Met dept says impossible to predict quakes
A woman looks on as rescuers search for survivors under the rubble following an earthquake in Hatay, Turkey, February 7, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Thursday said that there is no direct fault line between Turkey and Pakistan, which might result in an exceptional circumstance of earthquake in the country.
A catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake was recorded in southern Turkey on Monday, followed by series of powerful and smaller tremors. It followed a viral video, and a flurry of unverified WhatsApp messages suggesting the possibility of a similar earthquake in Pakistan.
A statement issued by PMD said there is no evidence to indicate a scientific link between the earthquake in Turkey and Pakistan. It added that the there were no similarities between the fault lines of Turkey and Pakistan or any direct connection that might result in an emergency or unusual circumstance. The statement further mentioned that the department operates its own seismic monitoring network consisting of 30 remote monitoring stations.
“Every day, earthquakes of low to medium intensity are reported in the nearby parts of the nation,” said the statement.
The department also mentioned that there is a chance that Afghanistan, Iran, or Pakistan will experience significant earthquakes. Nevertheless, figuring out when and where is impossible with the technologies we have today.