TITLE:
A Preliminary Study on Rainfall Pattern before and after the January 26, 2001 Bhuj Earthquake (Mw 7.7) over Kachchh Region of Western Peninsular, India
AUTHORS:
Parul C. Trivedi, H. P. Joshi, Imtiyaz A. Parvez
KEYWORDS:
Earthquake, Meteorological Parameters, Rainfall, Kachchh Region
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.5 No.10,
September
18,
2014
ABSTRACT: Under the
influence of great debate on relation between earthquake and rainfall, some
scientists have carried out detailed study and now commonly accepted that heavy
rainfall can trigger earthquake at the faults or fractures depending upon the
local geology. Here, an attempt is made to check relation between earthquake
and rainfall with different scientific approaches. We have attempted to
critically examine the relation between the Bhuj earthquake-aftershocks
sequence and the rainfall pattern over the region as large earthquake (Mw 7.7) has occurred on
January 26, 2001 in Kachchh region of western peninsular shield of India and
the aftershocks are being reported till the date. We have analyzed rainfall
data for 20 years, i.e. 10 years
before and 10 years after the main shock of January 26, 2001, recorded by three
meteorological observatories in the Kachchh region. We have studied annual
total rainfall for two decades, annual rainfall departures from the climate
normals, number of rainy days and number of heavy rainfall days during the period
for all the three meteorological observatories of Kachchh region. We have found
significant increase in all the measured rainfall parameters i.e. annual total rainfall, number of
rainy days and number of heavy rainfall days over the Kachchh region during
last decade i.e., from 2001 to 2010
after the main shock. Numbers of negative departures have been decreased during
the last decade compared to previous decade. Thus rainfall pattern over Kachchh
region is being changed. This increase in rainfall activity over Kachchh region
may have been influenced by large earthquake and continuing aftershock
activities over the region.