{"id":1318,"date":"2025-12-04T10:43:57","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T10:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/?p=1318"},"modified":"2026-01-15T17:09:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T17:09:58","slug":"indias-new-earthquake-zonation-map","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/indias-new-earthquake-zonation-map\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s New Earthquake Zonation Map"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) has released a new earthquake zonation map of India. The entire Himalayan regime is now the highest risk Zone VI. Over 60% of India\u2019s landmass faces moderate to high earthquake hazards.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"803\" height=\"807\" src=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-4.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-4.jpeg 803w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-4-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-4-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-4-768x772.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is India\u2019s New Earthquake Zonation Map?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An <strong>earthquake zonation map<\/strong> classifies different regions of India based on their&nbsp;<strong>earthquake hazard potential<\/strong>. It helps to determine how strong structures must be to withstand earthquakes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/india-new-earthquake-zonation-map-bis-2025-zone-vi-870x1024.webp\" alt=\"India\u2019s new earthquake zonation map released by BIS in 2025 showing seismic Zones II to VI, with the entire Himalayan region classified as highest risk Zone VI\n\" class=\"wp-image-1623\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/india-new-earthquake-zonation-map-bis-2025-zone-vi-870x1024.webp 870w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/india-new-earthquake-zonation-map-bis-2025-zone-vi-255x300.webp 255w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/india-new-earthquake-zonation-map-bis-2025-zone-vi-768x904.webp 768w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/india-new-earthquake-zonation-map-bis-2025-zone-vi-1306x1536.webp 1306w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/india-new-earthquake-zonation-map-bis-2025-zone-vi.webp 1360w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India has released a <strong>radically updated seismic zonation map<\/strong> under the new <strong>Earthquake Design Code (BIS, 2025)<\/strong>. It is based on faults, maximum likely events, attenuation, tectonics, lithology, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Earlier, the Indian landmass was demarcated into <strong>four&nbsp;earthquake zones<\/strong> namely&nbsp;<strong>Zones II, III, IV, and V<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Now, the updated earthquake zonation map has introduced a <strong>new highest-risk Zone VI<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has placed the <strong>entire Himalayan arc<\/strong> in this newly introduced <strong>Highest Risk<\/strong> <strong>Zone VI<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Around <strong>61% of Indian landmass<\/strong> now lies in <strong>moderate<\/strong> to <strong>high hazard zones<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This shift will redefine how buildings, infrastructure and urban expansion must respond to the persistent tectonic stresses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has brought <strong>uniformity to Himalayan belt<\/strong> which earlier remained split across <strong>Zones IV<\/strong> and <strong>V<\/strong> despite sharing the same underlying tectonic threat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the key features of India\u2019s New Earthquake Zonation Map?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Under the new map, <strong>towns<\/strong> situated <strong>along any boundary separating two categories<\/strong> will now automatically be placed in the <strong>higher-risk zone VI<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It will ensure that planners and engineers do not rely on outdated assumptions about local hazards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The map has been built using the internationally accepted <strong>Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA)<\/strong> method.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA)<\/strong> method is a method used to estimate the likelihood of future ground shaking at a specific location.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Moreover, this method incorporates detailed data on &#8211;\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Active faults;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The maximum potential magnitude on each fault;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The manner in which ground shaking diminishes with distance;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The tectonic regime of each region, and&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The lithology underlying various terrains.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Earlier approaches relied heavily on known epicentres, magnitudes of past earthquakes, broad geological features, soil classifications and historical damage surveys.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>However, it often led to zone adjustments around industrial townships or large cities without fully accounting for fault-specific seismic potential.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>New zonation provides <strong>clearer understanding of the peak ground accelerations<\/strong> that can be expected during future earthquakes.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It urges that all new structures and infrastructure projects adopt the 2025 version instead of the 2016 map.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The revised design code also introduces sweeping safety requirements for both structural and non-structural elements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has introduced an \u2018<strong>exposure window\u2019<\/strong> that accounts for <strong>population density<\/strong>, <strong>infrastructure concentration<\/strong> and <strong>socio-economic vulnerability<\/strong> using the <strong>Probabilistic Exposure and Multi-hazard Assessment (PEMA)<\/strong> method.