Vedas contain many allusions to tectonic movements. By the time of Atharva Veda, people had a clear knowledge of bhukampa and also its catastrophic consequences. The epics and puranas contain numerous references to massive tectonic earthquakes; but the causes stated for their occurrences are related to Hindu beliefs.
Hindu astronomical works also have given due attention to seismology.
Of them, Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira (6th century CE) devotes a
separate chapter (Chapter 32) entitled Bhukampalaksanadhyaya to the study of
various aspects of bhukampa. But it is a mixture of astrology and science. The section
of Brihat Samhita starts by describing the earlier views on the cause of
bhukampa.
Brihat Samhita (32.8-29) further speaks of the advance
symptoms and effects of the bhukampas occurring in the different stellar
constellations that fall into Vayu’s, Agni’s, Indra’s and Varuna’s circle. It
adds that the quakes occurring in Indra’s circle counteract the ones occurring in
that of Vayu and Fire circle counteracts the one occurring in Varuna’s circle.
It also speaks of the seismological dimension of a bhukampa
caused by wind (vayu), fire (agni), Indra and Varuna as 200, 110, 180 and 160
yojanas respectively (32.31) and about the recurrence of bhukampa within days,
fortnights and months (32.32).