Earthquakes in Gujarat, India

State - Gujarat, India
Capital - Gandhinagar
State Population - 50,596,992 (2001)

Million+ Cities
Ahmedabad - pop. 3,515,361
Surat - pop. 2,433,787
Vadodara - pop. 1,306,035

Population per district (Top 5)
Ahmedabad - pop. 5,816,519
Surat - pop. 4,995,174
Vadodara (Baroda) - pop. 3,641,802
Rajkot - pop. 3,169,881
Banas Kantha - pop. 2,504,244

Earthquake History
In peninsula India the state of Gujarat, along with Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, has suffered from frequent earthquakes, both deadly and damaging, although not located on or near any plate boundaries. All the earthquakes here, as in all of peninsula India, are intraplate events. Several active faults have been identified (3) in the state. In the Rann of Kachchh, close to the Pakistani border, lies the Allahbund Fault. Lying almost parallel to it, but further south, near Pachham and Khudar Islands in the Great Rann lie the Nagar Parkar, Island Belt and the Banni Faults. Along the spine of the Kachchh mainland, runs the Kachchh Mainland Fault. Other faults run along the coasts of Kachchh and Saurashtra, the Narmada and Tapti Deltas and in the northern Kathiawar peninsula. The Cambay Graben, runs from the Gulf of Khambat upto the border with Pakistan, north-west of Radhanpur. However, it must be stated that proximity to faults does not necessarily translate into a higher hazard as compared to areas located further away, as damage from earthquakes depends on numerous factors such as subsurface geology as well as adherence to the building codes.

Seismic Hazard

The seismic hazard map of India was updated in 2000 (6) by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). There are no changes in the new map as compared to the BIS 1984 map for the state of Gujarat. Most of the district of Kachchh lies in Zone V. MSK intensities in excess of IX can be expected in this district. Some parts of eastern Kachchh, along with western sections of Banaskantha and Mehsana districts and northern parts of Jamnagar, Rajkot and Surendranagar districts lie in Zone IV. The maximum MSK expected here would be VIII. All the remaining districts lie in Zone III, where the maximum intensity expected would be around MSK VII. It must be noted that BIS estimates the hazard, based in part, on previous known earthquakes. Since the earthquake database in India is still incomplete, especially with regards to earthquakes prior to the historical period (before 1800 A.D.), these zones offer a rough guide of the earthquake hazard in any particular region and need to be regularly updated (See also: GSHAP Hazard Map for Gujarat).

Largest Instrumented Earthquake in Rajasthan
26 January 2001 - Bhachau-Chobari (Bhuj) area, Gujarat, Mw 7.7 (14)
23.442 N, 70.310 E, D=16.0 kms, OT=03:16:40 UTC (14)
A major earthquake struck Gujarat at 08:46 AM local time resulting in close to 13,823 deaths and extensive damage to property in Gujarat. Damage to a lesser extent also occurred in the adjoining states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan in India and in Sindh province, Pakistan.

Significant Earthquakes in Rajasthan
The following list briefly outlines known earthquakes in this region which either had observed intensities of VI or higher (historical events) or had known magnitudes of M5.5 or more (instrumented events). General locations are provided for historical events for which "generalized" epicentral co-ordinates are available. Some events which were significant for other reasons are also included. This list will be updated whenever newer information is available. Please note that Magnitude and Intensity are NOT THE SAME. All events are within the state or union territory covered on this page unless stated otherwise.

Acronyms Used:
D=Depth, OT=Origin Time, Mw=Moment Magnitude, Ms=Surface Wave magnitude, Mb=Body Wave Magnitude, ML=Local Magnitude, M?=Magnitude Type unknown

29 August 1636 - Surat area, Gujarat.
Maximum observed intensity III (7). Felt distinctly for around 30 seconds (7).

February 1705 - Bhavnagar-Gogha area, Gujarat.
Maximum observed intensity XI (7). Vivid descriptions of ground fissures indicate a lower intensity value of VIII or IX.

