Prediction: Prepare for earthquake 8.0 & above
A week after studies by Oregon State University suggested that J&K is ripe for a major quake that could endanger the lives of a million people, Governor NN Vohra has urged Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to take personal cognizance and dilemma firm directives to each and every stakeholder to forthwith start preparing for coping with an earthquake of 8.0 magnitude and above.
In a letter to the CM, the Governor has re-iterated that J&K is predominantly located Seismic Zone-V “ and our folks had, as recently as, in the 2005 quake, endured significant losses.” Noting the result of the administrative system to the September 2014 floodings, the Governor expressed concern that “we were absolutely unprepared on all fronts.”
The Governor has urged the SDMA must take urgent and time headed steps for strengthening all potential structural/non-structural mitigation measures to reduce the threat exposure in every part of the State, particularly the two capital cities and all the other thickly inhabited high risk urban areas. Side by side, the various urban administration authorities, governmental and elected, shall have to strictly apply a techno-legal regime to ensure quake bouncy structural measures in every new construction, and, side by side, retrofitting of all life-line structures, particularly hospitals, schools, colleges, universities, railway stations, airports and buildings housing important government offices.
