UTTARKASHI EARTHQUAKE SWARM

GS3 DISASTER MANAGEMENT

• Recent Activity: Nine minor quakes hit Uttarkashi between January 24 and February 3, 2025, sparking local concern.
• What is an Earthquake Swarm? A series of similar-magnitude tremors in a short period, without a distinct mainshock.
• Geological Context: Located in India’s high-risk seismic Zone IV, Uttarkashi is prone to tectonic stresses from the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. A major quake in 1991 caused over 700 fatalities.
• Impacts: Minor tremors have triggered landslides in the Varunavat hills, posing risks to local infrastructure, though they do not eliminate the threat of a larger quake.