16 June 1819 - Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat, Mw 8.2 (1).
23.60 N, 69.60 E (3)
About 2,000 people were killed and dozens of towns and villages were destroyed in Kachchh and adjoining parts of southern Pakistan. The earthquake resulted in great surface deformation including a 90-kilometres stretch of land which was uplifted about several metres, called the Allah Bund. The shock was felt throughout the Sub-continent as far as Chennai and Kolkata.

13 August 1821 - Kheda-Nadiad area, Gujarat.
22.700 N, 72.700 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity V (14). This area is located to the south-east of Ahmedabad.

20 July 1828 - Bhuj-Anjar area, Gujarat.
23.200 N, 69.900 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity VI (14).

26 April 1848 - Disa area, Gujarat.
24.400 N, 72.200 E (3)
Maximum observed intensity VII (3). This is often referred to as the Mt. Abu earthquake.

29 April 1864 - Dewan-Khambat area, Gujarat.
22.300 N, 72.800 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity VII (14). This area is located to the west of Vadodara.

14 April 1872 - Bhavnagar area, Gujarat.
21.767 N, 72.233 E (15)
Maximum observed intensity VI (15).

14 January 1903 - Kunria area, Gujarat, Ms 6.0 (3).
24.000 N, 70.000 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity VII (14). This area is located to the north-east of Bhuj in the Rann of Kachchh.

15 August 1906 - North of Bakhasar, Rajasthan, Mw 6.2 (18)
27.500 N, 70.250 E, 10:43:56.0 UTC (18)
Felt widely along the Indo-Pakistan border, Sindh, and Gujarat. It was felt for several seconds in Rajputana, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad and around the Gulf of Khambat. It was felt at Mirpur, Pakistan.

12 July 1907 - Tharpakar, Pakistan, Mw 5.6 (18)
25.000 N, 70.000 E, 17:20 UTC (18)
Maximum observed intensity VI (14). Felt in Sindh, Pakistan and at Ahmedabad and Jodhpur, India.

21 April 1919 - Hebatpur-Bhavnagar area, Gujarat.
22.000 N, 72.000 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity VIII (14).

20 July 1935 - Gulf of Khambat, Gujarat.
21.000 N, 72.400 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity VII (14). This area is located to the west of Surat.

June 1938 - Jhinjuwada-Vadgam area, Gujarat.
23.300 N, 71.700 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity VI (14). This area is located to the west of Ahmedabad.

14 July 1938 - Dhandhulka-Limbdi area, Gujarat.
22.400 N, 71.800 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity VI (14). This area is located to the south-west of Ahmedabad.

19 July 1938 - Dhandhulka-Limbdi area, Gujarat.
22.400 N, 71.800 E (2)
Maximum observed intensity VI (2). This area is located to the south-west of Ahmedabad.

23 July 1938 - Dhandhulka-Limbdi area, Gujarat.
22.400 N, 71.800 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity VII (14). Felt at Rajkot, Morbi and Vikramgad (9). This earthquake is also refered to as the Paliyad earthquake. This area is located to the south-west of Ahmedabad.

1940 - Umia-Luna area, Gujarat, Ms 5.8 (3).
23.700 N, 69.100 E (3)
This area is located to the east of Lakhpat and to the west of Bhuj. This earthquake might be the same as the following event reported in northern Saurashtra for which no magnitude is available.

31 October 1940 - Dhrol-Jamnagar area, Gujarat.
22.500 N, 70.400 E (2)
Maximum observed intensity VI (2). This earthquake might be the same as the previous event reported in Kachchh for which no date (day and month) or origin times are available.

27 November 1945 - Off the Makran coast, Pakistan, Mw 8.0 (10)
24.500 N, 63.000 E, D=025.0 kms, OT=21:56 UTC (10)
At least 2000 people killed in southern Pakistan and neighbouring Iran. Tsunamis with heights of 12 meters struck the Makran coast. Damage also occurred at Ormara. Tsunamis with heights in excess of 6 metres were also observed in Kachchh.

