Great Earthquakes in Assam (1897 and 1950): Environmental, Historical, and Societal Transformations in Colonial and Postcolonial Contexts

Abstract

This paper examines the two great earthquakes that profoundly shaped the environmental and sociohistorical trajectory of Assam - the 1897 Shillong earthquake and the 1950 Assam earthquake. This research employs an interdisciplinary framework that combines environmental history, colonial and post-colonial governance studies, and seismotectonic analysis to contextualize these disasters within the broader environmental and political changes of the Brahmaputra Valley. Archival data, geological surveys, anthropological testimony, and local oral histories were used to analyze transformative impact of seismic events on Assam's landscape, revealing the intricate conflicts that arise between nature, governance, and society in both colonial and postcolonial contexts. The earthquake of 1897 posed significant challenges to the infrastructure and administrative frameworks of British colonial governance, while the earthquake of 1950 assessed the resilience and reconstruction capacity of a newly independent India. This paper asserts that earthquakes in Assam ought to be regarded not merely as natural disasters but as pivotal historical events that transformed the relationship between humans and their environment, linking geological processes with socio-political responses. The findings emphasize the necessity of interpreting environmental hazards through long-term frameworks of ecological adaptation, governance, and cultural memory.