National Centre for Seismology launches app India Quake for Earthquake Parameter Dissemination

Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Environment, Forests & Climate Change, on 27 July 2017 launched an app India Quake for Earthquake Parameter Dissemination.

The minister launched the application on the occasion of Foundation Day of Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi.

Key highlights of India Quake

The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) operates national seismological network with 84 stations. These stations are connected to NCS headquarter through Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) for real time data communication. In the event of an earthquake, NCS locates them using data from its network and disseminate earthquake parameters to all the concerned government department and other stake holders through SMS, email and fax. However, this causes delay in dissemination and also restricts the number of recipients.

To overcome this, the NCS developed a Mobile App India Quake for automatic dissemination of earthquake parameter (location, time and magnitude) after the occurrence of earthquakes.

The App will make information dissemination faster with no restrictions on the number of recipients.

Any citizen can download this App and get the real time earthquake location information on his/her mobile.

Other than scientific and administrative benefits of the App, it will help in reducing panic amongst people during an earthquake. For instance, if an earthquake occurs in Hindukush region, Afghanistan and is strongly felt in Delhi, then people in Delhi will know in less than 2 minutes that the earthquake has actually occurred in Afghanistan and not in Delhi.

About National Centre for Seismology

• The National Centre for Seismology is an office of the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences.

• It is tasked with providing earthquake monitoring and hazard reports to governmental agencies.

• The NCS includes five divisions. They are: Earthquake Monitoring & Services, Earthquake Hazard & Risk Assessment, and Geophysical Observation System.

• The NCS’ objective is to improve understanding of earthquake processes and their effects through seismological research and monitoring.