14 June 1950 - Tharad-Jhajham area, Gujarat, M? 5.6 (14).
24.000 N, 71.200 E (14)
Maximum observed intensity V (14).

21 July 1956 - Bhadreshwar-Anjar area, Gujarat, Mw 6.0 (11).
23.000 N, 70.000 E, OT=15:32:25 UTC (2)
Maximum observed intensity IX (3). 115 people were killed and hundreds injured. 1,350 buildings were destroyed (3) at Anjar alone. Felt (3) over an area with a radius of 330 kilometres and as far as Hyderabad (Pakistan).

01 September 1962 - Khed Brahma-Vadali area, Gujarat, Ms 5.0 (3).
23.000 N, 73.000 E (3)
This event was located north of Himatnagar in north Gujarat, along the border with Rajasthan.

23 March 1970 - Ankleshwar-Bharuch area, Gujarat, Mw 5.4 (11).
21.600 N, 72.960 E, D=008.0 kms, OT=01:53:01 UTC (3)
Maximum observed intensity VII (3). 26 people were killed and 200 people were injured in this earthquake, in Bharuch and the neighbouring villages. There was heavy damage (3) in Bharuch city. Ground fissures (3) were reported over a distance of 20 kilometres and large amounts of water and sand was emitted from them. The quake was also felt (3) in Ankleshwar, Bhavnagar, Surat and Vadodara.

26 March 1975 - Arabian Sea, Mb 5.2 (17).
19.754 N, 68.398 E, D=033.0 kms, OT=16:19:19 UTC (17)
This earthquake was located 245 kilometres south-west of Porbander and 475 kilometres west of Mumbai.

24 August 1993 - Arabian Sea, Mb 4.9 (3).
20.700 E, 71.440 E, D=029.0 kms, OT=17:47:30 UTC (3)
This event was located in the Gulf of Khambat, to the west of Surat, Gujarat. This earthquake was felt widely in south-eastern Gujarat and parts of coastal Maharashtra. In Gujarat, people rushed out into the open at Ankleshwar, Bardoli, Bharuch and Bulsar. It was felt strongly (MM V) at Rajula. It was also felt (MM IV) at Amreli, Bhavnagar and Surat. In Maharashtra, it was felt (MM III) in Mumbai. Reports of tremors were received from Bandra, Chembur, Juhu, Kandivili and Prabhadevi. The shock was perceived over an area with a radius of 250 kilometres.

12 September 2000 - Bhavnagar area, Gujarat, ML 3.8 (5)
21.680 N, 72.123 E, OT=00:53:27 UTC (5)
1 person was injured and scores of buildings were damaged in the largest shock in a seismic swarm that began in 1999 and began to peak in August 2000. Most of the recorded events  were below magnitude 3.0 but due to the fact that they were shallow in origin and also because they were located very close to a densely populated area (Bhavnagar) most of them were felt strongly enough to cause panic. Many people left Bhavnagar during the swarm and transportation services heading out of the city were swamped by fleeing residents.

26 January 2001 - Bhachau-Chobari (Bhuj) area, Gujarat, Mw 7.7 (5)
23.442 N, 70.310 E, D=16.0 kms, OT=03:16:40 UTC (5)
A major earthquake struck Gujarat at 08:46 AM local time resulting in close to 13,823 deaths and extensive damage to property in Gujarat. Damage to a lesser extent also occurred in the adjoining states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan in India and in Sindh province, Pakistan.

28 January 2001 - Suvi-Rapar area, Gujarat, Mw 5.8 (5)
23.532 N, 70.598 E, D=10.0 kms, OT=01:02:10 UTC (5)
A moderate to strong aftershock struck Gujarat, at 06:32 AM local time causing considerable panic in Gujarat, India. Tremors were also felt in adjoining parts of Maharashtra & Rajasthan.

