TREMOR COULD HAVE RESULTED IN TSUNAMI (PAGE 3)

THE earth tremor which occurred in Accra last Monday could have resulted in a Tsunami if its energy had been strong enough to lift the sea water.
This is because the tremor originated from the sea, near the Kokrobite Beach, the Geological Survey Department (GSD) has explained.
The Deputy Director of the GSD, Mr Samuel K. Amedofu, who spoke to Daily Graphic, said the epicentre of the tremor originating from the sea meant that it was a minor Tsunami.
He said if the energy from the tremor had been strong, it could have lifted the water above sea level and that could have caused flooding in Accra and surrounding villages.
He, however, assured Ghanaians that Ghana was not along the path of major earth tremors and that those that had occurred in the country, apart from that of 1939, were minor earth tremors.
He said as soon as the Seismological Observatory of the GSD recorded the tremor, technicians were sent to the field to interview people at Weija, Gbawe, Kokrobite, Nyanyano and surrounding villages, adding that residents of those localities reported that they had felt the tremor.
He said residents of Kokrobite noted that they had heard the sound associated with the tremor move from the sea and get inland.
The deputy director said there was no cause for alarm but added that the department could not be complacent, especially in this era of global warming and climate change around the world.
He said the GSD was in the process of acquiring satellite equipment to replace obsolete ones at its seismological observatories at Weija, Accra, Kukurantumi and the Shai Hills.
Mr Amedofu strongly advised developers in the various parts of the country to seek the advice of the GSD when building their houses so that they could avoid building on fractured rocks under the sub-soil.
He also advised landlords to use quality building materials and build according to acceptable standards to withstand those tremors.
Mr Amedofu said preliminary reports from the field had not indicated any major cracks or damage to buildings and property.