Seismic Microzonation of Urban Areas

• Post Date: Jul 08, 2025

Date: 13th Nov 2025 (Thursday)
Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (IST)
Topic: Seismic Microzonation of Urban Areas
Speaker: Dr. Kapil Mohan, Scientist-E, National Center for Seismology, MoES
Organized by: NIDM, MHA, Govt. of India & Seismic Academy (Hilti India Pvt. Ltd.)

The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), in collaboration with Seismic Academy (Hilti India), launched a National Webinar Series on “Seismic Microzonation of Urban Areas” to strengthen disaster risk reduction and promote earthquake-resilient infrastructure across India.

The session highlighted the urgent need for seismic microzonation as India’s cities expand in earthquake-prone regions. Microzonation divides regions into smaller hazard zones using geological, seismological, and soil data to predict site-specific earthquake response. This knowledge helps engineers design safer structures and guides urban planners in risk-sensitive development.

Discussion was done on global lessons from past earthquakes and India’s progress under IS 1893 guidelines. The Ministry of Earth Sciences has completed microzonation studies for 30 major cities, producing hazard maps, liquefaction and landslide risk maps, and site classifications through advanced surveys and GIS analysis. Cities like Delhi and Kolkata already use these outputs for planning and design.

The webinar emphasized microzonation’s role in safe site selection, land-use planning, building code improvements, and emergency preparedness. Future priorities include nationwide coverage, integration into codes, and public awareness to build earthquake-resilient cities.