PMD rubbishes rumours predicting disastrous earthquake in Pakistan

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said that it is impossible to accurately predict any seismic activity as it rebuked rumours circulating on social media that warned of a catastrophic earthquake in Pakistan.

The PMD's denial comes on Monday after netizens on social media quoted the Solar System Geometry Survey (SSGEOS) and a Dutch scientist Frank Hoogerbeets' warning that a potential catastrophic seismic event could occur in Pakistan after they "recorded" a significant surge in electric activity along the fault lines in Balochistan’s Chaman.

Commenting on the rumours, the Met Office said that the boundaries of two major tectonic plates inside the Earth pass through Pakistan which is extended from Sonmiani to the northern region of the country Pakistan.

The development comes as the SSGEOS on its official X — formerly known as Twitter — shared an image of Pakistan's Western border with the remarks "potential for major seismic event".

Meanwhile, Dutch scientist Hoogerbeets said that October 1 to 3 will be "critical".

The rumours were picked on by Pakistani social media users.

The weatherman also said earthquakes can occur at any point in these boundary lines.

The Met Office said an earthquake of magnitude 9 to 10 had struck the Chaman fault line in 1892, while an earthquake that hit the Chiltan range in 1935 killed several thousand people.

Usually, after the passage of 100 years, there is a possibility of a recurrence of an earthquake in the same boundary line, the Met Office said in the statement.

“We have not received any kind of warning or instructions from any international organisation regarding earthquake,” it added.

The Met Office further said that the system to predict the movement of tectonic plates is not installed in Pakistan and urged the people not to pay heed to false news on social media.

Meanwhile, Seismological Centre Director Rafi Zahid said Pakistan was using Japanese technology to monitor seismic activity and added that the monitoring system was present across the country.

“Areas where earthquakes occur more often are identified through monitoring,” the expert said.

Earlier in February this year, the Dutch researcher’s prediction following a deadly earthquake in Turkey sparked rumours of potential earthquakes in Pakistan.

The experts had back then rebuffed the reports calling them unscientific.