Deccan Chronicle        13.01.2011

1 in 3 Chennai buildings vulnerable to earthquake

January 13th, 2011

Jan. 12: Are you one of the residents staying in a huge apartment complex? Do you know that about 30 per cent of multi-storeyed buildings in the city are vulnerable to earthquakes of even small magnitude?

Chennai has been placed in Zone 3 category among cities vulnerable to earthquakes by the Bureau of Indian Standards since 2001. This means that the city is most vulnerable to moderate earthquakes at any point of time.

“Most buildings in the city, constructed prior to 2001, do not meet the parameters prescribed for Zone 3 areas. So, even relatively moderate earthquakes could cause huge disasters,” warns prof S. Rajarathnam, director of centre for disaster mitigation and management (CDMM), Anna University.

The centre, in association with various government bodies, has been surveying the entire city. “We employed rapid visual screening method to quickly assess the buildings in the city. Our findings are disturbing because of the inherent weakness of a number of buildings,” explains prof Rajarathnam.

However, if anyone in the public is interested in assessing the quake resistance of their buildings, the centre is willing to undertake an inspection. Prof A.R. Santha Kumar, consultant to CDMM and former dean of Anna University, said a team of experts has examined all government buildings in Chennai and remedial measures have been recommended. “We have also completed the screening of all buildings with more than four floors,” he said.

The centre is also in the process of making a Geographical Information System (GIS)-based map on vulnerability assessment of disasters in Chennai with the help of government agencies. “We will be ready with such a map in the next 18 months. The map will outline life-saving techniques such as possible escape routes and shelter areas associated with all buildings in the eventuality of an earthquake,” he said.