City Of Bhuj Research Articles

A multi-scenario based micro seismic hazard assessment of the Bhuj City, western India incorporating geophysical and geotechnical parameters

The micro-seismic hazard assessment (micro-SHA) of the Bhuj city (highest seismic zone V) has been accomplished considering seismotectonic as well as shallow subsurface modeling through geophysical (multi-channel analysis of surface waves (MASW) survey at 19 sites) and geotechnical parameters from 28 boreholes distributed in the entire Bhuj city. The average shear wave velocity through the MASW survey at 30 m depth (VS30) is estimated in the range of 400–915 m/s (NEHRP C-type and B-type soil classes). Seismotectonically justified a total of 54 scenario-earthquakes (SEQs) along all major faults have been considered to evaluate the strong ground motion at generic soil level having a shear wave velocity of 760 m/s and depth of 12–28 m. The surface level strong motion (SM) has been estimated through ground response analysis preparing soil models along all boreholes. The PGA at the surface in Bhuj city has been estimated in the range of 528 cm/s2 to 1020 cm/s2; highest in the central-western part of the Bhuj city where clay with high plasticity is present. The mean-spectral acceleration over the study area for 0.2 s (corresponding to 1-2 story), 0.55 s (4-5 story), 1sec (high rise) and 1.25 s period (large structures) are prepared at the surface from all scenario earthquakes. The amplification of SM in the Bhuj city is computed in the range of 1.7–3.7.

Histopathological and clinical Analysis of variants in cervical lesion at Bhuj, Kutch, Gujarat

Background: Aim of the study was to know various histopathological variants in cervical lesion, its incidence with respect to age in Bhuj city of Gujarat.Materials & Methods: A total of 618 cases of cervical lesions were analysed prospectively in a period of 2 years to assess various pattern of cervical lesion. Cases were studied in detail about history, clinical examination and other findings.Results: Of the total 618 cases, 516 (83.50%) were non neoplastic all of which were inflammatory and 102(16.5%) were neoplastic of which cervical malignancies, benign lesions and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) constituted 80(12.94%), 12(1.94%) and 10(1.62%) respectively. Amongst inflammatory lesions, the commonest lesion was chronic nonspecific cervicitis 428(82.95%) followed by papillary endocervicitis 88(17.05%). The associated changes of chronic nonspecific cervicitis were nabothian cyst (11.92%), squamous metaplasia (11.68%), and koilocytic change (22.43%). Inflammatory lesions were commonly found in the sexually active period of women i.e. 31-50 years with a peak incidence in the age group of 31-40 years. Cervical malignancies were common in the age group of 40-60 years and presented most commonly with bleeding per vagina. CIN was most common in the age group of 41-50 years with CINII as the predominant grade having white discharge as the most common symptom.Conclusion: Non-neoplastic were the commonest lesions of the cervix. Women in the older age group with bleeding per vagina should be suspected for cervical malignancy and should be examined for the same.DOI:10.21276/APALM.1716

Site responses based on ambient vibrations and earthquake data: a case study from the meizoseismal area of the 2001 Bhuj earthquake

The 2001 Mw 7.6 earthquake sourced in the Kachchh rift of northwest India led to extensive damage in the city of Bhuj, located similar to 70 km southwest of its epicenter. The building stock of this densely populated city was a mix of modern, single, and multistoried structures as well as traditional and non-engineered abodes, most of which were not designed to withstand severe shaking effects. Although there was extensive liquefaction and ground failure in the meizoseismal area, they were not observed in Bhuj, but the damage was severe here. In this study, we apply horizontal to vertical spectral ratio method to ambient vibrations (HVSR-AV) to obtain fundamental resonance frequency (f0) and H/V peak amplitude (A0) to examine if site response had any significant role in the observed damage. The patterns of H/V curves as well as spatial distributions of f0 (0.6-1.4 Hz) and A0 (1.5-4.4) suggest absence of any strong impedance contrast within the subsurface. Similar results obtained for ambient vibrations and earthquake signals suggest the efficacy of the HVSR-AV method as most useful for regions of low-level seismicity. The weathered sandstone that is generally exposed in the city represents the resonating layer whose thickness is approximately estimated as similar to 66-155 m, based on 1D assumption. The current set of available data precludes any quantitative modeling, but our preliminary inference is that site effects were not significant during the 2001 earthquake damage observed in Bhuj.

