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Seismograph at Salem earth station fails to record tsunami

By Our Special Correspondent

SALEM, DEC. 27. At a time when all the earth stations and seismic observatories world-wide recorded the trail of destruction, which the tsunami left behind in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu and elsewhere on the day after Christmas, the Met Station of the Department of Meteorology here failed to record even a `single stroke' that would indicate a seismic disturbance in its seismograph chart.

Developed snag

The Analogue Seismograph apparatus, installed at the Salem station failed to function on the crucial day. Highly placed department sources told The Hindu here today the present instrument was "obsolete and needs to be replaced immediately." This archaic instrument, they said, was brought here to replace the Micro Earth Quake Recorder (MEQR), an advanced version of the seismograph, which had reportedly developed a snag during April 2004. "We are surprised and shocked at this present failure. We have informed our office in New Delhi which assured us another replacement," said a senior official.

The sources claimed the MEQR, which was taken to New Delhi for repair, remained "very sensitive" to even "insignificant" seismic disturbances which went unnoticed by public in Namakkal, Hosur and Dharmapuri in the last three years.

This precision equipment recorded even mild tremors in the distant Idukki in Kerala and the killer earthquake in Gujarat. The MEQR, the sources added, with its primary and secondary data, supported by the seismic charts, had enabled meteorologists here to measure and study the magnitude, duration and the distance of the epicentre of any disturbances.

Realising the need for a full-fledged earth station in the western zone of Tamil Nadu, the Centre identified Salem ideal for monitoring seismic disturbances in this part of the country. Salem is the third station in the State, after Chennai and Kodaikanal, both of which of course are fully equipped and computerised.

Natural calamity policy

These data, according to meteorologists, would enable administrators and researchers to evolve a natural calamity policy for the Salem region. According to a Bureau of Indian Standards study, the region lies between the earthquake moderate damage risk zone and low damage risk zone. But it is prone to high winds.

The Collector, A. Sukumaran, wanted the Salem station officials to cite the reasons for the seismograph scale failure.

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