‘Sindh-Makran coast vulnerable to earthquake, tsunami and cyclones’

KARACHI: People living along the Sindh-Makran coast should be prepared for earthquakes and the eventuality of tsunami and cyclones in the Arabian Sea. An earthquake of more than 8 magnitude can generate waves that can cause unprecedented damage in Karachi, Gwadar and other coastal cities and towns, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) officials warned on Wednesday.

“People and authorities in Karachi and other coastal cities should remain prepared for an earthquake in the Makran subduction Zone, which is within 50 kms from the Sindh-Makran coast. An earthquake of magnitude 8 or above can trigger a strong tsunami, which can generate waves as high as 10-15 metres and cause unprecedented damage within two to five kilometer areas of Karachi and other coastal cities," Director General, PMD Muhammad Riaz told an awareness workshop for journalists in Karachi.

Media Awareness workshop on “Early Warning System for Hydro-Meteorological Hazards – Tsunami, Cyclones and Heavy Rains” was organized by the PMD in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Government of Japan. It was attended by print and electronic media journalists, senior Met experts and government officials.

Dr. Riaz maintained that in addition to the threat of tsunami, the Sindh-Makran coast was also prone to cyclones, whose intensity was increasing each year due to climate change and added that there was no scientific reason available that cyclones would not hit Karachi or any other coastal area on Pakistani coast. “We have seen devastation due to cyclones in Keti Bandar and adjoining areas in Sindh’s coast as well as in Pasni and Ormara. If Karachi has been spared so far, it does not mean that it would remain protected from the cyclones or tsunami in the future too,” Muhammad Riaz warned and underlined preparedness against earthquake, tsunami, cyclone and torrential rains by the people and authorities in Karachi.

To a query, Director General PMD maintained that authorities, including building control department, should ensure that building codes are not violated during construction of residential and commercial structures, while the disaster management authorities must oversee the evacuation and emergency plans. The people, similarly, should be aware of the threats and their response in case of any warning of a natural hazard, Riaz said.

Dr. Riaz further said the Sindh-Makran coast had already faced devastation in 1945 when a strong tsunami caused by an earthquake in the ‘Makran Subduction Zone’ killed over 4,000 people in the coastal areas of Makran. The active fault is still gaining energy and could result in another powerful tsunami, the time-frame for which could not be predicted, he added.

“A subduction zone is like a trench in the sea. The Makran Subduction Zone is around 30 to 50 kilometres away from the Makran coast. If a tsunami is triggered, it can hit the coast in five to 30 minutes, which leaves very little time for the coastal community to react,” Riaz explained, adding that in this situation, it was imperative to conduct drills and create an awareness among the people about how they should react in case of a tsunami warning.

He maintained that in view of the threat of tsunami at the Sindh-Makran coast, the PMD had established the National Seismic Monitoring and Tsunami Early Warning Centre (EWC), Karachi, which was keeping an eye on the seismic activities in the sea.

Chief Meteorological Officer Sindh Dr. Sardar Sarfraz said Pakistan is facing floods, cyclones and near-field tsunami for last several decades and added that such hydromet-induced disasters can be effectively dealt with by putting in place a robust Early Warning System to avoid and mitigate the impending human and infrastructural damages.

"The Pakistan Meteorological Department is developing an effective EWS in coordination and consultation with all stakeholders. We are holding these workshops and trainings for the media and the community to discuss the challenges and engage the stakeholders for effective implementation of SOPs, imparting knowledge of resilience among the masses and sensitizing the media for prompt dissemination of EWS,” Dr. Sarfraz added.

Other experts including Additional Commissioner Karachi Syed Jawad Muzaffar, Director PMD Nadeem Faisal, Tariq Ibrahim, Abdul Waheed from UNDP and Anjum Zaigham from PMD also spoke on the occasion.