but the hypocenter (under the Earth’s surface where the fault actually happens) was only 1 km deep. It cause severe destruction in the area and the death of around 2,300 people.

The 1998 Zhangbei-Shangyi earthquake in China had followed the same trajectory. The magnitude of this was also in a manageable range, 5.7, but the depth was at 14.1 kilometers making it more fatal. The earthquake claimed at least 70 lives and seriously injured around 12,000 people. The infrastructural damage was also considered to be massive.

These examples underscore the greater dangers associated with shallow earthquakes and why in densely populated areas, such as Dhaula Kuan (that already lies in a fault line), the knowledge of such seismic activities must be taken into account and should be embedded into building codes.

What differentiates an earthquake close to the surface of the earth and one that is deeper is obviously its proximity.........

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