Researchers from the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism (IIG) have discovered signs of liquefaction caused by seismic activity in the active Kopili Fault (KF) zone.
About Kopili Fault Zone
- It is a 300 km long and 50 km wide lineament situated in the northeastern region (NER) of India.
- It extends from the western part of Manipur to the tri-junction of Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam.
- It is closer to Himalayan Frontal Thrust.
- This is a seismically active area falling in the highest Seismic Hazard Zone V.
- It is associated with collisional tectonics because of the Indian Plate subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate.
- The fault itself is a transpressional fracture that generates lower crustal dextral strike-slip earthquakes.
- A tectonic depression filled up by the alluvium of the Kopili river and its tributaries, the Kopili fault zone has witnessed many seismic activities in the past including the 1869 earthquake (7.8 magnitude) and the 1943 earthquake (7.3 magnitude).
Characteristics
- The Kopili fault zone and its surrounding areas mainly have alluvial soils.
- These alluvial soils in the region are particularly effective at trapping seismic waves.
- As a result, the area has earned the reputation of being the most earthquake-prone zone in North East India.
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