JOURNAL GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF INDIA

Vol.82, August 2013, pp.103-106

Active Fault Mapping: An Initiative towards Seismic

Hazard Assessment in India
MITHILA VERMA and B. K. BANSAL
Ministry of Earth Sciences, Lodhi Road, New Delhi - 110 003
Email: mverma.moes@gmail.com
Abstract: Identification and characterization of active faults and deciphering their seismic potential are of vital importance
in seismic hazard assessment of any region. Seismic vulnerability of India is well known as more than 60 % of its area
lies in high hazard zones due to the presence of major active faults in its plate boundaries and continental interiors,
which produced large earthquakes in the past and have potential to generate major earthquakes in future. The safety of
critical establishments, like Power plants, Refinaries and other lifeline structures is a major concern in these areas and
calls for a better characterization of these faults to help mitigate the impact of future earthquakes. The paper provides a
brief overview of the work carried out in India on active fault research, its limitations and immediate priorities.

INTRODUCTION

The Indian subcontinent is an assemblage of highly

diverse seismotectonic set-up, ranging from the tectonically
stable cratonic regions to the mobile orogenic and subduction
belts. These regions are exposed to varying degree of
seismicity since historical times, which has been responsible
for huge loss of life and property inspite of the low
population density in the olden times. A large earthquake,
however, in the present time may cause devastation due to
high population density and rapid infrastructural
development. Since the current scientific knowledge is not
sufficient to forecast the earthquake, the major thrust is now
on accurate assessment of seismic hazard to work out the
earthquake risk reduction strategies. An earthquake occurs
when there is displacement of two blocks of rocks along a
fault or weak zone; the fault which is responsible for
seismic activity in the geologically recent period and has
the potential for reactivation in future, is known as active
fault. Mapping of such faults, i.e. identification and
characterization therefore, becomes an integral part of any
exercise related to seismic hazard assessment of any
region. The current scenario of seismic hazard assessment
in India (Verma and Bansal, 2013) however, is slightly
different and not much importance is attached to active
fault studies.
In India, most of the major faults/ fault zones are
considered to be active and have potential to generate large
earthquakes in future. Various fault zones which may be
responding to the present crustal deformation processes are
known to be the site of large earthquakes in different regions

like, Main Central Thrust MCT), Main Boundary Thrust

(MBT) and Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT) in the
Himalayan collision zone; Mishmi thrust, Lohit thrust, Kopili
fault in the Northeast Indian region; two rift zones i.e. the
Narmada-Son-Tapti and Godavari in the peninsular India;
the Allah Band fault, Kachchh Mainland fault, Katrol hill
fault, and newly ruptured Bhuj fault in the western Indian
region and faults in Andaman-Sumatra subduction zone are
seismogenic in nature and were sources of large earthquakes
in the past (Fig.1). These regions host large cities with
population of more than a million with large industrial
complexes, life line structures and other vital facilities. Many
faults have their extension through urban centers that calls
for better characterization of these faults to help mitigate
the impact of future earthquakes. In addition, many faults
have the surface manifestation of active faulting like, the
1819 Kachchh (Mw 7.8) event which produced one of the
most spectacular coseismic rupture along an 80 km long
segment of a fault in north Gujarat. Here, the vast salt
encrusted plain of the Great Rann was up heaved and
subsequently named as Allah Band (Oldham, 1926). The
Great Shillong earthquake of 1897 of Mw 8.7 induced
surface rupture named as the Chidrang fault in the Garo
hills (Oldham, 1899). The 1993 Killari earthquake (Mw 6.3)
deformed the ground surface in a 100 m wide zone (Gupta
et al. 1993; Pande et al. 1994). The recent Bhuj earthquake
of 26 January 2001 (Mw 7.7) also induced rupturing along
a 500 m segment of the Kachch Mainland fault and along
some transverse lineaments (Pande et al. 2003).
Some of the existing faults are seismogenic in nature

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MITHILA VERMA AND B. K. BANSAL

Fig.1. Seismo-tectonic map of India and adjoining regions depicting epicentral locations of the earthquakes from the period 819-2008;

broadly classified tectonic provinces viz; subduction zones, Himalayan Collision zone, active intraplate zone and stable continental
region are delineated with different shades. The map also shows major active faults in different tectonic domains of the country
(modified after Nath and Thingbaijam, 2012)

and have been the source of a large number of small

earthquakes, in the past, in different parts of the country.
These faults also need to be studied in detail, to estimate
their potential for generating major earthquakes in future. It
is also observed that most of the faults have very long
recurrence intervals, i.e. thousands to tens of thousands of
years, whereas, seismic records are available only for
hundreds to thousands of years. Therefore, identification,
characterization, and mapping of active faults attain
importance, especially, for seismic hazard zonation and other
seismotectonic studies.
Current Status of Active Fault Studies in India

