Gujarat gets software to detect earthquakes

Gandhinagar, Nov. 1 : The Seismological Research Institute (SRI), Gandhinagar, has acquired a German-based software that will enable geologists to detect and track trends below the surface of the earth.

With the aid of this software, this institute is now equipped with an early warning mechanism to detect probable earthquake.

The SRI was set up in to detect the movements under the ground since this region is prone to frequent tremors, the most horrifying earthquake being that of 2001.

It monitors the entire state with regular inputs from 38 Geo-Seismological centres. 11 of these have been installed with latest systems to analyse.

'Manual location of the epicentre of earthquake takes around ten minutes. Now, we have a plan of auto-location programme by which we can find out the magnitude and epicentre in 10 seconds. If a damaging earthquake initiates in Kutch region, it takes around 40 seconds for the damaging tremors to reach Gujarat,' said Dr. B.K. Rastogi, Director General, Institute of Seismological Research, Gandhinagar.

The network of permanent seismological observatories project digital broadband seismographs.

The seismic data from these observatories are downloaded at Gandhinagar via VSAT.

The seismic activity is monitored round the clock. The details of any regional earthquake are reported within few minutes.

In addition to this, a network of 40 Strong Motion Accelerographs (SMA) is also established to record strong ground motions.

Kutch area acts as an ideal case study for SRI since frequent long distance tremors occur in this region.

--ANI