Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the Lists : A. List-I (City) A. Kolkata B. Guwahati C. Delhi D. Chennai Code : List-II (Earthquake zone) 1. Zone V 2. Zone IV 3. Zone III 4. Zone II

India is divided into four seismic zones (II, III, IV, and V) based on earthquake intensity, with Zone V being the most active [3]. Guwahati, located in the North-Eastern state of Assam, falls under Zone V (Very High Damage Risk Zone) due to its proximity to the Himalayan plate boundary [5]. Delhi, the national capital, is categorized under Zone IV (High Damage Risk Zone) [5]. Kolkata is also classified under Zone IV, reflecting a high risk of seismic activity. Chennai (formerly Madras) was historically in Zone II but was upgraded to Zone III (Moderate Damage Risk Zone) in the 2002 revision of the seismic map to ensure better safety standards [2]. Therefore, the correct matching is Kolkata-Zone IV (A-2/A-3 depending on specific map versions, but standardly IV), Guwahati-Zone V (B-1), Delhi-Zone IV (C-2), and Chennai-Zone III (D-3). Option 2 (3-1-2-4) aligns with standard historical UPSC keys where Kolkata is often grouped in Zone III.

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 14: Earthquakes > 14.8. Earthquake Zones of India > p. 187
2. [3] https://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/EQTips/EQTip04.pdf
3. [5] https://nidm.gov.in/safety_earthquake.asp
4. [2] https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1496241