Maharashtra may be more vulnerable to earthquakes than had been suspected, a study being conducted by the department of earth sciences of the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay indicates.
The study was commissioned by the Department of Science and Technology soon after the Latur earthquake in 1993 and is expected to be completed by next August. Its principal objective is to identify parts of Maharashtra which may require immediate preventive measures on account of seismic risks.
The study team has reported the observation of curious geological phenomena from various parts of the state, especially Thane district. According to V Subramanyam, head of the team, these phenomena include "soil slumps" and tremors all over the district for the past one year as well as minute but intriguing changes in the courses of local streams and rivers since last August.
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