A team of experts, including senior geologists, disaster management and landslide experts from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and civil engineers have arrived in Kodagu to study low-intensity earthquakes that were reported recently in the district.
As people expressed anxiety over recurrent tremors experienced, the district administration had sought the experts’ help in unravelling the reasons for repeated quaking of the earth in Kodagu.
Locals had expressed apprehensions that tremors might cause landslides with cracks developed after shuddering of the earth. The continuing heavy rains have added to their fears.
After collecting reports on the low-intensity quakes, in Chembu GP limits, Minister for Revenue R. Ashok on Thursday said that the people need not panic as the tremors were minor ones.
A seismic monitoring station has come up at Chembu’s government high school and the magnitude of the recent quakes have been measured at 2.5, 3.3, 1.8, and 2.1 on the Richter scale. The quakes were of low-intensity magnitude and the experts’ team has arrived to look into the episodes, the Minister said after visiting Chembu.
The expert team includes — Dr. G S Srinivasa Reddy, senior consultant, KSDMA; Dr. Sanjeev, Director (Engg), Geology and Landslide Division, GSI; V. Rahul, Senior Geologist, Engg Geology and Landslide Division, GSI, Dr. Sreevalsa Kolathayar, Department of Civil Engineering, NITK-Surathkal, Dr. Srikumar, NITK-Surathkal and Mr. S Jagadeesh, Scientific Officer, KSNDMC.
The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) has installed seismographs and other equipment at a seismic monitoring station in Chembu. A series of minor tremors reported from Chembu and Karike prompted the district administration to establish the temporary station.
A broadband seismometer, accelerometer, digitiser, GPS and other accessories have been installed. Karike and Chembu had recorded tremors on June 25 with a magnitude of 2.3 on the Richter scale. Another quake on June 26 with a magnitude of 3 on Richter scale and a third quake of 1.8 magnitude that was recorded at the seismic monitoring centre at Harangi dam.
