Earth Tremor, a Warning Signal

Accra, Jan. 12, GNA - Ghanaians have been reminded that Wednesday's earth tremor that occurred at about 1245 hours and measured 3.7 on the Richter Scale was a warning signal.

Speaking to the GNA on Thursday Mr S. T. Ahulu, Seismic Engineer at the Geological Survey Department, said the intensity did not pose any serious threat to life and property.

He, however, indicated that the intermittent occurrence of tremors meant that a major earthquake was likely to hit the country someday which could have catastrophic effects on the earthquake prone areas particularly the neighbourhoods around MaCarthy Hill and Weija and the Coastal belt.

Mr Ahulu said the recent tremor could be related to the two main earthquake belts - the Coastal Boundary Fault and the Inland Fault as the reports of the effect came from that area.

He noted that earthquakes had return periods and that it was necessary for the nation to take a critical look at the settlements located at the epicentres of quakes to forestall devastating effect. Mr Ahulu said: "The Service require modern digitalised equipment to give accurate result of tremors and earthquakes whenever they occur."

He hinted that all the stations that picked earthquake signals and transferred it for recording were out of order apart from the one at Weija.