BradyGregg4996 at 21:21, 15 March 2026

2026-03-15T21:21:16Z

New page

{{short description|Severe earthquake in India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox earthquake
| title = 1999 Chamoli earthquake
| timestamp = 1999-03-28 19:05:11
| anss-url = usp00095cb
| isc-event = 1547491
| local-time = 00:35
| local-date = 29 March 1999
| map2 = {{Location map | India Uttarakhand#India
| relief = yes
| label =
| lat = 30.512
| long = 79.403
| mark = Bullseye1.png
| marksize = 40
| position = top
| width = 250
| float = right
| caption = }}
| magnitude = 6.6 {{M|w|link=y|src=[[Advanced National Seismic System|ANSS]]}}
| depth = {{convert|15|km|mi|0}}
| location = {{coord|30.512|N|79.403|E}}
| type = Thrust<ref>Rastogi, Bal. (2000). [http://www.geosocindia.org/index.php/jgsi/article/view/69441 Chamoli earthquake of magnitude 6.6 on 29 March 1999]. ''Journal of the Geological Society of India''. 55. 505–514.</ref>
| intensity = {{MMI|8}}<ref name=NGDC/>
| countries affected = [[India]]
| casualties = Approximately 103 dead<ref name=IMD/>
}}

The '''1999 Chamoli earthquake''' occurred on 29 March in the [[Chamoli district]] in the [[India]]n state of [[Uttar Pradesh]] (now in [[Uttarakhand]]). Approximately 103 people died in the earthquake.

==Cause==
The [[Himalayas|Himalaya Range]] has been undergoing crustal shortening along the 2,400 km long northern edge of the [[Indian plate]] which resulted in the formation of several [[thrust fault]]s including the [[Main Central Thrust]] (MCT), the [[Main Boundary Thrust]] (MBT) and the [[Main Frontal Thrust]] (MFT). The MCT consists of three sub-thrusts: MCT I, MCT II and MCT III. Many earthquakes have occurred along these thrust faults. It is thought that the Chamoli earthquake in 1999 was associated with these fault systems.<ref name=NICEE>[http://www.nicee.org/eqe-iitk/uploads/EQR_Chamoli.pdf Chamoli (Himalaya, India) Earthquake of 29 March 1999] ''National Information Center of Earthquake Engineering''</ref>

==Description==
The [[earthquake]] was the strongest to hit the foothills of the Himalayas in more than ninety years.<ref name=BBCWSAQDTN100>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/306721.stm World: South Asia Quake death toll nears 100] [[BBC News]]</ref> Apart from the Chamoli district, the quake also affected five other districts of Uttar Pradesh viz. [[Rudraprayag]], [[Tehri Garhwal]], [[Bageshwar]], [[Uttarkashi]] and [[Pauri Garhwal]] (all are in [[Uttarakhand]] now). Among these, Chamoli and Rudraprayag were the most affected districts.<ref name=IMD/> [[Aftershock]]s continued and most of the aftershocks occurred in the east of Chamoli.<ref name=NICEE/> Officials from [[Pakistan]] reported that the quake was also felt in [[Lahore]] and [[Gujranwala]].<ref name=BBCWSAQDTN100/>

==Damage and casualties==
Severe ground deformations resulted from the earthquake. Formation of [[ground fissure]]s were reported from many areas. [[Landslide]]s and changes in the [[groundwater]] flow were also reported. Well-developed ground cracks were seen in [[Gopeshwar]], Chamoli and Bairagna. Cracks were observed in [[asphalt road]]s at several locations.<ref name=NICEE/> Landslips cut off parts of Mandakini valley and Mandal valley and many major roads.<ref name=IAS/>

The death toll was 103.<ref name=IMD/> Several hundred people were injured and approximately 50,000 houses were damaged.<ref name=IASESPCEI>[http://www.ias.ac.in/jess/jun2001/1426.pdf Estimation of source parameters of Chamoli Earthquake, India] ''Indian Academy of Sciences''</ref> Over 2,000 villages were affected by the earthquake.<ref name=ADPC/> [[Electricity]], [[water supply]] and [[communication]] were also severely affected by the earthquake especially in the Chamoli town, [[Gopeshwar]] and [[Okhimath]] region of [[Rudraprayag district]].<ref name=IAS/> According to [[Mike Wooldridge (broadcaster)|Mike Wooldridge]], correspondent for the [[BBC News]], Chamoli suffered most damage and almost all the houses and shops built on slopes in the lower part of the town were destroyed.<ref name=BBCWSAQDTN100/>

The bridge deck of a [[Footbridge|pedestrian]] [[suspension bridge]] situated near Bairagna developed lateral [[buckling]] and the cables of the bridge were loosened. [[Pipeline transport#Water pipelines|Water pipelines]] in Chamoli and Gopeshwar towns were damaged affecting water supply due to landslides caused by the quake. The concrete-lined canals of the [[irrigation]] network in the affected region sustained some cracks.<ref name=NICEE/>

