GPS Monitoring of Earthquakes

The GPS observations have led to inference that the Indian plate is moving in North-North Easterly direction with a speed ranging between 5 and 5.5 cm/yr leading to the accumulation of stresses in weak zones, called faults within Indian plate. However, with the present knowledge advancement in this regard, it is not possible to forecast the earthquake occurrence.

A number of GPS stations are already in operation by different institutions of the country in R & D campaign mode for understanding the crustal deformation and accumulation of stresses that can possibly lead to the occurrence of earthquakes.

At present, 46 permanent GPS stations are in operation spread over the country. The location of these stations are: Tezpur (Assam), Bomdilla (Arunachal Pradesh), Lumami (Nagaland), Imphal (Manipur), Anini (Arunachal Pradesh), Zero (Arunachal Pradesh), Aizwal (Mizoram), Agartala (Tripura), Srinagar (J & K), Uri (J & K), Kulgam (J & K), Keran (J & K), Aru (J & K), Almora (Uttarakhand), Nainital (Uttarakhand), Ghuttu (Uttarakhand), Phool Chatti (Uttarakhand), Raithal (Uttarakhand), Sonara (Uttarakhand), Dharali (Uttarakhand), Masta (Uttarakhand), Phurkandakhal (Uttarakhand), Binakkhal (Uttarakhand), Kuner (Uttarakhand), Agrakhal (Uttarakhand), Gangtok (Sikkim), Kulu (Himachal Pradesh), Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Bela (Gujarat), Dharoi (Gujarat), Mount Abu (Rajasthan), Udaipur (Rajasthan), Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar), Diglipur Andaman & Nicobar), Mayabunder (Andaman & Nicobar), Havelock (Andaman & Nicobar), Hut Bay (Andaman & Nicobar), Arong (Andaman & Nicobar), Campbell Bay (Andaman & Nicobar), Dhanbad (Jharkhand), Allahabad (UP), Varanasi (UP), Kanpur (UP), Gokul (Maharashtra), Kothgudem (Andhra Pradesh) and Vishakhapattanam (Andhra Pradesh).

The above information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Planning, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr. Ashwani Kumar to the Parliament today.

MC/sk