Quake on double fault line minimized impact: Study

Rajkot: The earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale with epicentre in Bhachau in Kutch could have been damaging had it not been on a double fault line, believe scientists at department of earth and environment science of Krantiguru Shyamji Krishna Verma Kachchh University also know as Kutch university.
They said that epicentre of Sunday’s quake and that of the devastating earthquake of 2001 (6.9 on Richter scale) were both near the South Wagad fault line (SWF) near Bhachau.
Professor M G Thakkar, head of department of earth and environment science at Kutch university said “The 2001 quake occurred at single fault zone, while Sunday’s earthquake was on double fault zone system.”
He explained, “The (Sunday’s) quake did not cause damage because the stress which accumulated was absorbed in double fault line. The surface wave got absorbed, and energy dissipation was much more then in case of single fault zone.”
According to Thakkar, the last earthquake of similar magnitude above 5 on Richter scale was felt in 2012 from Kutch basin. It had also triggered panic among the people who had rushed out of houses. “This earthquake was on double fault line, one is South Wagad and other is Kanthkot fault line which is 30km in the north,” he added.
Thakkar said that the other differences between Sunday’s quake and 2001 quake was that the former quake was cleo focus quake that means it was not much deeper, just 10km deep. While the 2001 quake was 20 to 22km below the surface.
Over a dozen after shocks have been reported till 4am on Sunday ranging from 2.2 to 3.7 on Ricther scale and five after shocks were felt on Monday. “These after shocks give us proof that this is a new earth quake. The fault line was not very long but it activated other segment of SWF,” Thakkar added.