The Federal Government of Nigeria has warned that Abuja, Bayelsa, Ogun, Kaduna and Oyo state may experience an earthquake.
The director-general of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Seidu Mohammed, disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday, September 27, 2018.
He said Mpape in Abuja, Kwoi in Kaduna, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun, Shaki in Oyo and Igbogene in Bayelsa may likely be the epicentres of earthquake if precautions were not taken.
Mohammed who was also the chairman of presidential committee on the Abuja tremor, the erstwhile inactive faults system in the country are gradually becoming active, and will make earthquake likely in the country.
He said a number of incidences in these locations is also a pointer to the fact that a big disaster may occur there.
He called on the federal government to take majors to avert the impending disaster.
He said analysis of a 100-year-old data done by the members of the presidential committee on Abuja tremor showed that “Mpape in Abuja is a hotspot” which is “highly susceptible” to earth tremor and other earth shakeups.
“What it means is that we need a thorough study across the country to identify such hotspots so that we can constantly monitor them from satellite system and from data from outer space,” he said.
“More than 330 metric tonnes of water being taken out every day in Abuja is causing a vacuum; is straining the earth.”
He therefore urged the federal government to take a look at indiscriminate drilling of boreholes, calling on thorough regulation on earth drilling.
He also said engineers should now take cognizance of likely earth tremor when designing and constructing buildings.
The Presidential Committee on Abuja Tremor had also said Nigeria was now prone to seismic hazards, which make earthquake occurrence a potential disaster to the country.
The committee disclosed that when it submitted the report of its findings to the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu.
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