Quake Hit the Gulf...

Bigger quake possible, says academic
By Ashfaq Ahmed, Staff Reporter
Source: http://www.gulfnews.com/
Date published: 12th March 2007

Dubai: Saturday night's earthquake, that woke residents in Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah is an indication of a possibly bigger earthquake in the waiting, said a professor at the American University of Sharjah.

"The epicentre of the earthquake, which struck on Saturday night at 10.18pm, was the Arabian Sea, some 74km southwest of Qeshm island of Iran and about 160km from Sharjah and Dubai, said Dr Jamal A. Abdullah, Associate Professor at the Civil Engineering Department of the AUS and In Charge of the AUS Earthquake Observatory Centre. He said the intensity of the quake was 4 on the Richter Scale and it was located 18km deep in the sea.

"It was very close to the place where the earthquake measuring at magnitude 5.9 on Richter Scale struck on November 27, 2005. This is not a good sign. Repeated seismic activities at the same spot indicate a bigger earthquake in the waiting - as big as magnitude 7 on the Richter scale," he said in a post quake analysis which he prepared in association with Aqeel Ahmad, who looks after the AUS's earthquake monitoring centres.

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Not strong

But he said no one knows when it would happen. "There is a probability that it could happen during the next 50 years," he said. Jolts of Saturday night's earthquake were felt in parts of Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. "It was not strong enough to cause any damage to buildings and infrastructure," he said. Dr Abdullah said there has been a noticeable increase in the magnitude and frequency of seismic events in the northern region of the UAE.

"There are several earthquake events that took place in recent years and this is the result of increased seismic activity in Southern Zagros fault and Markan subduction zone," he added. He said the UAE sits near the edge of the Arabian Plate adjacent to the Iranian plateau and close to Zagros Fault, which is characterised by high seismic activity.

He said the Iranian plateau frequently suffers destructive and catastrophic earthquakes. "Due to its proximity to the Iranian block, and the recent increase in seismic activity in the region, the UAE is also vulnerable, in varying degrees, to earthquakes that are occurring at and around the Zagros fault," he noted.

Monitoring region since 2000

The American University of Sharjah Earthquake Observatory Centre, which has monitoring nodes in Sharjah, Dibba-Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Masafi and Fujairah, has recorded a number of earthquakes since it was established in December 2000.

Earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter Scale in Dibba-Fujairah on March 11, 2002.

Strong tremors recorded in December 2002 and April 2003.

Earthquake in Qeshm on November 27, 2005 measuring 5.9 on the Richter Scale, was felt in most parts of the UAE.

A moderate earthquake was also recorded in Dibba-Fujairah on June 29, 2006.

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A quake hit Northern Emirates last saturday 10th March 2007. While my husby and i are watching Eat Bulaga (Filipino Variety Show) at around 10:30 in the evening, my phone rang, a colleague of mine called.

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Our conversation:

Me: Hello!

Shawie: uy, magandang gabi!

Me: Oh, napatawag ka, gabi na gising pa kayo

Shawie: Nandito kame sa labas ng bahay nmen

Me: Baket?

Shawie: Lumindol kase kaya inilabas ko ung mga bata

Me: ano? ngayon lang ba?

Shawie: Oo, tinawagan nga kita kase itatanong ko kung lumindol jan

Me: Hindi namen naramdaman eh, teka tanong ko kung naramdaman nila...

---PAUSE---

Me: Hello, hindi talaga eh, baka jan lang sa lugar nyo

Shawie: Baka nga. Dito muna kame sa labas baka may after shock pa

Me: Lapit kase kayo sa fault line

Shawie: Oo nga eh, di bale pasok na rin kame sa bahay pag-nagpasukan na rin ung mga kapit bahay nmen.

Me: O sige, ingat at tawag k lang ha! abangan natin sa News bukas

Shawie: Ok, bye goodnight

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We're living in Sharjah while she lives near Fujairah (See Location Map above). The following day, i approached her in the office and it's good to hear that her family is doing fine. UAE is not prone to Quakes, even if this country has the extreme climates (hottest than ever during summer and considerably colder during winter).

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16th July 1990, the strongest quake hit Manila. That's one traumatic incident that most Filipino's had experienced. Many lives was taken, properties was damaged, few high rise buildings collapsed and the entire state was in deep shock. In times like this, everybody should be prepared 'coz we don't know where and when it will hit again.

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Where were you on that day? Were you able to overcome the fear? What did you do to surpass panic?

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Hold on with the power of Prayers, God will show us the way...

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