In the first phase, the centres will come up in Gulbarga, Alamatti dam site, Hidkal dam site, Narayanapura, Supa in Uttara Kannada, Linganamakki, Tungabhadra dam near Hospet, Hemavathi dam near Gorur, Krishnarajasagar dam, Thippagondanahalli reservoir and Vanivilas Sagar in Chitradurga. The Gulbarga centre will be opened shortly. It is already being termed one of the best seismic centres in the country.

In the second phase, seismic centres will be set up at Manjira in Bidar, Kollegal, Sringeri, Kodagu, Chincholi and at lower Mullamari dam site.

KSNDMC has already placed an order for procuring the seismo meters from UK-based company Gurlap. It is expecting the company to deliver the meters in 20 weeks. The setting up of the seismic centres is expected to cost Rs 6 crore to Rs 7 crore to the government.

These centres will be powered by solar energy and conventional electricity.

The data collected by the seismo meters will be transmitted to the computers installed in vital places for experts to analyse.

The seismo meters to be installed at these centres are designed to record even the micro-tremors and all the major earthquakes from any part of the globe if they have a magnitude above four.

According to seismic experts, the distance from the surface of the earth to its centre is 6,371 kilometre and the happenings beneath the ground cannot be known without the seismic meters.

Micro-tremors below two in magnitude cannot be perceived with our cognitive faculties. These micro-tremors are precursors to a major earthquake. If an expert studies the happenings beneath the ground for some time, he can predict a major earthquake to some extent.

KSNDMC director V S Prakash said, “According to one of the inscriptions, there was a major earthquake in 1024 near Bangalore and people have forgotten it. If an earthquake of 6.7 magnitude occurs anywhere near the city most of the buildings will collapse, whereas in California not much damage will be caused. The data collected in these centres will help structural engineers design future buildings to suit to the area conditions.”