Lucknow: Nearly 7,000 people have been evacuated from quake-hit Nepal in rescue and relief operations carried out by the Uttar Pradesh government.
"The state government is actively involved in rescue operations in Nepal and has sent 205 buses there, of which 80 buses and 29 smaller vehicles have returned with about 7,000 persons from Nepal," an official release issued here said.
As many as 2,500 quake victims from Nepal have reached Sonauli border, while 3,400 people have reached Bhairawa border on 44 buses.
About 2,000 more people have started from Kathmandu on 33 buses, according to the release.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the state government for those coming from Nepal and trucks carrying relief material have been dispatched to the quake-hit country.
Many are of the view that quake of this magnitude perhaps visited Uttar Pradesh for the first time in 80 years.
The north-western belt seems to have been affected by the high magnitude of the tremors.
Earth scientists explain that the rocky surface below the alluvium cover of the Indo-Gangetic Plain has a thickness of about 2.5 km and around the Himalayan foothills its thickness increases to around 6 km.
"Emphasis should be on ensuring that high rise buildings are earthquake resistant," Joshi said.
He said in case of high-rise buildings, the seller must give an earthquake resistant certificate.
"This norm is not being followed in the state, which is a matter of concern. Imagine if a school or hospital building collapses what will the enormity of the disaster," he said.
Eminent earth scientist and expert in Himalayan Geology A R Bhattacarya said government must ensure that norms are followed strictly.
Bhattacharya said the faults or cracks in the rocky surface below the alluvium cover could have been activated by the magnitude of tremors.
Districts in moderate risk zone (Zone-III) include Sonbhadra, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Jaunpur, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur, Sultanpur, Rae Bareli, Faizabad, Unnao, Lucknow, Barabanki, Sitapur, Hardoi, Kannauj, Mainpuri, Firozabad, Etah, Mahamayanagar, Farukkabad, and parts of Mirzapur, Pratapgarh, Kanpurnagar, Auraiya, Etawah, Agra, Mathura, Aligarh and Pilibhit.
Zone-II (low damage risk zone) includes Lalitpur, Jhansi, Mahoba, Jalaun, Banda, Kausambi, Allahabad and parts of Fetehpur, Patapgarh and Mirzapur.
