Series of tremors: 2-member GSI team inspects Pernambut

Two geologists on Thursday from the Centre’s Geological Survey of India (GSI) started visiting locations near Pernambut, which suffered a series of tremors some time ago.

GSI assistant geologist Aminesh Thakur from Hyderabad and senior geologist Sivakumar from Chennai, accompanied by professor GP Ganapathi of VIT University’s Centre for Disaster Mitigation and Management visited Tharakadu in Pernambut.

“We went around some of the affected houses, looked at some borewells and also some adjacent hillocks,” Ganapathi told DT Next. The two-member GSI team visited Thattaparai near Pernambut on Thursday and will also locate the site where seismic monitors are to be set up, officials said.

Official sources revealed that while the two-member team was yet to submit a written report to Vellore Collector Kumaravel Pandian, Ganapathi had done so after an initial foray into the area some days ago.

“Once the present team leaves on Friday, another two-member team is expected to arrive from Kolkatta” officials said. Seismic monitors are expected to arrive simultaneously from Varanasi and will be set up in locations earmarked by the current two-member team, it was said. The Kolkatta-based team would monitor the area through their advanced instruments over two days and leave if no fresh tremors were experienced, it was revealed.

Geologist Sivakumar said, “the present preliminary study will lead to siting of monitors and how long the next phase will last depends on various factors, including tremors. The need and necessity for a report will arise only after this, as it will reveal follow up measures.”

A final report will be given to the district administration after the conclusion of the entire exercise, officials concluded.