Jammu and Kashmir has been entirely placed in the newly created highest-risk Zone VI under India’s updated seismic zonation map, marking one of the most significant changes in the country’s earthquake hazard assessment in decades. The map, released as part of the 2025 Earthquake Design Code by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), a few days back, classifies the entire Himalayan arc, including all districts of J&K and Ladakh, in the top danger category.
The new zonation is based on internationally accepted probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA) methods, which use detailed information on active faults, maximum rupture potential, ground-shaking behaviour and underlying geology. These scientific inputs replace older approaches that relied heavily on historical earthquake data, soil classifications and past damage records.
The BIS, says the updated framework offers a clearer picture of the peak ground accelerations that future earthquakes may generate, ensuring that safety standards reflect the current understanding of seismic behaviour rather than outdated assumptions.
Experts say the revision corrects long-standing inconsistencies in earlier maps, which divided the Himalayan belt between Zones IV and V despite uniform tectonic risks.
Dr. Vineet Gahalaut, director of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, said that the new classification finally recognises the threat posed by long-unruptured, stress-accumulating fault segments, particularly in the central Himalaya. He said the previous zonation had underestimated the potential of these locked segments, many of which have not produced major surface-rupturing events in nearly two centuries.
The updated code requires buildings in J&K, especially those located near active faults, to be designed for severe pulse-like ground motions associated with near-fault earthquakes. It also strengthens limits on displacement, ductility and energy dissipation to prevent catastrophic failures. Non-structural components such as parapets, ceilings, overhead tanks, façade panels, electrical lines and suspended fixtures must now be securely anchored and braced, as these elements frequently cause injuries during earthquakes even when main structural frames remain intact.
The norms also demand closer attention to liquefaction risks, soil flexibility and site-specific ground-response behaviour, making geological assessments essential for new construction in vulnerable districts. Critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, bridges and public buildings, must be designed to remain fully functional after a major earthquake to ensure continuity of emergency services.
A new “exposure window” has also been introduced in the 2025 map, incorporating population density, infrastructure concentration and socioeconomic vulnerability into hazard classification. This makes the update particularly relevant for rapidly expanding urban areas such as Srinagar, Jammu, Anantnag and Baramulla, where even moderate shaking could result in significant disruption.
While the Himalayan region has undergone sweeping reclassification, the tectonically stable southern peninsula has seen only minor refinements. With 61% of India now falling under moderate to high hazard zones, officials have urged engineers, planners and civic bodies in J&K to adopt the new code immediately. Experts emphasise that the updated map is not a prediction of an imminent event but a scientific warning, and an opportunity for Jammu and Kashmir to build resilience before any eventuality strikes.
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