Earthquakes that occur in India majorly fall under the category of high frequency, reaching beyond 8.0. The north-eastern zone and the Himalayan ranges are highly prone to great earthquakes that touch the magnitude of 8.0. Moreover, the count of moderate earthquakes is comparatively low.

This article delves more into the phenomenon and highlights the earthquake zones in India.

An earthquake is a phenomenon that involves shaking of the earth’s surface, which results from the release of energy accumulated in lithospheric or crustal plates.

The earth’s surface or crust is divided into seven major plates. These plates are approximately 50 miles thick, which moves slowly and consistently over other minor plates. Due to the sudden violent shaking of moving plates, earthquakes hit the topmost level of the earth, causing seismic waves.

Individuals asking about how many seismic zones there are in India can get complete knowledge from this section.

According to the seismic zoning map of the country, India is divided into four seismic zones. Also known as earthquake zones, these seismic zones are formed on the basis of scientific inputs related to the following:

• The Seismicity or the Frequency of Earthquakes in a Region
• Earthquakes That Have Hit the Country in the Past

The four zones of earthquake in India, as discussed below:

• Seismic Zone II: Zone II is classified as the low-damage risk zone. This is the least seismically active zone, meaning the areas that fall under these zones in India have a low chance of having an earthquake. Zone II covers earthquake-prone areas, which are 41% of India. Here, the Indian Standard (IS) Code allots a zone factor of 0.10.
• Seismic Zone III: Seismic Zone 3/III is classified as the moderate-damage risk zone. Here, the IS Code allots 0.16 to this zone. Zone III, or moderate earthquake zone, covers 30% of India.
• Seismic Zone IV: Zone IV is considered the high-damage risk zone. The IS Code allots 0.24 to this zone. Moreover, 18% of the total area of the country belongs to Zone IV.
• Seismic Zone V: Zone V has the highest risk of damaging earthquakes. The IS Code has assigned a factor of 0.36 for this very high-risk damage zone. Around 11% of India falls under Zone V.  

Note: There are no cities in India which fall under Seismic Zone I

The above-mentioned list of earthquake zones in India gives a comprehensive knowledge of the different zones and total areas they cover.  Let us now take a look at the top 10 cities prone to an earthquake.

Below are listed the 10 earthquake danger zones in India. Take a look!

• Delhi
• Kolkata, West Bengal
• Guwahati, Assam
• Bhuj, Gujarat
• Imphal, Manipur
• Amritsar, Punjab
• Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir
• Port Blair, Andaman and Niccobar Islands
• Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana
• Dehradun, Uttarakhand
• Darbhanga, Bihar
• Kohima, Nagaland
• Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
• Sadiya, Assam
• Tezpur, Assam
• Jorhat, Assam

Now, let’s talk about the various Indian cities and the earthquake zones they fall under.

Residents of earthquake-prone regions in India can consider buying an earthquake insurance policy to protect their homes from natural calamity. Moreover, they must note here that an earthquake insurance policy falls under a home insurance policy.

A home insurance policy completely covers the damages caused by natural calamities like earthquakes. You can buy a home insurance policy for a period of one year or the long term. Buying such a plan for your resident can offer the following benefits:

• Coverage for costs of rebuilding damaged property or repairing it
• In cases where the property is severely damaged, the owners are provided with an alternative living space for the period of reconstruction.
• Coverage against losses and damages caused to valuable items in the property
• Coverage against losses and damages caused due to earthquake-induced fire

By now, you must have gained a solid understanding of the earthquake zones in India. Therefore, identify the earthquake zone and city you live in and buy an insurance policy accordingly.