But geologists warn of a quieter danger, one that works beneath the ground, often without dramatic shaking. This hidden process is called liquefaction, and it has the power to turn solid ground into something that behaves like liquid.
Liquefaction happens when loose, water-filled soil loses its strength during an earthquake. In such moments, buildings may sink, tilt, or become unusable even if they do not collapse outright. The danger is not always loud or sudden, it is slow, silent, and deeply destructive.
Delhi and its surrounding National Capital Region sit on a fragile mix of river deposited soil, high groundwater levels, and active fault lines. Areas along the Yamuna river, eastern parts of the city, and low-lying neighborhoods are especially vulnerable.
The region falls under Seismic Zone IV, meaning earthquake waves from the Himalayas can grow stronger as they pass through soft soil, increasing the risk of damage.
This concern is not limited to Delhi alone. The vast Indo-Gangetic plain, stretching across nearly 700,000 square kilometers, is made up of thick layers of loose sediment brought by rivers over thousands of years.
From Punjab to Bihar, Assam, and the northeastern states, liquefaction has been recorded during major earthquakes, including the devastating Bihar earthquake of 1934 and the Bhuj disaster of 2001.
Delhi has not faced a major destructive earthquake in recent decades, but frequent mild tremors serve as steady reminders. A 4.8 magnitude earthquake near the Delhi, Gurgaon border in 1960 still stands as a warning from the past. Experts say the real question is not if a strong earthquake will strike, but how the ground will behave when it does.
According to Professor Shubhadip Banerjee of IIT Madras, a leading expert in earthquake engineering, liquefaction occurs when three conditions come together: the absence of hard rock near the surface, groundwater close to the ground level, and loose sandy or silty soil. Unfortunately, all three are common across the Indo-Gangetic plain, making the region unusually sensitive.
Recognizing this growing risk, India has introduced a revised earthquake-resistant building code, IS 1893 (2025). For the first time, liquefaction analysis has been made mandatory for all major new construction projects.
This means builders must now prove, using scientific methods, that the ground beneath a structure will remain stable during an earthquake.
Experts describe the new code as a landmark step. Its goal is not to slow development, but to make it safer. With proper foundations and modern engineering techniques, strong buildings can still be constructed even in liquefaction-prone areas, provided the soil is carefully studied before construction begins.
Earthquakes cannot be stopped, but their impact can be reduced. The updated building rules mark a shift from surface-level safety to a deeper understanding of the ground we build on.
As cities like Delhi continue to grow, the future will depend not only on how tall our buildings rise, but on how well the earth beneath them can hold its ground.