08 February 2001 - Suvi-Chobari area, Gujarat, ML 5.1 (5)
23.693 N, 70.400 E, OT=16:54:42 UTC (5)
Many injured at Ahmedabad after jumping from buildings in panic.

05 August 2003 - Suvi area, Gujarat, Mw 5.0 (5)
23.640 N, 70.230 E, D=010.0 kms, OT=11:08:03 UTC (5)
A moderate earthquake struck Gujarat, India, on 5 August 2003 at 16:38 PM local time causing minor damage in eastern Kachchh and considerable panic elsewhere Gujarat, India. The earthquake had a magnitude of Mw=5.0.

07 March 2006 - Mouna area, Gujarat, Mw 5.5 (10)
23.768 N, 70.853 E, D=018.0 kms, OT=10:20:46 UTC (10)
A moderate earthquake struck the eastern Great Rann in Gujarat, India, on 7 March 2006 at 23:50 PM local time causing a few injuries and minor damage to property in Rapar taluka, India. The earthquake had a magnitude of Mw=5.5 and is the strongest earthquake in this immediate region since a Mw=5.8 aftershock on 28 January 2001 from the Bhuj earthquake in January 2001.

06 April 2006 - Vondh area, Gujarat, Mw 5.5 (10)
23.308 N, 70.444 E, D=010.1 kms, OT=17:59:17 UTC (10)
A moderate earthquake struck the Kachchh region in Gujarat, India, on 6 April 2006 at 23:29 PM local time causing minor damage to property. The earthquake had a magnitude of Mw=5.5. This is second event of this magnitude in this region since a Mw=5.5 on 7 March 2006.

08 April 2007 - Gandhidham area, Gujarat, Mb 4.2
23.083 N, 70.187 E, D=010.0 kms, OT=16:20:13 UTC
A light earthquake struck the Kachchh region in Gujarat, India, on 8 April 2007 at 21:50 PM local time. It had a magnitude of Mb=4.2 and was felt in parts of Kachchh and Saurashtra in the state of Gujarat.

6 November 2007 - Sasan Gir region, Gujarat (multiple events)
Two moderates earthquake occurred in the vicinity of the Gir National Park and adjoining parts of Saurashtra in Gujarat, India, on 6 November 2007 at 05:58 AM and 15:08 PM local time. Both had preliminary magnitudes of Mb=5.1. They were felt in many parts of the state of Gujarat and resulted in at least one death.

13 August 2011 - Dudhai-Bhachau area, Gujarat, M?=4.2
23.300 N, 70.200 E, D=033.0 kms, OT=02:59:14 UTC
A light earthquake occurred in the Kachchh region of Gujarat, India, on 13 August 2011 at 08:29 AM local time in India. It had a magnitude of M?=4.2 and was widely felt in Kachchh and Saurashtra causing panic.

20 October 2011 - Sasan Gir region, Gujarat, Mw=5.0
21.181 N, 70.540 E, D=015.5 kms, OT=17:18:25 UTC
A moderate earthquake occurred in the Gir National Park region in Gujarat's Saurashtra region, India, on 20 October 2011 at 22:48 PM local time in India. It had a magnitude of Mw=5.0 and was widely in the Kathiawar peninsula as well as far as Mumbai. Several injuries and considerable damage occurred in Junagarh district.

12 November 2011 - Sasan Gir region, Gujarat, ML=4.3
21.064 N, 70.519 E, D=009.9 kms, OT=07:01:51 UTC
A light earthquake occurred in the Gir National Park region in Gujarat's Saurashtra region, India, on 12 November 2011 at 12:31:51 PM local time in India. It had a magnitude of ML=4.3. Three people was injured and damage occurred in the districts of Amreli and Junagadh in Gujarat. This event is the strongest aftershock from a Mw=5.0 earthquake in the same region in October 2011.