No quake risk in Goa

Sandesh Prabhudesai
29 January 2001  



The Goa-based Meteorological Observatory has ruled out any possibility of the coastal Konkan coming under seismic pressure, including the tourist state of Goa.

S R Bajpai, the director of the India Meteorological Observatory here, dismissed the possibility expressed by some seismologists that the whole west coast from Gujarat to Kerala would face tremors by April.

"No doubt Goa or the neighbouring Konkan region of Maharashtra and Karnataka falls under moderate risk zone number 3, but the region is not under stress", says Bajpai.

Since the disastrous earthquake of 26 January morning, Goa has recorded only 20 aftershocks as the distance is almost 930 kms from the epicentre at Bhuj in Gujarat, which falls under very high risk zone numbered at 5.

"Goa has the slightest risk", says Bajpai confidently as the tourist state is still filled with thousands of tourists travelled down from all parts of India as well as the world. Though the peak season is over, the season runs here till March end.

The Goa-based observatory speaks for the prime area of the Konkan belt as other observatories are situated at Mangalore towards the South while the northward centre is at Karhad in Maharashtra.

The closest risk-prone seismic zone is at Koyna falling under high risk category, which is around 200 kms from here. Latur, which is however categorised similar to Goa as the moderate risk zone, is almost 500 kms whereas Bhuj - the very high risk zone - is 930 kms away from the coastal state.

Bajpai however admits that earthquakes are sometimes unpredictable as Bangalore, 314 kms from Goa, recorded a mild shock for 35 seconds in spite of the area falling under no risk zone. He however finds no reason to predict tremors in coastal Konkan region in the near future.

Meanwhile, the tiny tourist state smaller than the smallest district of Maharashtra, has also released Rs 25 lakh as relief fund for the quake-hit people while also preparing a medical team of 20 doctors to leave for Gujarat.

Besides two leading local newspapers raising the relief fund, several social organisations have also started preparing itself to collect the relief, either in cash or kind.

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