KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has confirmed that tremors will continue to be felt in Karachi for the next two to three days, but residents are advised not to panic as the intensity of the quakes is expected to decrease.
Karachi experienced three more mild tremors on Tuesday morning, adding to the 19 low to moderate earthquakes recorded over the past three days. The magnitudes have ranged from 2.1 to 3.6 on the Richter scale, with the strongest quake measuring 3.6 on Sunday.
PMD Director General Mahr Sahibzad Khan explained on Dawn News TV’s ‘Doosra Rukh’ programme that these quakes are caused by small fault lines located in Korangi and Malir. The phenomenon is exacerbated by the depletion of groundwater due to illegal pumping by the so-called ‘tanker mafia.’ The extraction of groundwater over these fault lines is triggering “induced earthquakes,” he said.
He noted that beneath Karachi, hard rocks have largely been removed, leaving only sand, which worsens the situation. Sahibzad Khan also linked the recent collapse of a wall at Malir prison, which led to a major jailbreak, to its proximity to the earthquake’s epicenter, where the tremors are strongest.
Despite the ongoing seismic activity, the Met chief reassured the public that the tremors would continue only with low intensity and subside within days. He emphasized that there is no cause for alarm for the people of Karachi.
