2 WEDNESDAY , SEPTEMBER 28 , 2016
Vox pop
Kaduna tremor : Are other states at risk ?
• Dr . Adepelumi Abraham ( Department of Geology , Obafemi Awolowo University )
The risk is very high in other states of the country . Earthquakes happen all the time . The important thing to do is to monitor , identify and catalogue their locations so that we can improve on future forecasts in time and space . To do these , we need to upgrade the infrastructure of the current seismic network system to a state-of-the-art digital seismic network with real-time telemetry capabilities . We need to invest in the training of engineers , technologists , students , scientists and researchers to participate in earth science research that would improve our understanding of Nigerian and West African geophysics and tectonics . Research has a crucial societal value evident in earthquake hazard readiness and mitigation .
The recent report of earth movement in Kaduna , has , indeed , brought a renewed attention to earthquake phenomenon as a potent natural hazard in Nigeria . The most recent earthquake detected and recorded by local digital sensors ( seismometers ) occurred in the Republic of Benin and was felt in a few states in the South-West . This is one in a growing sequence of earthquakes felt in other
One of the major challenges facing us as a country is that we do not have the technical capacity to manage natural disasters . Every country should put in place early signal measures . That is what is being done all over the world .
But in Nigeria , we do not have the required equipment to monitor signals . Apart from equipment , we do not have the technical manpower to manage natural disasters .
Flood has become a major challenge in the country . But how prepared are we to deal with the problem ? Do we have the technical capacity to respond to the problem ? At both national and state levels , response is poor . Even when we know that there is a likelihood of flood resulting from excessive rainfall , we do not have the capacity to prevent or manage it when it occurs . And that puts many lives and properties at risk . Hence , we witness so much damage in terms of displacement and destruction of properties .
We need to prepare for some of these things . There was a tremor in Kaduna State recently . Who knows what would happen
cities in Nigeria . With the inception of the seismometer networks in Nigeria since 2006 , the monitoring and detection of earthquakes has greatly improved , although there is more room for improvement . Nigeria is among the three countries in West Africa with a seismic network , the others being Cameroon and Ghana . With these sensors , seismologists can locate where an earthquake occurred , its magnitude ( how destructive it is ) and build a catalogue that includes useful parameters that can help further research into the frequency and causes of the earthquake .
Two key issues , however , plague the current state of our readiness for earthquake hazard assessment and mitigation in Nigeria . The first is a weak early warning detection system that is built around a sophisticated real-time digital seismic network . The second is the absence of a continuously updated and regional earthquake catalogue that should help to assess the risk of different states in the country and neighbouring countries .
Although Nigeria has the largest number of seismic stations on her national network , Ghana is the leader in digital seismic network observatory . Two key components distinguish Ghana ’ s seismic observatory from Nigeria ’ s . The first is the quality of the hardware and software infrastructure . The second , equally as important , is a real-time telemetry system that can relay data to any location regionally and globally . So , there are several areas Nigeria needs to improve to manage earthquakes .
It is clear that an investment in upgrading seismic monitoring infrastructure should be of priority . What is even more pressing is the renewed attention on funding and support for earthquake research through earth science and solid earth geophysical research . Unfortunately , very little research is being conducted or supported both locally and internationally on key geophysical issues that relate to Nigeria . A few researchers who worked on the key topics in the 1940s are nearing retirement , with little or no efforts made to educate and mentor new scientists to power the next generation of research . This is discouraging considering that data point to a growing need for personnel to provide expertise in managing geophysical infrastructure , training students and conducting researches that are useful to informing local policymakers .
• Adedeji Adeleye ( Executive Director , Independent Advocacy Project )
next ? Who knows where it would happen next ? Those are critical questions we need to respond to as a country . But we need equipment and expertise to properly respond to them .
• Uche Jude ( An expert in Physical Geography )
irst , we need to understand
Fthat earthquakes are caused by disturbances within the earth crust . A disturbance could be located in a particular state . It could also cut across
• Ejiro Erharhaghen ( A geophysicist )
o reduce the risk of tremor in the
Tcountry , we need to enhance the regulation of mining activities . Areas where mining take place need to be properly monitored . Earthquakes and tremors are consequences of movements within the earth crust . Such movements could be horizontal or vertical . The deeper the movement , the more intense the quake becomes . What happened in Kaduna was a movement on the shallow surface of the earth . That is why the strength was not much .
Every country of the world is at the risk of earthquake , which could happen at any time . But you would experience these disasters in places where you have much mining activities . It is like when you create a hole underneath the earth . The uppermost part would eventually sink .
If what happened in Kaduna was due to mining activities , we need to control and coordinate mining . Mining activities are causing a lot of environmental degradation in the country . We have to control them . We can also enhance our monitoring centres to be able to keep records of earth tremors . We need to deploy technological
two or more states . If more states are involved in the disturbance that led to the Kaduna earth tremor , those states are at risk .
What we need to ask is – what is the extent of the disturbance ? To what extent are the bedrocks distorted ? If there is a state of nonconformity in the rock setting , there is the likelihood that there would be an internal disturbance . There could also be a disturbance in the mantle of the earth . This could cause a crack that could lead to a readjustment .
Africa is a stable continent compared to other places . For the past 60 million years , Africa has been very stable unlike the mobile zone of the globe which includes Japan and Australia . This is because the rock on which Africa is located is not fragile . But for its stability , Africa would have been experiencing tremors everywhere by now .
The only challenge is if there are mining activities that are not properly monitored and regulated , there could be internal disturbances . If there are , more states would be prone to tremors and other disturbances .
Other states might be at risk . We have had a series of incidents . What we need to do is to properly monitor the changes in the geophysical composition of the country . We need to constantly update the data we have because things are changing very fast .
Also , we need robust earthquake monitoring centres which can regularly give advice to policymakers on critical actions that should be taken and areas that need government attention . Experts should be encouraged to carry out detailed and regular geological survey of Nigeria . We have experts that can carry out such projects but they need to be encouraged .
We may have to instal earthquake monitoring units in strategic positions in the country . Experts need to survey the country and advise the country on where we should instal such facilities .
• Prof . Rafiu Bale ( Department of Geology and Mineral Sciences , University of Ilorin )
equipment that can pick earth vibrations afar . This is what is done all over the world . This is why the United States would know when Russia detonates a bomb . We need to enhance our capability to pick earth tremor so that we can monitor areas that are prone to such .