Geological Survey of India (GSI), which is mainly

engaged in geological mapping, mineral exploration and
earthquake related studies, has taken up active fault
investigations along some of the known tectonic
discontinuities in different seismotectonic domains of the
country. Various active faults were identified using strip
geological mapping, geomorphological and paleoseismological investigations. The work done by GSI in the
past 40 years has been compiled in the form of an Atlas

entitled Seismotectonic Atlas of India and its Environs

(Dasgupta et al. 2000). This Atlas contains several
seismotectonic maps of different parts of India prepared on
1:1million scale. As per the information contained in this
Atlas, about 67 active faults of regional extent exist in the
country; out of which, 15 of them exist in the Himalayan
belt, trending both parallel and transverse to it. Most of these
came into existence during the terminal phase of the
Himalayan orogeny and still participate in the strain
accumulation and its release. Also, about 16 tectonically
active faults have been delineated in the Indo-Gangetic and
Brahmaputra plains, which are generally concealed under a
thick mantle of alluvium. The Peninsular India is marked
by the presence of about 30 neotectonic faults, confined
mostly in the palaeo-rift systems. The Andaman and Nicobar
Group of islands, falling under Zone V of the Seismic Zoning
Map of India, are characterized by the presence of three
N-S trending faults of regional extent and two active faults
in the NE region. In addition, there are some hidden faults
which also contribute for seismicity of the country (see also
www.portal.gsi.gov.in).
Besides, some work in this area has been carried out by
JOUR.GEOL.SOC.INDIA, VOL.82, AUGUST 2013

ACTIVE FAULT MAPPING: AN INITIATIVE TOWARDS SEISMIC HAZARD ASSESSMENT IN INDIA

individual researchers. The active tectonics in Himalaya,

particularly of the sub-Himalaya which is reflected by many
geomorphological features such as river terraces, alluvial
fans, streams and ridges, triangular facets, sag ponds and
structurally controlled drainage pattern etc., has received
considerable attention. Nakata (1989) indentified the active
faults of the Himalaya in India and Nepal. Neotectonic
activity in the Himalayan belt was further investigated by
Valdiya (1984; 1993). Geomorphic signatures for active
tectonics were observed in the Trans-Yamuna segment of
the western Doon valley, NW Himalaya by Philip (1995)
and Phillip and Sah (1999). Many new active faults were
identified and investigated by individual researchers to
estimate their recurrence intervals on the basis of
geomorphological, geological, remote-sensing, geophysical
and paleoseismological investigations etc. in different
tectonically active regions of the country. For example, Joshi
and Tandon (1987); Wenousky et al. (1999); Malik and
Nakata (2003); Kumar et al. (2006, 2010); Malik et al.
(2010); and Dasgupta et al. (2013) worked in Himalayan
region. Sukhija et al. (2006); Rajendran et al. (2001); Joshi
et al. (2013) presented results for the Indian shield region.
Also, several large earthquakes and their relationship with
active faulting, e.g. 1934 Bihar, Nepal, 1950 Assam, 2005
Kashmir, 2004 Andaman Sumatra, 1993 Killari, 2001 Bhuj
and 2011 Sikkim earthquakes have been investigated using
advanced techniques.
Future Roadmap

There has been significant advancement of our

knowledge about the active faults during the last few years.
The new techniques viz., InSAR, GPR and GPS etc. have
helped in better quantification. Many new near surface faults
have been delineated using GPR and the GPS based geodetic
technique and is being used to estimate the slip rate and
strain accumulation along the major faults in different parts
of the country. However, most of the studies so far have
been carried out in a piece-meal manner and lack detailed
information in terms of fault type; its spatial extent; dip;
strike; age; slip rate; age and magnitude of last event it
generated; recurrence interval and dating method etc. and

105

calls for a precise characterization/ quantification of such

faults. Also, uncertainty in predictive values of recurrence
interval and magnitude of earthquake event is another
important factor, which requires attention for developing
the site specific hazard scenario.
Active fault mapping, being the important input for
seismic hazard assessment, needs to be taken up in an
integrated/ systematic manner. Recognizing this fact and to
meet the countrys requirement to address seismic hazard
associated with its diverse tectonic regimes, Ministry of
Earth Sciences (MoES) plans to launch a dedicated
programme to undertake Active Fault mapping in the country
in a more systematic and comprehensive way. Following
are the important objectives of this programme:
Define and categorize the active faults in Indian
perspective.
Develop common methodologies for the field mapping,
trenching/logging and dating event horizons such as
fault-slip, colluvial wedges, fault gouge, paleoliquefaction etc.
Generation of composite data and ensure its availability
to the users in a GIS compatible format.
Preparation of active fault maps of different regions
and the country as a whole.
The programme will be implemented in multiinstitutional mode in a phased manner, starting from NW
and Central Himalaya. The Himalayan foothills; Northeast
Himalaya; Shillong Plateau; Kachchh region, Saurashtra and
other rift basins and cratonic regions showing mild persistent
seismicity are some of the priority areas for the future active
fault studies. A national database would also be created on
active faults in appropriate GIS format. We hope that data
accrued under this programme would not only help in
accurate seismic hazard assessment, but will also provide
important inputs for land use planning, urban development
and as well as for developing new relationships for earthquake resistant design of the structures.
Acknowledgements: Authors express their gratitude
to Secretary, MoES for his constant support and encouragement.

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(Received: 2 April 2013; Revised form accepted: 3 June 2013)

JOUR.GEOL.SOC.INDIA, VOL.82, AUGUST 2013