Using Land Readjustment in Rebuilding the Earthquake-Damaged City of Bhuj, India

Major earthquakes cause large scale devastation disrupting life, destroying homes, damaging properties and vital community infrastructure. Such events also offer opportunities for reorganizing neighborhoods and rebuilding disaster resilient communities. This article presents the case of reconstruction of Bhuj City in India following its devastation in the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, and showcases how consultative and planned intervention can rebuild better cities after a natural disaster. The land readjustment (LR) process was applied in reconstruction of a densely built, historically significant inner city area of Bhuj to transform it into a safer community resilient to disaster. LR, a microarea planning technique, is characterized as a strategy to carve out private lot sizes to create adequate public land for widening and straightening of streets, accommodating parks and amenities, and planning land lots and urban blocks with access to public infrastructure. Bhuj is one of the rare cities outside of Japan where the land readjustment technique was successfully implemented for postearthquake planning. This article provides insights on the challenges and opportunities that land readjustment implementation offers for postdisaster reconstruction.

Long-term socio-spatial transformation of earthquake-affected neighbourhoods in Bhuj

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the socio-spatial transformation of earthquake-affected neighbourhoods as a setting for understanding post-disaster recovery trajectories of people, their opportunities for achieving housing recovery and their housing recovery outcomes.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a case study approach, this paper focuses on two neighbourhoods located in old urban areas of the city of Bhuj, India. The authors map the transformation of the built environment from before the earthquake, immediately after the earthquake and 10 years after the earthquake. While explaining the morphological changes of the built environment, the authors examine the associated changes in the social fabric of the neighbourhoods by explaining who stayed in their neighbourhoods, who moved out or moved in and who were displaced after the earthquake.FindingsThe authors explore the role of post-disaster public policies, including urban planning, in these changes and in shaping the opportunities of households and individuals for achieving recovery. These policies are compared and contrasted with other urban disaster responses to provide a better understanding of the possibilities of achieving more just recovery outcomes.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the scant literature on post-disaster planning in cities of developing countries.

From Tenants to Homeowners: Housing Renters After Disaster in Bhuj, India

While renters comprise one-third of urban housing markets, the barriers to long-term housing needs of renters following a disaster are significant. This paper examines post-disaster urban housing policy for renter households following the 2001 Gujarat earthquake in India and its implications for the housing recovery of renters in Bhuj city, an urban area close to the epicenter of the earthquake. Employing a qualitative case study method, the study finds that urban housing policy for renter households was defined by an ad hoc approach with multiple shifts over a period of 4 years. The improvised policy eventually lead to the creation of a publicly funded homeownership program that could rehouse less than one-third of impacted renters, whereas issues of equity, land tenure, lack of affordable units, and uncertainty of recovery for the poorest renters in the city remained.

Post-Earthquake Reconstruction Planning Using Land Readjustment in Bhuj (India)

In January 2001, an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale claimed approximately 18,000 lives in Gujarat (India). It destroyed more than 50% of buildings in the city of Bhuj, devastating the...

Ground deformational studies using ALOS-PALSAR data between 2007 and 2010 of the central Kutch area, Gujarat, India

The central Kutch region of Gujarat, India, experienced a M7.7 earthquake on January 26, 2001, causing large-scale ground deformations including a huge loss of lives and infrastructure. The rupture of a hidden reverse fault was the reason for this intense tectonic activity. The post-seismic ground deformations, attributed to the relaxation phase of a stressed crustal layer, have been analyzed using a pair of Advanced Land Observation Satellite-Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) images. The InSAR images were obtained in 2007 and 2010, covering an area around Bhuj. It falls on the Kutch Mainland Fault and Katrol Bhuj Fault. Using the ADORE-DORIS software, interferometric imagery has successfully been generated, covering the study area. This allowed making interesting geological inferences. Three different regions in the study area elicited countable visible colored fringes, indicating different amounts of positive and negative ground deformations (surface motion with respect to the satellite). They occurred within the InSAR data acquisition dates. The region around Bhuj and to the north and east of Bhuj showed top surface deformations of about 35, 35, and 24 cm, respectively. The synoptic view of the interferometric image of the study area suggests two crustal fault lines running to the north and south of Bhuj city. The Institute of Seismological Research, geophysical and Global Positioning System data, indicates that huge seismic events occurred during the year 2007–2010 and supports the observational inference of clustering of interferometric fringes to the E and NE of the study area.

