Earthquakes are not new to the people of Himachal Pradesh. The state nestles in the highly seismic belt of the Himalaya. One of the most severe historical earthquake devastated area around Kangra in 1905. Recently on 19th January, 1975 the adjacent areas of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts were hadly rocked. Although this recent earthquake was a midget in comparison to the great Kangra shock, it has neverthele; s left an expanse of considerable damage and loss of life in its wake. The shaking of the ground was experienced over. a wide area that encompassed places as far as Delhi, 450 km away from the epicenter. Earthquakes have attracted the attention of the most discerning of scientists and engineers all over the world. Their main concern is to clearly understand the processes that cause earth-tremors and thereby devise ways and means to mitigate their disastrous results.