ID :
173199
Tue, 04/05/2011 - 12:23
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http://m.oananews.org//node/173199
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United Arab Emirates east coast at tsunami risk
Dubai, April 04, 2011 (PPI): The number of tremors felt by Northern Emirates of United Arab Emirates UAE has increased because it is geographically close to areas under seismically active belt, especially its proximity to Makran region (between Iran & Pakistan), according to top officials.
UAE’s proximity to seismically active Makran region increases risk of a tsunami affecting its east coast, said officials who felt Emirates was not located within seismic belt itself. Since early 2011, there were 10 reports of earthquakes from Fujairah and its suburbs, a senior Civil Defence official told Emirates 24|7. In 2010 there were only five such incidents reported.
A National Centre of Meteorology & Seismology official says UAE is not located in seismically active belt. Khamis Al Shamsi said quakes that hit the south and east of Fujairah were due to quarries operating in neighbouring state that use high explosives. He suggested establishing tsunami monitoring and early warning stations to detect if tsunami waves could reach UAE’s east coast due to its proximity to seismically active Makran region. “UAE is geographically very close to areas under seismic belts - stretching north-west, parallel to Zagros mountain range, as a result of collision of Arabian plate with Eurasian plate.” Second is crack of Makran in Gulf of Oman, which is experiencing relatively strong quakes.
Biggest quakes that hit the region is one in southern Pakistan last January measuring 7.4 on Richter scale; Iran’s Qesham island in 2008 measuring 6.1 & also Iran’s Bam city last December measuring 6.5. In 1945, an 8 magnitude quake hit Makran region off Gulf of Oman, causing tsunami waves hitting coasts of Pakistan, Iran & Oman.
Probability of tsunami, especially in Makran region, cannot be taken lightly, as layers of Makran rift, located under the sea, has been sinking beneath other plates in Gulf of Oman. UAE currently has eight quake monitoring stations that cover all the emirates.
UAE’s proximity to seismically active Makran region increases risk of a tsunami affecting its east coast, said officials who felt Emirates was not located within seismic belt itself. Since early 2011, there were 10 reports of earthquakes from Fujairah and its suburbs, a senior Civil Defence official told Emirates 24|7. In 2010 there were only five such incidents reported.
A National Centre of Meteorology & Seismology official says UAE is not located in seismically active belt. Khamis Al Shamsi said quakes that hit the south and east of Fujairah were due to quarries operating in neighbouring state that use high explosives. He suggested establishing tsunami monitoring and early warning stations to detect if tsunami waves could reach UAE’s east coast due to its proximity to seismically active Makran region. “UAE is geographically very close to areas under seismic belts - stretching north-west, parallel to Zagros mountain range, as a result of collision of Arabian plate with Eurasian plate.” Second is crack of Makran in Gulf of Oman, which is experiencing relatively strong quakes.
Biggest quakes that hit the region is one in southern Pakistan last January measuring 7.4 on Richter scale; Iran’s Qesham island in 2008 measuring 6.1 & also Iran’s Bam city last December measuring 6.5. In 1945, an 8 magnitude quake hit Makran region off Gulf of Oman, causing tsunami waves hitting coasts of Pakistan, Iran & Oman.
Probability of tsunami, especially in Makran region, cannot be taken lightly, as layers of Makran rift, located under the sea, has been sinking beneath other plates in Gulf of Oman. UAE currently has eight quake monitoring stations that cover all the emirates.
