Bihar earthquake — LLMpedia

Bihar earthquake
Name	Bihar earthquake

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Bihar earthquake

The Bihar earthquake refers to significant seismic events affecting the Indian state of Bihar and adjacent regions in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan, with impacts felt across the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayan foreland. Seismicity in the area links to the interaction of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate, producing earthquakes that have influenced historical polities such as the Mughal Empire, the British Raj, and modern states including the Republic of India. Major events prompted responses from institutions like the Indian Meteorological Department, the National Disaster Management Authority (India), and the United Nations agencies.

Tectonic setting

Bihar lies within the northern plains near the active collision zone between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate, adjacent to the Himalayas, the Main Frontal Thrust, and other structures such as the Main Boundary Thrust and the Main Central Thrust. The region is influenced by the Bengal Basin, the Ganges Plain, and subsurface features including the Siwalik Hills and the Sub-Himalayan thrusts. Seismotectonic processes involve strain accumulation on faults like the Moradabad Fault and the Munger-Saharsa Fault complex, with seismic hazard assessments conducted by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services and the Geological Survey of India. Plate convergence rates derived from Global Positioning System networks and studies published by the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and the National Geophysical Research Institute inform models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change only indirectly through hazard frameworks.

Historical records from the Mughal Empire chronicles, Ain-i-Akbari-era writings, and later British East India Company reports document earthquakes affecting sites such as Patna, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Bhagalpur. Colonial-era compilations by the India Meteorological Department and surveys by the Survey of India catalogued events alongside reports from institutions like the Royal Society and the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Paleoseismology studies by the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology used trenching and radiocarbon dating to extend catalogs beyond instrumental records, complementing accounts preserved in archives at the National Archives of India and the British Library. Seismological digitization efforts at the International Seismological Centre and seismic catalogs maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey integrate these sources.

Notable events include strong historical earthquakes recorded near Patna, the 1934 Bihar–Nepal earthquake that devastated Calcutta-era infrastructures, and subsequent tremors cataloged by the India Meteorological Department and the United States Geological Survey. The 1934 event prompted investigations by seismologists affiliated with the Imperial College London, the Indian Institute of Science, and the Seismological Society of America. Other significant shocks affecting Darbhanga and Saharsa were analyzed in journals such as the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America and publications from the National Geophysical Research Institute. Modern moderate events recorded on networks managed by the Global Seismographic Network and regional arrays at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee informed hazard maps issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards and academic studies by researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Impacts of major earthquakes have included collapse of heritage structures at Golghar (Patna), damage to infrastructure such as bridges on the Ganges and Kosi rivers, disruption to railways operated by Indian Railways and roads maintained by the National Highways Authority of India, and effects on institutions including the Patna High Court and hospitals affiliated with Patna Medical College and Hospital. Damage assessments by the National Disaster Response Force and humanitarian agencies like United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs documented casualties, displacement in districts such as Saran district and Purnia district, and economic losses affecting sectors represented by bodies like the Reserve Bank of India and the State Bank of India. Cultural heritage sites connected to dynasties including the Maurya Empire and the Kushana Empire experienced degradation, prompting conservation input from the Archaeological Survey of India.

Emergency response has involved coordination among the National Disaster Management Authority (India), the National Disaster Response Force, state agencies such as the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, and international partners including United Nations Development Programme and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Recovery and reconstruction engaged the Ministry of Home Affairs (India), the Ministry of Urban Development (India), development banks like the World Bank, and nongovernmental organizations such as CARE International and Oxfam. Reconstruction programs incorporated building codes from the Bureau of Indian Standards, retrofitting guidelines from the National Institute of Disaster Management, and academic input from universities including Banaras Hindu University and Patna University.

Seismological monitoring is conducted by networks operated by the India Meteorological Department, the National Centre for Seismology, and international collaborations with the U.S. Geological Survey and the International Seismological Centre. Preparedness efforts include public education campaigns by the National Disaster Management Authority (India), school programs inspired by initiatives from the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, earthquake-resistant design standards from the Bureau of Indian Standards, and early warning research at institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and the Indian Institute of Science. Advances in geodesy from the National Geophysical Research Institute and sensor deployments in partnership with the Global Seismographic Network aim to improve hazard maps used by municipal bodies such as the Patna Municipal Corporation and regional planners at the Ministry of Home Affairs (India).

Category:Earthquakes in India Category:Disasters in Bihar