Gujarat lies on the ‘Himalayan collision zone’, where the Indo-Australian tectonic plate slides under the Eurasian plate. This puts the state on the active fault lines, making it prone to frequent earthquakes.

In 2023, Gujarat experienced 12 tremors in 12 months. Notably, nine of them were post-monsoon, in the months of November and December. 

According to the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) of Gujarat, all these tremors were close to an intensity of 3 on the Richter scale.

The state lies on the eight said fault lines, out of which, five of them are in Kutch. The effects of the fault lines in Kutch reach towards the north Gujarat, whereas the two fault lines in the south affect the southern ends of Saurashtra in Bhavnagar and Junagadh.

According to ISR scientists, rainwater accumulation may also contribute to some of these tremors. Most of the rainwater remains in the upper layer of the soil. As a result, hydraulic pressure can cause minor aftershocks.

Such tremors are reported in Junagadh and Valsad regions. Since the rainwater is only at the depths of two to three kilometres, the tremors in this region have an epicentre at these depths.

On the other hand, Kutch tremors register a depth of 15-20 km, clearly indicating the effects of the fault lines.

Another reason behind these tremors can be the irregularities in the groundwater levels. Before monsoon, the water is drained from the underground reservoirs during the eight months. During monsoon, the water gets accumulated again. These irregularities may also cause tremors, experts believe. However, this hypothesis needs further research.

Dr Mahesh Thakkar, who keeps a close eye on the terrain of Gujarat, especially Kutch, stated that small earthquakes are sometimes necessary. With the number of fault lines in Gujarat, there is constant activity going on underground.

Small shocks release the accumulated stress in the soil. If this tension is not released, a large earthquake of greater intensity may occur.

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