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Be
prepared to face quakes: Professor Geology Professor C.B. Dissanayake of the Peradeniya University told The Sunday Times that Sri Lankans would have to be prepared for such an eventuality as an earthquake zone was developing around the seas surrounding the island of Sumatra about 400 to 500 kilometres away from our shores. "Sri Lanka cannot be called an earthquake-free zone in future", Prof. Dissanayake said. Detailing precautionary measures he said the first step, in the event of an earthquake, is to leave buildings or houses and move into an open playground or a high road and lie on the ground. He said that Sri Lanka currently lacks warning methods via mass communication in the print or electronic media. He added that the recent tsunami caused heavy casualties due to non-existence of such a warning system which meant that prior warning could not be given and people readied for the eventuality. He said in future builders need to take precautions when they are undertaking new constructions to ensure that measures are taken to minimise damage from earthquakes. Prof. Dissanayake said that most of the professionals who could provide advice in this filed, have migrated to foreign countries and are engaged in the study of quakes there, adding that in future the country needs to commission their know-how in the field of earth quake study. Prof. Dissanayake who holds the highest qualification in seismology from Oxford University said the country does not need any more mega hydro power projects which are not suited to our island and that we need to be cautious about building big dams. He said though most seismologists who examined our geological set-up were of the view that Sri Lanka was free of earthquake threats, US scientists who conducted recent studies in the Asian sea area have a different opinion and warn of complacency that the country is earthquake free. They have said that dangerous new undersea plate limits, which are over 8 million years old, are growing. Though this is quite young in seismological science terms, they are located around 400 to 500 kms. away in the south seas. The Indian-Australian plate is breaching the new plates bringing us closer to the Indian region Prof. Dissanayake said, adding that those responsible need to take serious note of every quake however small it may be. We need to cooperate with US oceanographers, seismologists and meteorological staff and devote our serious attention to this danger, he said. |
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