A repeat of the 8.7 Magnitude Great Shillong Earthquake of 1897 today would be devastating to an exponential degree, with 5 lakh lives lost, experts say.
A seminar on the ‘127th Anniversary of the Great Shillong Earthquake of 1897: Are we prepared?’ was held at North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) here today.
“Seismologists have calculated that if the same magnitude earthquake strikes at midnight, a minimum 5 lakh people will lose their lives in the present day scenario, considering the present day vulnerabilities and population,” Prof Devesh Walia of NEHU’s School of Human and Environmental Science said on the sidelines of the seminar.
Although rare, earthquakes of such strength need to be prepared against to reduce the level of devastation.
Walia also said that the Great Shillong Earthquake of 1897 was the first one that broke the crust of the Earth’s surface and, therefore, was one of the most impactful earthquakes. It occurred at 5:11pm and, despite most people being awake and outdoors at the time, 1,542 lives were lost.
Such was the force of the quake that the landscape of Shillong and its surroundings were reshaped by the natural event.
“The seismologists, they are working for better prediction, better characterising the earthquakes. There are various building codes with which we need to construct and this needs to be told to the people,” Walia said.
The seminar also dwelt on the post-earthquake, such as what management plans need to be put in place to cope with the disaster. The discussions also focused on seismic hazard assessment, early warning systems and community preparedness. Renowned geologists, seismologists and disaster management experts shared their insights during the seminar.
