The proximity to the convergent boundary of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates makes Gujarat, a seismically active region in India. It is divided into four earthquake zones called II, III, IV, and V, with V being the most active. Though earthquakes are highly devastating to archaeological sites, among the numerous measures implemented to minimize the impact of earthquakes, they are often overlooked. Earthquakes collapse the fragile stone and brick structures, and the ruptures displace the fragile stratigraphy of subsurface sites. Therefore, for effective heritage management, it is crucial to assess the risk of earthquakes before a disaster. In this study, an earthquake risk assessment was carried out for 508 archaeological sites in Gujarat, associated with the Indus civilization and its contemporary Chalcolithic cultures. A quantitative risk assessment requires assigning scores to the three factors of risk, viz, hazard, value, and vulnerability. Hazard is the source of harm; value is the significance being lost; and vulnerability is the internal weakness. Here, the earthquake potential was measured using the magnitude and intensity of earthquakes in the last 70 years. The value of archaeological sites was estimated based on the physical structure and tourism potential. The vulnerability was assessed using the climate change indicators – exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. The earthquake zones, the state of preservation of the sites, and the protected status of sites served as the parameters for the vulnerability indicators, respectively. With this, this study attempts to provide a framework for risk assessment of archaeological sites in India.

Authors:
Haritha Kadapa, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India

About the Presenter(s)
Ms Haritha Kadapa is a University Doctoral Student at Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar in India

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