Quake proof

Despite greater scientific understanding of earthquakes and the development of various monitoring and warning systems, the disaster in Turkiye and Syria shows that earthquakes remain largely unpredictable and can cause tremendous damage to the shoddy infrastructure in most developing countries. Pakistan is located in a seismically active region and is situated on several major fault lines, making it quite vulnerable to earthquakes. The 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.6, caused over 75,000 deaths.

We should ensure that our buildings are constructed to current earthquake-resistant standards which can help reduce damage during an earthquake. In most cities in Pakistan, the building codes are not strictly enforced. This can lead to significant damage and loss of life in the event of an earthquake. It is important that the NDMA and municipal authorities work together to improve building code enforcement and ensure that all buildings, including new construction and older buildings, can withstand earthquakes.

Fayyaz Salih Hussain

Jamshoro