Met Office predicts no more aftershocks

ISLAMABAD—Director General Metrological department, Dr. Qamar Zaman said Monday that critical period of the Saturday’s earthquake would come to an end tonight (Monday night) and there is no threat of a high magnitude earthquake in near future. In an interview to PTV he said, 145 after shocks have so far been recorded after the Saturday’s earthquake. He said the chain of low intensity after shocks may continue for 3-4 weeks adding their frequency would gradually decrease. He said the biggest of the after shocks was of 5.3 intensity on the richter scale which occurred on Sunday midnight.
After a major earthquake, occurrence of after shocks is a normal pattern he said urging the people not to worry about the happening. He said occurrence of after shocks is a good thing in the context that possibility of another major earthquake is averted.
He asked the people not to pay heed to the rumors as there is no mechanism to predict the earthquakes. Qamar Zaman said the buildings which have sustained the intensity of Saturday’s earthquake are safe to live in provided they have not suffered structural damage. The buildings which suffered structural damage during the first jolts can prove to be dangerous during the after shocks, he added.—APP