CHAPTER-III

SEISMIC HISTORY OF HYDERABAD CITY

3.1 GENERAL
SEISMIC HISTORY OF HYDERABAD CITY
Hyderabad is located in a zone where earthquakes up to 5.0 on the Richter scale can occur.
But, any seismic activity in the eastern side, which includes Godavari and Badrachalam
which are located in a zone where earthquakes that measure up to 5.7 on the scale can occur,
can affect the city.
"We do not expect an earthquake in Hyderabad, but earthquakes are a phenomenon that
cannot be predicted," National Geophysical Research institute, Deputy Director, Mr B K
Rastogii, in an interview with "The Times of India".
Some of the major seismic activities in the region are furnished here under in the table.
However, for the future planning an earth quake magnitude of 5, 6 and 7 in Richter scale are
considered for the seismic hazard analysis in the study.
Historic earth quake events in Hyderabad city

S No.

Year

Magnitude

Area

1843

3.70

Hyderabad

1876

5.00

Hyderabad

1982

3.20

Gandipet

1983

4.00

Medical

2010

1.80

Vanasthalipuram

3.2 Epicentre and Faults

Seismic history of Hyderabad city

Two major faults traversing to words north west direction as shown in satellite interpreted
map. These zones may be considered as seismic hazard zones in Hyderabad. The epicentre
distance may be around 40-50sq.km

Fig 3.0 satellite map of Hyderabad city

3.3 Geology of Hyderabad
The entire district of Hyderabad is underlain by Achaean Crystalline Complex, consisting of
pink and grey granites, banded granite gneisss, migmatites, pegmatite, quartz reefs, and
dolerite dykes. Massive granite and granite-gneiss crop out as hills around the city and as
isolated hills within, and form, domed ridges, scraps, massive blocks and tors. The granites
are medium to coarse grained, poryphyritic and equi-granular in texture and foliated at
places. Pink and grey granite constitute, major out crops in the hills.

Seismic history of Hyderabad city

The northern and eastern hills in the district contain granite-gneiss with migmatitic
zones. Dolerite dykes traverse mostly in east-west and north-south directions and a few in
NNW-SEE directions. Just east of Miralam Lake occurs one quartz reef in NS direction. The
depth of weathering is observed to vary mostly from 5 to 15 m in dug well sections. The
same is seen to extend over 30 m in certain localities such as NRSA and HAL complex in
Balanagar.

The stratigraphical sequence is as follows:

Dolerite
Pegmatites

Post Archaeans

Quartz reefs
Grey & Pink Granites

Achaeans

Basement Complex
The soils in the district are mostly sandy and clayey loams and alluvial black soils,
and the yellow sandy and clayey loams from the pegmatite and quartzose rocks. The alluvial
black soils are confined to the streams and their flood plains. The thickness of the soil cover
ranges down to 1.5 m in the case of the lateritic and sandy- clay loams, and to 5 m in case of
alluvial black soils.
The fracture density in the district is moderate to high. The higher density of fractures
can be seen in the western, northern parts of the district, moderate to low density, in the city
area. The fracture system in the district can be grouped into four generalized directions
corresponding to the tensional and conjugate shear type of faults as shown in Table 2

Table 2
Fracture System in Hyderabad District

Seismic history of Hyderabad city

Group

Generalised

Description

I (a) WNW-ESE(4a) Follow the course of

Musi river and parallel
(b) ENE-WSW(4b)

to the dykes

Type of fractures

Directions

Tensional fractures,
faults in these directions due south of Banjara
hills forms steep scrap.

II

NE-SW(5)

Parallel to the streams

Form the Conjugate shear

emerging from Mirjumla

fractures.

tank parallel to the system

III

NW-SE(3&6)

Parallel to the stream from

Hussainsagar tank

IV

N 5 W S 5E Parallel to the Quartz veins

Adjacent to the miralam tank

Form Tensional
fractures.

3.4 Geotechnical site conditions of Hyderabad

The Hyderabad district forms part of the upland plateau region called the Deccan
Plateau. It is generally surrounded by rocky hills. Prominent among them are the Banjara
Hills, 533 640 m above mean sea level (msl), with extension in the NW part; Golconda
range, 518 596 m above msl, in the South; Moula Ali Hills, 518 628 m above msl, in the
north east part with the Tirumalghery heights and Gunrock hills forming the northern part.

A few isolated hillocks (inselbergs) are also found within the city like Red hills and
Naubat pahad. The rest of the district is marked by a generally undulating terrain between

Seismic history of Hyderabad city

487.7 m and 533.4 m above msl with city clusters. There are also here and there low-lying
flood plains formed by Musi and Hussain sagar streams.
The soils in the district are mostly sandy and clayey loams and alluvial black soils,
and the yellow sandy and clayey loams from the pegmatite and quartzose rocks. The alluvial
black soils are confined to the streams and their flood plains. The thickness of the Residual
soil varying 5m to 15m followed by either SDR/HDR or basic rocks.

Seismic history of Hyderabad city