The Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (NDMC) has started putting in place a mechanism for measurement of micro tremors in the State.

Already, seven seismometers have been installed, one at Mysore, three at Somwarpet and three at Gulbarga. Eight more will be established in other parts of the State, Dr V S Prakash, Director, Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre told Deccan Herald.

Explaining the reason behind having three seismometers in Somwarpet, he said the area experiences many mild tremors during rainy season, when it is hit by floods. Hence, there was a need to study the pattern, h pointed out. “As three triaxial broadband seismometers have been installed, the accuracy of calculating the origin of micro tremors is much better,” he said. The Mysore station itself has two seismometers located at the Karnataka Engineering Research Station near KRS.

Dr Prakash said the stations will send the data to the master control centre in Bangalore and it will convert the data into information that could be understood by the layman. “People will get information on earthquakes on a website, in real time or near real time, which is around 5 to10 minutes of the occurrence of the tremors,” he added. Till recently, the analogue data analysis was time consuming. Now, new techniques would help the centre to cut down on the time, he pointed out and claimed that the data could be directly downloaded at the master control centre in Bangalore.

This network of seismometers in the State in the long run can contribute to pinpointing vulnerable areas with reference to tremors, and therefore awareness can be created among residents of those particular areas about safeguarding their lives and property, Dr Prakash said.

The project is likely to be completed in a year’s time, with installation of seismometers on one side and satellite connectivity on the other.