QUETTA: A renowned scientist and Balochistan University Geology Department (BUGD) Assistant Professor Deen Muhammad Kakar has said that Global Positioning System (GPS) machine reports have suggested that an earthquake of 7.5 magnitude intensity and powerful like that of 1935 might hit Quetta city and adjoining areas.
While talking to media on Thursday, he said the GPS machines installed in areas, including Quetta, Chaman, Saranan, Surkhab, Pishin, Ziarat, Shahrag, Harnai, Loralai, Qila Saifullah, Muslim Bagh, Lakpass, Kalat and Sorab indicated that mountainous areas, including Koh Sulman, Koh Kirthar, Quetta and northern areas were in eight-millimetre annual movement to south and due to this movement a great stress was being accumulated under soil.
He further said that BUGD, Civil Engineering Department of NED University Karachi and Centre of Excellence of Peshawar University were busy in compiling research reports with the help of GPS machines and other scientific equipments on emerging of possible and powerful earthquakes in future. He said that other areas of Balochistan, including Chaman, Harnai, Shahrag, Loralai, Noshki, Khuzdar and coastal belt of Makran, would also face powerful tremors in future. He advised people to keep items at their homes to deal with the situation caused by earthquake, including dry food like pulses, grams, dry milk and water, torch, battery radio, first-aid kit, fire extinguishing equipment and diary containing emergency phone numbers. -dailytimes