Estimation of seismic ground motions using deterministic approach for major cities of Gujarat

Abstract. A deterministic seismic hazard analysis has been carried out for various sites of the major cities (Ahmedabad, Surat, Bhuj, Jamnagar and Junagadh) of the Gujarat region in India to compute the seismic hazard exceeding a certain level in terms of peak ground acceleration (PGA) and to estimate maximum possible PGA at each site at bed rock level. The seismic sources in Gujarat are very uncertain and recurrence intervals of regional large earthquakes are not well defined. Because the instrumental records of India specifically in the Gujarat region are far from being satisfactory for modeling the seismic hazard using the probabilistic approach, an attempt has been made in this study to accomplish it through the deterministic approach. In this regard, all small and large faults of the Gujarat region were evaluated to obtain major fault systems. The empirical relations suggested by earlier researchers for the estimation of maximum magnitude of earthquake motion with various properties of faults like length, surface area, slip rate, etc. have been applied to those faults to obtain the maximum earthquake magnitude. For the analysis, seven different ground motion attenuation relations (GMARs) of strong ground motion have been utilized to calculate the maximum horizontal ground accelerations for each major city of Gujarat. Epistemic uncertainties in the hazard computations are accounted for within a logic-tree framework by considering the controlling parameters like b-value, maximum magnitude and ground motion attenuation relations (GMARs). The corresponding deterministic spectra have been prepared for each major city for the 50th and 84th percentiles of ground motion occurrence. These deterministic spectra are further compared with the specified spectra of Indian design code IS:1893-Part I (2002) to validate them for further practical use. Close examination of the developed spectra reveals that the expected ground motion values become high for the Kachchh region i.e. Bhuj city and moderate in the Mainland Gujarat, i.e. cities of Surat and Ahmedabad. The seismic ground motion level in the Saurashtra is moderate but marginally differs from that as presently specified in IS:1893-Part I (2002). Based on the present study, the recommended PGA values for the cities studied are 0.13 g, 0.15 g, 0.64 g, 0.14 g and 0.2 g for Ahmedabad city, Surat City, Bhuj City, Jamnagar City and Junagadh city, respectively. The prepared spectra can be further used for seismic resistant design of structures within the above major city boundaries of Gujarat to quantify seismic loading on structures.

The Gujarat (India) Seismic Network

The 26 January 2001 ( Mw 7.7) Bhuj earthquake, in the Kachchh region of Gujarat, India, caused 13,819 deaths, U.S. $10 billion in economic losses and damaged more than 1 million houses (Gupta, Purnachandra Rao, et al. 2001, Gupta, Harinarayana, et al. 2001; Rastogi et al. 2001). The city of Bhuj and neighboring villages were most affected. The damage can be seen as far as Ahmedabad, 240 km from the epicenter, where 69 reinforced buildings collapsed (Department of Earthquake Engineering, University of Roorkee 2001). Gujarat and the adjoining region falls under all four seismic zones—V, IV, III, and II—of the seismic zoning map of India (Bureau of Indian Standards 2002), with likely earthquakes of magnitude 8, 7, 6, and 5, respectively. It is one of the most seismic-prone intracontinental regions in the world. It has experienced two large earthquakes of magnitude M w 7.8 (Johnston and Kanter 1990) and 7.7, in 1819 and 2001, respectively, and seven earthquakes of magnitude M ≥ 6.0 (Figure 1) during the past two centuries (Quittmeyer and Jacob 1979; Rastogi 2001, 2004). The intense aftershock activity of the 2001 Bhuj earthquake is still continuing. Through March 2008, 14 aftershocks with M 5.0–5.8, about 200 aftershocks with M 4.0–4.9, about 1,600 aftershocks with M 3.0–3.9, and several thousand aftershocks with M < 3 have been recorded (Mandal and Johnston 2006; Mandal 2007). Regional seismicity has also increased with M ≤ 5 earthquakes and associated foreshock-aftershock sequences. At the time of the earthquake, the Kachchh region had only one seismic observatory at Bhuj operated by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the primary agency in the country for routinely monitoring earthquakes through its national seismological network. In the past, a few analog seismic recorders and strong-motion accelerographs have been operated by irrigation projects in …

