Call for revival of seismic stations at universities

Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: In the backdrop of a series of disturbing earth tremors, Geo-scientists yesterday voiced the need to revive the currently defunct seismic stations located in three universities, Eastern, Rajarata and Ruhuna.

It was revealed that the only functioning local station that can record earthquakes is at the Peradeniya University’s Geological Department but data from this centre alone will be useless without supporting readings from different locations, to make an exact assessment of a tremor within the country.

The Hambantota tremors which marked below 3.0 points on the Richter scale were recorded in the Peradeniya centre. But these had not been strong enough to trigger a reading in the Pacific Centre. Thus the scientists could not go deep into vital details of these tremors.

‘Without supporting readings we cannot make any advanced assessments,’ scientists from Geological Survey and Mines Bureau, National Building Research Organisation and the Meteorological Department told a media briefing yesterday. The Press Briefing was organised by the Disaster Management and Human Rights Ministry at the Met Department.

They voiced the need to revive the centres in the universities and link them with the disaster Management Centre of the Ministry.

Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said the State was aware that the country’s earthquake risk level has gone up. The Ministry is bringing down international experts to work with the local scientists to work on a future damage mitigation plan.

Geological Survey and Mines Bureau Deputy Chairman T.B. Mudunkotuwa said it was scientifically impossible to say if there was any connection between the 5.2 point earth tremor off the Eastern coast on July 18 and the Hambantota tremors during the weekend.

“There may be a connection or may be not,” The Deputy Director explained, also identifying them as similar to heart attacks as the chances of predicting a future earthquake or a tsunami is zero.

“Definitely, it is always better to be prepared for worse,” he responded when asked if this could be a preamble to an imminent danger but also added that it could well be a harmless aftershock.

Referring to the Hambantota tremors that was mostly felt on the Beraligala mountain, an Irrigation Department representative said they have ruled them out as ‘reservoir-induced’, one cause for such vibrations on earth.

The geologists earlier offered the brimming tank which filled up to this level for the first time in its history, could be a probable reason for the unusual tremors, a total of five within the past week.

These have caused minor damage to seven houses in the area. The irrigation experts, following a ground study, assures that there had been no damage to the Lunugamvehera Dam or its wall.