DMPQ Premium- Describe the major risks of natural disasters in the state of Gujarat.

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The state of Gujarat has been facing the most overwhelming natural disasters in the last decade. These natural disasters have not just caused colossal destruction but have also paused a stop to various development programmes.

The Kutch district, which has 80.3 per cent of its areas in intensity IX Zone, has been subjected to earthquakes in India. Kutch has a long-standing history of earthquakes. Gujarat is located in the Himalayan collision zone where the Indo Australian tectonic plate slides under the more northern Eurasian plate in a predominantly northern direction at a rate of 2 centimeters per year. This process compresses the region and the crust is being forced into folds of young deposits. This process causes active fault lines below the surface of the ground known as “blind thrust faults”.

Most of the coastal areas of the state fall in the 50m/s (180km/h) wind velocity zone, other areas fall into 47m/s, 44m/s and 39m/s velocity zones. The state has experienced 24 cyclone crossings from 1850 to 2000 out of which 11 have been severe cyclonic storms. The probable maximum surge height that can be expected to strike the coast is as much as 5m above concurrent tide level. During the cyclone of 1998 there have been incidences of this height being 8 meters.

Cyclones and floods with comparatively less vulnerability of the State can be dealt effectively. Earthquake with no warning and with most of the State’s area under Zone-V to Zone-Ill, the risk involved is much higher Moreover, the Golden Corridor of Gujarat, though lying In the Moderate Damage Risk Zone (MSK VII) has the potential of great economic losses even with lower intensity earthquakes. Major Parts, the Golden Corridor and the Silver Corridor of Gujarat can prove to be ruinous if their potential of multiplier hazard is overlooked while planning out long-term mitigation and preparedness measures.

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