KARACHI, Aug 28: The Pakistan Meteorological Department has started to establish a seismic activity monitoring project worth Rs193 million, which would also serve as an early warning tsunami system.

The Director-General of PMD, Dr Qamaruzzaman Chaudhry, told Dawn that under the project, 12-15 broadband seismic stations would be installed throughout the country, giving adequate coverage to the coastal areas.

“Besides, 50 short period seismic stations will also be installed for making three independent local area seismic networks in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar/ Islamabad,” he said.

The seismic activity monitoring system would be headquartered in Karachi, Dr Chaudhry said.

Sources in the Met office told Dawn that PC-I titled “Up-gradation and Strengthening of Seismological Network in Pakistan” was submitted by the Pakistan Meteorological Department to the government which had been approved with an estimated cost of Rs193.574 million and funds to the tune of Rs40.20 million had also been allocated for the year 2005-06 for necessary civil works and purchase of some equipments.

“Central recording and processing centre will be located in Karachi and backup stations will be located in Quetta and Peshawar/Islamabad. Data recorded by all the broadband stations together with that of the local area seismic networks will be transmitted through VSAT to the central station in Karachi. In addition, about 60 strong motion accelerographs will also be installed in the main cities throughout the country for recording actual ground motion produced during earthquakes. This data would not only facilitate the formulation of micro-scale seismic zoning maps and building code for the country but would also be beneficial in the formulation of mega projects for the development of coastal areas and safety of land and marine socio-economic activities,” he said.

The sources explained that Pakistan contained five active seismic source regions: the Runn of Kutch, the North-western Himalayan region (including Karakorum), the Hindukush region, Balochistan Arc including Quetta transverse zone, and the Makran coast subduction zone.

They recalled that the Makran coast subduction zone had a history of an 8.3 magnitude earthquake that occurred on Nov 27, 1947. “This earthquake was associated with tsunami, producing 12-15-metre-high sea waves and killing at least 4,000 people in Pasni and its adjoining areas. The tsunami hit as far as Mumbai in India,” they said.