Perspective:India Unveils New Seismic Map | 28 November, 2025

In This episode of perspective, we focus on a development that could reshape the way India builds, plans and protects lives, especially in its most fragile regions.

India has released a major update to its national seismic zonation map under the revised Earthquake Design Code.

For the first time ever, the entire Himalayan arc has been placed in the highest-risk category, Zone VI. The overhaul shows that 61% of the country now falls under moderate to high earthquake hazard zones, meaning well over two-thirds of India’s population is now living in seismically active regions.

Scientists say this is one of the most significant seismic assessment revisions in decades. It brings uniformity to the Himalayan belt, which earlier was split across Zones IV and V despite sharing similar tectonic stresses.

The Bureau of Indian Standards, which released the map, has urged all new construction to immediately adopt the 2025 code, not the 2016 one — because the way we build from this point forward could determine the scale of future disasters.

Guests:
1- Dr. Vineet Gahalaut, Director of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology and former Director of the National Centre for Seismology
2- Professor Mahendra Pratap Bisht, Head of the Department of Geology at HNB Garhwal University

Anchor: Teena Jha
Producer: Aruna Thakur
Guest Coordinator: Deepti Vashisht, Vinod Kumar Singh, Paras Kandpal

#nationalseismiczonationmap #earthquakes #himalayas

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