Karachi: Another earthquake tremor jolts Malir, adjacent areas

KARACHI: Another earthquake tremor of 3.2 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted Karachi’s Quaidabad, Malir and Shah Faisal Colony on Saturday morning.

The epicentre of the earthquake was at the distance of 12 kilometres in north of Malir, originated at a depth of 35 kilometers, according to the Seismological Center.

Earthquake tremors were felt at approximately 9:53 AM on Saturday morning. The Karachi area has felt 39 low to mild tremors since of first of June.

Chief Meteorologist Ameer Haider earlier stated that “the seismic energy gathered at the Landhi Fault Line activity, being released with quakes.”

He said the intensity of earthquake tremors will drop gradually.

Commenting on the jolts in the city official said that no damage made by the mild tremors till now. “These tremors are part of the ongoing seismic activity along the city’s active fault lines”.

“Historically, no major earthquake reported on the Landhi Fault Line,” he said.

Landhi and Malir areas sinking: study

A geological study conducted by experts from Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University has revealed that Karachi’s Landhi and Malir areas have sunk by nearly 15.7 centimetres between 2014 and 2020 — a rate of land subsidence ranked among the fastest in the world.

The researchers said that this rate of sinking is second only to that observed in Tianjin, China.

The primary causes identified include excessive extraction of groundwater and the unregulated construction of high-rise buildings.

The report also highlighted that Karachi’s geographic location near the convergence point of three major tectonic plates — the Indian, Eurasian and Arabian plates — added to the city’s geological vulnerability.

The experts warned that if the unchecked pumping of groundwater and construction activity continue, more areas in Karachi could face similar subsidence, and the risk of seismic activity may also rise.

The study calls for immediate intervention to mitigate the threat and suggested that the installation of seawater desalination plants to reduce reliance on underground water sources and the enforcement of restrictions on the construction of highrise buildings in the affected zones.

Earlier, the reports had emerged that coastal areas of Sindh including Badin and Thatta could sink into the sea within a period of 30 years. A Senate body on science and technology had briefed the lawmakers back in 2015.