A Wake-Up Call

The devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar recently, killing over a thousand people and injuring thousands more, is yet another grim reminder of the seismic vulnerabilities that plague large swathes of Asia. With the epicentre located in one of the most tectonically volatile zones on Earth—where the Indian, Eurasian, Sunda, and Burma microplates converge—the scale of destruction in Myanmar is tragic but unsurprising. Cities have crumbled, hospitals are overwhelmed, and the displaced are forced to sleep under open skies.

But for countries like India, and especially for seismically sensitive states like Sikkim, this disaster must serve as more than just a news headline—it must be taken as a dire warning. India, too, lies across several major fault lines and ranks among the most earthquake-prone nations in the world. The Himalayan belt, in particular, has historically been the epicentre of some of the most devastating quakes. Sikkim, nestled in this fragile mountain range, has already faced its share of seismic shocks, including the deadly 6.9-magnitude quake in 2011.

Despite this, our preparedness remains woefully inadequate. While disaster management frameworks exist on paper, their implementation is patchy at best. Building codes are either outdated or flouted with impunity. Urban expansion continues unchecked, with multi-storey structures mushrooming in towns and cities with little regard for seismic safety norms. In rural areas, where construction is largely informal, the risk is even greater.

Myanmar’s experience should teach us that earthquakes do not kill—poor governance, lax enforcement of building codes, and infrastructural vulnerability do. After the 2011 Sikkim earthquake, there was much talk of retrofitting schools, hospitals, and lifeline buildings. Yet, progress has been painfully slow. Even essential public infrastructure in Gangtok and other districts remains ill-equipped to handle a high-magnitude tremor.

India must treat this as a national security issue. Earthquake early warning systems, which are now being piloted in some regions, need urgent scaling-up. Civil defence training, public awareness drives, and school drills should be routine—not exceptions that follow calamity. Further, a region-specific policy for the Northeast, especially Sikkim, is crucial. The state’s fragile geology and growing urban population make it highly susceptible to mass casualties in the event of a strong quake.

The tragedy unfolding in Myanmar highlights not just the fury of nature, but the fatal cost of unpreparedness. It is not enough to send aid to others in distress; India must also reflect inward and take decisive, preventive steps before a similar disaster strikes home. The question is not if another big earthquake will hit—but when.