In [[Delhi]], many buildings sustained non-structural damage.<ref name=HINDUWAER>{{usurped|[https://archive.today/20130126002153/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/01/31/stories/14312185.htm Who's afraid of earthquakes really?]}} ''[[The Hindu]]''</ref> According to Dr B.L. Wadhera, who filed a public interest litigation in the [[Delhi High Court]], cracks developed in the Shastri Bhavan in Delhi which houses several Union Ministries.<ref name=HINDUDIEHQ>{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20090107094212/http://www.hinduonnet.com/2001/01/27/stories/0127000e.htm 'Delhi ill-equipped to handle quakes']}} ''The Hindu''</ref> Damage occurred in several buildings in [[Dehradun]] also. A few old buildings of the [[Survey of India]] sustained collapse of gable masonry, and cracks developed along the junctions between the pitched roof and the masonry walls.<ref name=NICEE/>

==Relief efforts==
Rescue operations were hampered by landslides, loss of electrical power and the loss of communication links with Chamoli. Many road workers became involved to clear landslide debris from a 16 km stretch of road leading to the worst-affected area.<ref name=BBCWSAQDTN100/> Local people carried out search and rescue operations.<ref name=NICEE/> Rescue efforts were led by the [[Indian Army]]<ref name=BBCWSAQDTN100/> and [[Paramilitary forces of India|Paramilitary]] personnel were also called-in to aid.<ref name=NICEE/> The army used [[Equipment of the Indian Army#Aircraft|helicopters]] to ferry in supplies.<ref name=BBCWSAQDTN100/> Food and other necessary supplies were air-dropped to villages which lacked motorable roads and where roads were damaged due to landslides.<ref name=NICEE/> Locals organized a committee to make sure that those most affected receive food.<ref name=BBCWSAQDTN100/>

==See also==
*[[Earthquake zones of India]]
*[[1991 Uttarkashi earthquake]]
*[[List of earthquakes in 1999]]
*[[List of earthquakes in India]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name=ADPC>[http://www.adpc.net/audmp/projectoutputs/nepal/report-chamoli-eq-1.pdf Chamoli Earthquake of 29 March 1999, India] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121152230/http://www.adpc.net/audmp/projectoutputs/nepal/report-chamoli-eq-1.pdf |date=21 November 2007 }} ''Asian Disaster Preparedness Center''</ref>
<ref name=IAS>[http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jul10/articles10.htm 29 March 1999 Chamoli earthquake: A preliminary report on earthquake-induced landslides using IRS-1C/1D data] ''[[Indian Academy of Sciences]]''</ref>
<ref name=IMD>[http://www.imd.ernet.in/section/seismo/static/chamoli.htm Chamoli earthquake of 29 March 1999] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405093429/http://www.imd.ernet.in/section/seismo/static/chamoli.htm |date=5 April 2008 }} ''[[India Meteorological Department]]''</ref>
<ref name=NGDC>{{citation|title=Significant Earthquake Database|url=https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/struts/form?t=101650&s=1&d=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929000601/http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/struts/form?t=101650&s=1&d=1|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 September 2006|author=National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS)|publisher=[[National Geophysical Data Center]], [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]|doi=10.7289/V5TD9V7K|year=1972}}</ref>
</references>

==Further reading==
* {{citation|title=Aftershocks of the March 1999 Chamoli Earthquake and Seismotectonic Structure of the Garhwal Himalaya|url=http://bssa.geoscienceworld.org/content/93/1/109.abstract|first1=J. R.|last1=Kayal|first2=S.|last2=Ram|first3=O. P.|last3=Singh|first4=P. K.|last4=Chakraborty|first5=G.|last5=Karunakar|year=2003|journal=Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America|volume=93|number=1|pages=109–117|doi=10.1785/0119990139|bibcode=2003BuSSA..93..109K|url-access=subscription}}
*{{citation|title=Seismic Tomography Structure of the 1999 Chamoli Earthquake Source Area in the Garhwal Himalaya|year=2003|last1=Mukhopadhyay|first1=S.|journal=Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America|volume=93|issue=4|pages=1854–1861|bibcode=2003BuSSA..93.1854M|doi=10.1785/0120020130| citeseerx=10.1.1.876.699 }}

==External links==
* {{EQ-isc-link|1547491}}
* {{ReliefWeb-link|eq-1999-0099-ind}}

{{Disasters in Uttarakhand}}
{{Earthquakes in 1999}}
{{Earthquakes in India}}
{{Himalayan earthquakes}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Earthquakes in India|1999 Chamoli]]
[[Category:1999 earthquakes|Chamoli earthquake]]
[[Category:1999 in India|Chamoli earthquake]]
[[Category:History of Uttarakhand (1947–present)]]
[[Category:Disasters in Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Chamoli district]]
[[Category:March 1999 in India]]
[[Category:1990s in Uttar Pradesh]]

1999 Chamoli earthquake - Revision history

BradyGregg4996 at 21:21, 15 March 2026