Environmental health in slum communities : analysis of household water quality in four slum communities in the City of Bhuj, India

Abstract. The main focus of this study is on water quality in four slum communities in the City of Bhuj, India. In order to determine key variables affecting water quality in surveyed households, the interrelation between household water quality, environmental services, and demographic, social and financial factors was examined. The data used in this study draws on a household survey and the analysis of water samples collected within the targeted slum communities. As faecal contamination of drinking water is a major health risk in small-community supplies, water samples were tested for E.coli bacteria using the membrane-filter method. In a next step, the efficiency of three water treatment methods – filtration through cloth, chlorination and solar disinfection – was tested. Considering various factors, solar disinfection is identified to be the most appropriate method for households in most slum areas. The analysis shows that the water supply and sanitation situation of a household has an effect on that household’s drinking water quality. Personal endeavours to protect family members from disease can be greatly supported by the provision of safe drinking water, adequate sanitation facilities and wastewater removal systems to every household. Furthermore, it appears that most slum dwellers are not aware of the interdependent relation between environmental health and their personal health conditions. It is therefore argued that awareness raising measures in this area can also be an effective means of supporting personal endeavours to improve household financial situations.

Strong Ground Motion Estimation During the Kutch, India Earthquake

In the absence of strong motion records, ground motion during the 26th January, 2001 Kutch, India earthquake, has been estimated by analytical methods. A contour map of peak ground acceleration (PGA) values in the near source region is provided. These results are validated by comparing them with spectral response recorder data and field observations. It is found that very near the epicenter, PGA would have exceeded 0.6 g. A set of three aftershock records have been used as empirical Green's functions to simulate ground acceleration time history and 5% damped response spectrum at Bhuj City. It is found that at Bhuj, PGA would have been 0.31 g–0.37 g. It is demonstrated that source mechanism models can be effectively used to understand spatial variability of large-scale ground movements near urban areas due to the rupture of active faults.

Rapid assessment survey of earthquake affected Bhuj block of Kachchh District,FNx01 Gujarat, India

How much human loss would have caused by the earthquake in Bhuj block? What is the environmental sanitation status? (1) To assess human loss and injuries after the earthquake in Bhuj block.(2) To study the status of some relief activities.(3) To study the environmental sanitation status of the earthquake affected Bhuj block. Cross-sectional study. Bhuj block. All villages excluding Bhuj city of Bhuj block. Proportions, chi-square test, chi-square for trend. Survey was done in 144 villages; there were total 541 deaths with death rate of 3.18 per 1000 population. Death rate was significantly associated with distance of village from epicenter (chi-square for trend significant, P < 0.001). Among victims, majority were children 171 (45.4%) and women 107 (28.4%). Relief work was significantly associated with accessibility of village (P < 0.001) and few interior pockets were deprived of help. Total 56 (38.9%) villages were entirely dependent on water tanker for water supply and in 61 (42.4%) villages drinking water was used without chlorination. In 142 (98.6%) villages open-air defecation was practiced. Diseases such as URTIs, diarrheal diseases, fever and conjunctivitis were commonly observed in the field area.

