Staff Reporter
Guwahati: It is a matter for concern that a total of 766 earthquake incidents have been documented for the entire NE region of India and its vicinity during the year 2025. Significantly, Assam recorded the highest number of earthquakes in the NE region, with a total of 86 quakes in 2025.
As a part of operational activity to bolster earthquake preparedness under the North Eastern Regional Node for Disaster Risk Reduction (NER-DRR) of the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) at Umiam, Meghalaya, a report in the form of an earthquake catalogue for the year 2025 has been prepared.
The above-mentioned figures on earthquakes in the NE region and its vicinity have been revealed in the Earthquake Catalogue for the North Eastern Region (NER) of India 2025, compiled by NESAC.
The earthquake catalogue is a compendium of all reported earthquake events for the year 2025 collected from the National Center for Seismology (NCS), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), and local reporting. A total of 766 earthquake incidents have been documented for the entire NE region of India and its vicinity (87°-98° E and 21°-30° N) during the year 2025. However, no major damage or casualties have been reported from the NER of India due to the earthquake events in the year 2025.
Out of the 766 earthquake events reported from the NER and its surroundings, 60 were reported from Arunachal Pradesh, 86 were reported from Assam, 54 were reported from Manipur, 33 from Meghalaya, 5 from Mizoram, 20 from Sikkim, 2 from Tripura, and 5 were reported from Nagaland, with 501 events reported from the region sharing a boundary with the NER of India within 21°-30°N latitude and 87°-98°E longitude. 164 events were below Magnitude (Mw) 3, 477 events were between Mw 3 and 3.9, 113 events were between Mw 4 and 4.9, and 12 events were between Mw 5 and 7.5. The highest magnitude earthquake (Mw 7.5) occurred in the Myanmar region adjoining the NER boundary.
This comprehensive catalogue is a compilation of seismic events that transpired in the region for the year 2025 and will serve as a valuable reference for researchers, seismologists, policymakers, and the general public.
The catalogue contains a special reference to seismic events in Assam, stating that a total of 86 earthquakes were triggered in Assam in the year 2025, which is the highest among the NE states. The majority of the earthquakes occurred in central Assam around the Kopili and Atherkhet faults. Out of the 86 events, there were five instances where the magnitude was greater than Mw 4. Other events ranged between Mw 2.4 and Mw 3.8. The majority of 68 events were of shallow depths ranging from 5 to 10 km.
Notably, Assam, situated in the NE region of India, is an area characterised by significant seismic activity due to its location near the convergence of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The seismo-tectonic setting of Assam is influenced by compressional tectonic stresses, particularly in the north-south direction. Major faults play a crucial role in the seismo-tectonics of Assam. One of the prominent faults is the Kopili Fault, which is associated with the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT). The MHT is a major fault system that separates the Indian plate from the Eurasian plate. Other significant faults in the region are the Lohit Thrust, Haflong Fault, Naga Thrust, Disang Thrust, Kulsi Fault, Dhubri Fault, Ultapani Thrust and Atherkhet Fault. These faults contribute to the seismic activity in Assam, and their interactions with the tectonic forces in the area lead to earthquakes.
NER of India has experienced two great earthquakes of magnitude greater than Mw 8.0 and about 20 large earthquakes with magnitudes between Mw 8.0 and Mw 7.0 since 1897. The 1897 Shillong earthquake is one of the largest recorded earthquakes in Indian history. The 1950 Assam-Tibet earthquake and the 2011 Sikkim earthquake, both with magnitudes exceeding Mw 6.9, resulted in casualties and extensive infrastructure damage. These events serve as reminders of the seismic vulnerability of the region.
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