1993 Latur earthquake explained

1993 Latur earthquake
Timestamp:1993-09-29 22:25:48
Anss-Url:usp000618c
Isc-Event:210578
Local-Time:03:56
Magnitude:6.2
6.3 [1]
Depth:10km (10miles)
Location:18.07°N 76.62°W
Type:Reverse
Countries Affected:India
Damages:$280 million–1.3 billion
Intensity:

[2]
Casualties:9,748 dead
30,000 injured
1 million displaced[3]

The 1993 Latur earthquake struck India at 3:56 am local time on 30 September. The main area affected is the districts of Latur and Osmanabad, including the Ausa block of Latur and Omerga of Osmanabad in Maharashtra, Western India.[4] Fifty-two villages were demolished in the intraplate earthquake. It measured 6.2 on the moment magnitude scale, and approximately 10,000 people died,[5] whilst another 30,000 were injured. The earthquake's hypocenter was around 10 km deep – relatively shallow – allowing shock waves to cause more damage. It is considered the deadliest earthquake in the stable continental crust to have occurred in recorded history.

Because the location does not lie on a plate boundary, there was some debate as to what caused the earthquake. The Indian sub-continent crumples as it pushes against Asia and pressure is released. It is possible that this pressure is released along fault lines. Another argument is that reservoir construction along the Terna was responsible for increasing pressure on fault lines. Killari,[6] where the epicenter of the quake is believed to have been, had a large crater, which remains in place to date.[7] [8]

Background and geology

The Latur area, and indeed peninsular India where it is located, was previously considered having the least possibility of seismic activity. Prior to 1967 there had been only three recorded notable earthquakes in peninsular India. The Koyna earthquake, a few hundred miles west of Latur in 1967 was the most recent one.[9] Latur area is near the eastern end of Deccan Traps formed by flood basalt. The basalt flows in the area are estimated to be 450 meters thick with the terrain generally flat.[10]

Impact

The earthquake struck at 03:56 local time, when many residents were still celebrating a religious holiday. In Latur District, 817 of its 936 villages were affected; 374 villages were damaged in Osmanabad District.[11] Fifty-two villages were levelled. Estimates of the death toll range from 7,582 to over 11,000. In Killari, more than 1,200 people died and at least 2,847 homes were razed. Within the epicenter area, nearly all livestock were destroyed. The scale of death and destruction was considered disproportionately large for the moderate earthquake magnitude. Poor construction methods and rainy weather which preceded the earthquake contributed to the destruction.[12] [13] [14]

Relief efforts

Several foreign and local donors reacted immediately to the tragedy by sending relief teams and rescue workers.[15] Physicians and staff from Railway Hospital, Solapur and V.M. Medical College, Solapur were amongst the first to reach the site and assisted with treatment of the injured over the next several weeks. The first convoy of over 120 trucks laden with relief material such as tents, blankets, food and clothing, medical supplies and temporary shelters given by international donors departed from Mumbai at around 10am on 2 October 1993. 42nd battalion of MIL, The Indian Army, State Reserve Police Force, Central Reserve Police Force and other law enforcement agencies rushed their personnel almost immediately after the quake, assuming there would be a greater number of casualties.

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Event: MAHARASHTRA, INDIA. ngdc.noaa.gov.
  2. Harsh Gupta . Bal Krishna Rastogi . An investigation into the Latur earthquake of September 29, 1993 in southern India . . 1998 . 287 . 1 . 299–318 . 10.1016/S0040-1951(98)80075-9 . 1998Tectp.287..299G .
  3. Web site: overview of the maharashtra, india emergency earthquake rehabilitation program. iitk.ac.in. 15 March 2022. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20220308055437/https://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/wcee/article/2290.pdf . 8 March 2022 .
  4. Web site: Earth Quake. 26 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140209043831/http://latur.nic.in/html/earthquake.htm. 9 February 2014. dead.
  5. News: Somasekhar . M. . 26 years on, the Latur quake has taught us many lessons . 20 October 2021 . businessline . 1 October 2019 . en.
  6. News: Latur earthquake 1993: September 30, a 'black day' for quake survivors in Maharashtra's Killari village - The Financial Express . 20 October 2021 . The Financial Express . 26 September 2018.
  7. News: PHOTOS : किल्लारी भूकंप, २३ वर्षांनंतरही जखमा अजून ओल्‍या. divyamarathi. 13 September 2018. mr.
  8. Web site: Maharashtra's deadliest earthquake: Some facts you must know about the Latur earthquake. India Today. en. 13 September 2018.
  9. Gupta, H. K., Mohan, I., Rastogi, B. K., Rao, M. N., & Rao, C. V. R. (1993). A quick look at the Latur earthquake of 30 September 1993. Current Science, 65(7), 517–521. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24095866
  10. Rajendran, C. P., Rajendran, K., Unnikrishnan, K. R., & John, B. (1996). Palaeoseismic indicators in the rupture zone of the 1993 Killari (Latur) earthquake. Current Science, 70(5), 385–390. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24097438
  11. Book: Comfort . Louise K. . Self organization in disaster response and recovery: The Maharashtra, India Earthquake of September 30, 1993 . 1 January 1995 . Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center, University of Colorado.
  12. Kaul . Ravi . Latur Earthquake . World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues . 1994 . 3 . 1 . 55–57 . Kapur Surya Foundation.
  13. News: Only 3,500 Latur earthquake victims got jobs in 27 years: Report . 20 October 2021 . Hindustan Times . 30 September 2020 . en.
  14. News: Aggarwal . Arshi . Killari quake: 25 years on, survivors still recovering from quake which killed 10,000 . 20 October 2021 . indiatvnews. . 30 September 2018 . en.
  15. News: Maharashtra's deadliest earthquake: Some facts you must know about the Latur earthquake . 20 October 2021 . India Today . 30 September 2015 . en.

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