Using High-Resolution Satellite Images for Post-Earthquake Building Damage Assessment: A Study following the 26 January 2001 Gujarat Earthquake

Newly available optical satellite images with 1-m ground resolution such as IKONOS mean that rapid postdisaster damage assessment might be made over large areas. Such surveys could be of great value to emergency management and post-event recovery operations and have particular promise for earthquake areas, where damage distribution is often very uneven. In this paper three satellite images taken before and after the 26 January 2001 Gujarat earthquake were studied for damage assessment purposes. The images comprised a post-earthquake cover of the city of Bhuj, which was close to the epicenter, and pre- and post-earthquake cover of the city Ahmedabad. The assessment data was then compared with damage surveys actually made on-site. Three separate experiments were conducted. In the first, the satellite image of Bhuj was compared with detailed ground photos of 28 severely damaged buildings taken at about the same time as the satellite image, to investigate the levels and types of damage that can and cannot be identified. In the second experiment, the whole city center of Bhuj was damage mapped using only the satellite image. This was subsequently compared with a map produced from a building-by-building damage survey. In the third experiment, pre- and post-earthquake images for a large area of Ahmedabad were compared and totally collapsed buildings were identified. These sites were subsequently visited to confirm the accuracy of the observations. The experiment results indicate that rapid visual screening can identify areas of heavy damage and individual collapsed buildings, even when comparative cover does not exist. The need to develop a tool with direct application to support emergency response is discussed.

Pediatric surgical emergencies in the setting of a natural disaster: Experiences from the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, India

Background/Purpose: On January 26, 2001, a 7.9 Richter earthquake struck the Indian state of Gujarat. Over the next 6 days, the International Red Cross set up a mobile hospital in the city of Bhuj, near the epicenter. The authors describe all surgeries on children treated there during the first 4 weeks of operation. The evolution of presenting injuries is noted, the types of surgery required are classified and an effective disaster relief team composition and strategy are proposed. Methods: Total casualties were estimated at 30,000, with 250,000 people injured. Of 1,142 inpatients treated at Nor-Finn hospital during the first 4 weeks, approximately 300 (25%) were ≤17 years old. Of these, the authors report on the 62 who underwent surgery. Demographic data collected includes (where possible) age, date of presentation, injury, and surgery performed. Injuries are classified as orthopedic, soft tissue, burns, or miscellaneous. Injuries are grouped in 4 weekly time periods beginning February 1 when the hospital opened. Results: Children's ages were evenly distributed. Children required surgery less often than adults. Of children needing surgery, 42% needed orthopedic attention, 42% had soft tissue trauma, 10% had burns, and 6% had miscellaneous injuries. During the hospital's first week, operations were predominantly orthopedic. During the second week, orthopedic and soft tissue injuries occurred at similar frequency. In weeks 3 and 4, soft tissue and burn surgeries were prevalent. Conclusions: More than 25% of patients requiring hospitalization were children, of whom greater than 20% needed surgery. The operations fell into 4 categories: orthopedic, soft tissue injuries, burns, and miscellaneous. There was an immediate need for orthopedic and general surgery skills followed by a delayed need for plastic surgery skills. J Pediatr Surg 38:663-667. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Rich Heritage Lost: Observations on the Effects of the Bhuj Earthquake, India

In March of 2001 I flew into Bhuj, the city in Gujarat, India that was the center of the area devastated by the earthquake of January 26, 2001. From the air the view of Bhuj belied its true condition. From that distance the city seemed quite normal, with many tall blocks of apartments standing seemingly unharmed. On the ground, however, the scene was quite different. The first close-up view of those same large apartment blocks showed them to be leaning at crazy angles, with their first floors collapsed and their upper walls laced with cracks like a crazed china pot. While the city now contains many modern reinforced concrete buildings, Bhuj was originally an ancient walled city and still has both part of its original fortifications and many historic buildings within the city core. Some of the fort walls had survived the vicissitudes of time, only to be heavily damaged by the earthquake. They looked as if they were cheese nibbled by a giant mouse. The battlements had fallen. Large areas of the facing stone had come off. In some places only the inner rubble stone core remained standing. [O]ne was confronted with a view of total devastation. As far as one could see, everything within view had either totally or partially collapsed. The first view of the inner precincts of the walled city of Bhuj was shocking. In the area immediately inside the city gate, the buildings had almost totally disappeared into rubble piles that lay along either side of the road like great waves. Riding on these waves were the still-whole pieces of the upper floors of broken newer concrete buildings, leaning at crazy angles as if they were riding in surf. These “waves” of rubble were the result of the first phase of plowing to clear the …