“Today’s Earthquakes in Pakistan: Latest Updates and Impact Analysis”

6 min readAug 29, 2024

Understanding Earthquakes: The Big Picture

Introduction:

Earthquakes are one of the most spectacular of all natural events and account disproportionately for the number of deaths and level of destruction on our planet. Their unpredictability and colossal forces have kept scientists, policymakers, and the public interested and concerned for centuries. This paper will give an overview of earthquakes, causes and effects, and updates on current earthquake activities including weather-related impacts.

What is an Earthquake?

An earthquake is the shaking of the Earth’s surface caused by a sudden release of energy within the Earth’s lithosphere that generates seismic waves, which travel through it and cause the ground to shake, sometimes violently, causing damage. The energy is usually caused by the movement of tectonic plates-large slabs of the Earth’s crust which float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere beneath them.

Causes of Earthquake:

1. Tectonic Plate Movement: The movement of tectonic plates causes the occurrence of most earthquakes. These plates either slip past each other, pull apart, or collide. Boundaries that show such relative motions between plates are called fault lines. When the accumulated stress on these faults overcomes the frictional resistance of the rocks along the fault, it shakes and creates, thereby, an earthquake. Famous kinds of plate boundaries include transform, where the plates slide past each other; convergent, where the plates collide; and divergent, where the plates pull apart.

2. Volcanic Activity: Earthquakes can also be triggered by volcanic activity. As magma rises through the Earth’s crust, it can crack the surrounding rock and create seismic activity. These are often referred to as volcanic or volcanic-tectonic earthquakes.

3. Human Activities: These include mining, reservoir-induced seismicity from big dams, and hydraulic fracturing-what is commonly called fracking. Induced earthquakes, generally, result from the interference of human activity with natural geological processes.

4. Isostatic Rebound: This results from an adjustment of the Earth’s crust for surface loads that have changed, such as the melting of glaciers. When the weight of the ice is removed the crust may rebound and cause seismic activity.

Measuring Earthquakes:

Seismologists measure the seismic waves produced by an earthquake with instruments called seismometers or seismographs. These instruments detect the ground motion and, based on that motion, the magnitude and intensity of the earthquake are determined. The magnitude of the earthquakes is determined on the Richter scale or on a moment magnitude scale, referred to as Mw, whereas intensity is generally estimated using the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale.

Effects of Earthquakes:

1. Ground Shaking: The most direct, and usually destructive, effect of an earthquake is that of ground shaking, which causes structural damage to buildings, roads, and infrastructure. The most determining factors for the intensity of shaking are magnitude, depth, and distance from the epicenter.

2. Surface Rupture: During an earthquake, the ground may break along the fault line. Surface rupture contributes much to the damage of structures along the fault.

3. Tsunamis: Undersea earthquakes sometimes affect the ocean floor and displace large volumes of water, thus generating tsunamis. Huge tidal waves have the potential for flooding in coastal areas and can cause massive destruction.

4. Landslides: Earthquakes can cause landslides, especially in hilly or mountainous regions. Landslides can even bury communities, block roads, and affect local ecosystems.

5. Liquefaction: If the soils are saturated, the shaking can cause the ground to behave almost like a liquid. Such liquefaction can lead to collapse of structures and major ground deformation.

Seismic-like event, possible earthquake, reported few minutes ago near Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan

Thu, 29 Aug 2024, 06:02 | BY: EARTHQUAKEMONITOR

Current Earthquake Activity Status:

As of August 2024, here is an overview of the current earthquake in Pakistan.

1. Earthquake on August 28, 2024
- Magnitude: 5.6
- Location: Near Quetta, Balochistan
- Details: The southwest part of the country was struck with this quake in the early afternoon. It caused moderate shaking across several cities in Balochistan. Initial reports revealed minor structural damage to buildings in Quetta and surrounding areas. No immediate reports of casualties have come in.
2. Earthquake on August 24, 2024
- Magnitude: 4.8
- Location: Northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)
- Details: This earthquake was centered near the city of Peshawar. It resulted in light to moderate shaking, with some minor damage reported in rural areas. The quake was relatively shallow, which contributed to its noticeable impact on surface structures.
Status and Response
Emergency Response and Relief Efforts
- Government Response: In the situation, disaster management authorities were activated at the federal and provincial levels considering the damages and dispensation of aid. ER teams are involved in the inspection of the sites, giving relief in the affected areas.
- Assessment of Infrastructure: Several teams were busy assessing structural damages, especially in Quetta, so that buildings and infrastructure are safe. Road repair and restoration work is, therefore, crucial for access to affected areas.
Community Impact:
- Citizens: Anxiety was reported among a lot of citizens residing in the affected regions. The rest, however, is under control. Camps and relief centers are provided for the shifted or those in need of immediate assistance.
- Local Organization: Various NGOs and humanitarian agencies also participated in the relief processes, providing emergency rations, medical facilities, and psychosocial interventions among the affected population.
Seismic Monitoring and Forecasting
- Continuous Monitoring: Seismological departments in Pakistan monitor seismic activity continuously. Earthquake forecasting and the early warning system are applied in an effort to identify and warn against probable aftershocks.
- Public Advisories: Public advisories are issued by the authorities concerning safety measures and precautionary steps during and after earthquakes. Public education campaigns spread awareness among people about earthquake preparedness.

Weather and Earthquake Considerations:

Weather can affect the outcome of earthquakes and post-disaster management processes:

Heavy Rainfall: Following the earthquake, heavy rainfalls render the already damaged sites more liable with the possibilities of slides and floods. In the recent case of earthquake in Turkey, rains further deteriorated the situation in some of the affected areas.

2. Winter Weather: In cold-weather climates, the impacts of an earthquake can be multiplied in winter months. Snow and ice can make rescue operations more difficult and increase the rate of hypothermia and other weather-related problems for those affected.

3. Temperature Extremes: Extremes in temperature have the potential to make damaged infrastructure unstable and further complicate recovery. For instance, heatwaves buckle roads and rails, while cold snaps can impact the logistics of emergency responses.

Conclusion:

Earthquakes are one of the strongest and most unpredictable natural forces that exist, and they can cause immense destruction. Understanding their causes, effects, and measurement is very crucial for preparedness and mitigation of disasters. Recent events have demonstrated that earthquakes can strike at any community in the world and point to a need for strong building and emergency practices as well as international cooperation.

Knowledge on seismic activity and how weather and earthquakes relate will prepare the community for the natural disaster. With increasing science and technology, it is envisioned that coupled with better infrastructure, early warning systems go a long way in managing and mitigating earthquakes in order to reduce risks and to further enhance resilience in future generations.

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