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>Probabilistic Exposure and Multi-hazard Assessment (PEMA)<\/strong> method is a <strong>recent innovation in disaster risk assessment<\/strong>. It integrates an &#8220;<strong>exposure window<\/strong>&#8221; into hazard mapping.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It allows a comprehensive view of potential losses.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This approach <strong>moves beyond traditional single-hazard assessments<\/strong> by <strong>explicitly factoring in key socio-economic exposure indicators <\/strong>alongside multiple potential natural hazards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Now onwards, it will capture not only physical hazard but also the <strong>degree of potential impact on communities<\/strong>, especially in urban regions. In urban regions, even moderate shaking can trigger widespread disruption due to dense construction.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">India\u2019s Earthquake Vulnerability:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"822\" height=\"822\" src=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5.jpeg 822w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5-450x450.jpeg 450w, https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-5-600x600.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>75%<\/strong> <strong>of India\u2019s population<\/strong> is in seismically active regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>59% to 61%<\/strong> <strong>of landmass<\/strong> now under <strong>seismic risk<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It has been 200 years since a major quake in the central Himalayas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Staying updated with current affairs is essential for understanding disaster policies; explore daily updates at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/spmiasacademy.com\/currentaffairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Current Affairs<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Significance of the Updated Earthquake Zonation Map:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Enhanced Earthquake Preparedness:<\/strong> With more precise hazard modelling, the new map supports the creation of stronger, scientifically updated building codes, especially crucial for high-risk Himalayan regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Urgent Need for Retrofitting:<\/strong> A major takeaway is the requirement to retrofit old and vulnerable structures in Himalayan towns. This includes critical infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, government buildings, and bridges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consistency Across the Himalayan Arc:<\/strong> The update corrects long-standing gaps and underestimations present in older maps. Despite sharing similar tectonic conditions, parts of the Himalayas were previously classified inconsistently (Zones IV &amp; V). The new map brings uniformity and better reflects actual seismic risk.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sources:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/dehradun\/india-unveils-new-seismic-map-entire-himalayan-arc-now-in-highest-danger-zone\/articleshow\/125620899.cms\">https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/city\/dehradun\/india-unveils-new-seismic-map-entire-himalayan-arc-now-in-highest-danger-zone\/articleshow\/125620899.cms<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indiatoday.in\/science\/story\/india-unveils-new-quake-map-entire-himalayas-in-highest-risk-danger-zone-2827495-2025-11-28\">https:\/\/www.indiatoday.in\/science\/story\/india-unveils-new-quake-map-entire-himalayas-in-highest-risk-danger-zone-2827495-2025-11-28<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1764843184117\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>1. What is India\u2019s new earthquake zonation map?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">India\u2019s new earthquake zonation map (BIS, 2025) is an updated scientific classification of regions based on seismic hazard, introducing the highest-risk <strong>Zone VI<\/strong> and placing the entire Himalayan arc in it.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1764843199811\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>2. Why was a new earthquake zone (Zone VI) introduced?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Zone VI was added to reflect <strong>extreme seismic risk<\/strong> in the Himalayan region, correcting earlier underestimations and aligning India\u2019s standards with global scientific models.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1764843214699\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>3. How much of India is now considered earthquake-prone?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">According to the updated map, <strong>around 61% of India\u2019s landmass<\/strong> falls under moderate to high seismic hazard zones, affecting both urban and rural regions.<br\/><\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1764843234155\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>4. What method was used to design the new zonation map?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The map is based on <strong>Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA)<\/strong>, which uses fault activity, maximum possible magnitudes, tectonics, lithology, and ground-shaking attenuation to estimate realistic earthquake risk.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1764843251724\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>5. How will the new zonation map impact buildings and infrastructure?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">All new infrastructure must follow the <strong>2025 Earthquake Design Code<\/strong>, ensuring stronger, safer structures. The map also stresses urgent <strong>retrofitting<\/strong> of older buildings in Himalayan towns, especially schools, hospitals, and bridges.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) has released a new earthquake zonation map of India. The entire Himalayan regime is now the highest risk Zone<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1322,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>India\u2019s New Earthquake Zonation Map Explained 2025<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Understand India\u2019s new earthquake zonation map, updated seismic zones, and high-risk regions. 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