A statement from the Jordanian Geologists Association reveals areas of concentration of seismic activity in Jordan

Weather of Arabia - After the anxiety that afflicted Jordanian society in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that occurred on February 6 on the eastern Anatolian rift and left widespread destruction and more than 50 thousand deaths in the regions of southern Turkey and northern Syria, amid fears of the possibility of such an earthquake occurring in Jordan or in the regions Neighborhood, the Jordanian Geologists Association wanted to clarify this scientific reality without embellishment or exaggeration.

The Syndicate issued an explanatory statement through a press conference held today, Saturday, at the Syndicate's headquarters, stating the reality of the scientific reality of seismic activity in Jordan. The statement also included recommendations from the Earthquake Committee.

Places of concentration of seismic activity in Jordan

According to the statement, the seismic activity is concentrated in the region along and around the Dead Sea transformational fault system, which includes the Gulf of Aqaba, Wadi Araba and the Jordan Valley, in addition to the northern faults across Syria and Lebanon such as the faults of Rum, Sargaya, Hasbaya, Rashaya, Yamouna, Al-Ghab and the Palmyra fold areas, in addition to a group of faults. Sub-branchs, which are spread across Jordan and Palestine, such as the Sirhan fault, the Carmel fault, Wadi al-Fara’a, and others.

The Arab plate, including Jordan, moves to the north with a faster horizontal movement compared to the African plate (Palestine and Sinai, part of it, at a displacement rate of about 4-6 mm annually. This relative movement is linked to the occurrence of earthquakes throughout the ages as a result of the tectonic stresses generated in the rocks on both sides of the fault Transformative Dead Sea.

Can earthquakes in the Anatolia region produce earthquakes in Jordan and Palestine?

The statement stated that the eastern Anatolian rift is considered a (transitional) shunt rift extending towards northeast-southwest in southern Turkey, to turn into an impulsive rift in the Cypriot arc region within the Mediterranean Sea, and it is known that thrust rifts produce earthquakes more powerful than shunt faults ( such as the Dead Sea Transform Rift).

There is not enough historical evidence that the earthquakes generated in the Anatolia region may result in earthquakes in the regions of Jordan and Palestine due to the different geological and tectonic nature of the two regions, but it is not possible to deny the ability of some faults when earthquakes occur on them to activate other faults linked to them structurally. Faults are not necessarily homogeneous or compatible, and they are linked to the structural behavior of the fault systems and the relationship between them, the characteristics of the fault surface itself, the rate of relative displacement on it, and other factors. Therefore, the occurrence of earthquakes on a particular fault does not necessarily mean the occurrence of earthquakes in other parts of the faults of the region. But the possibility of activating some of them cannot be denied.

Recommendations of the Earthquake Committee to reduce seismic risks in Jordan

The statement also clarified that the destructive and fatal effects of earthquakes do not depend only on the strength of the event or seismic tremor or its destructive intensity only, but also depend on several other factors such as the proximity of the earthquake epicenter to residential areas, the geological and geotechnical nature of the site, the quality of construction, as well as the extent of adherence to engineering standards and requirements and good In addition, the preparedness and response plans, their accuracy and realism, based on seismic risk assessment studies and the resulting losses, will have a decisive impact in determining the extent of losses in the event of earthquakes (God forbid), and the ability of the state and societies to recover from its effects.

Therefore, the Seismic Committee presented some recommendations that may contribute to reducing seismic risks in Jordan, namely:

(1) The necessity of modernizing the seismic monitoring system in Jordan and supporting the earthquake observatory with the necessary human and technical capabilities, and recommending the necessity of forming a scientific committee to activate cooperation with specialized colleagues from universities and concerned authorities to support and develop the observatory’s efforts.

(2) The need to strive to establish an early warning system for earthquakes.

(3) The necessity of systematically studying the seismic risk assessment of populated areas, updating the access thereof, and reflecting the results of these studies on land use and organization plans, when expanding urban areas, creating new population centers, building crowded buildings such as schools and hospitals, and when implementing critical facilities projects such as dams and nuclear facilities. .

(4) The need to create an accurate database consisting of several maps of infrastructure items, such as road maps, water, electricity, sewage, communications, and public buildings such as schools, hospitals, places of worship, etc., and continuous work to keep it updated with the aim of implementing and reviewing seismic hazard studies on an ongoing basis, It is implemented within the Seismic Hazard Priorities Program

(5) The need for the Jordanian Geologists Association and geologists to participate in plans to assess and mitigate seismic risks and in various governmental committees and bodies when developing emergency strategic plans and earthquake response plans.

(6) Emphasis on the necessity of amending the necessary legislation to activate the role of geological offices and geologists in studies of geological survey of the site and evaluation of the seismic behavior of the sites and their ability to amplify seismic energy and to identify existing geological defects in the bedrock that cannot be detected by a small number of sounding holes.

(7) The need for all technical, engineering and geological agencies to cooperate in an integrated manner to ensure access to safe buildings and communities, away from competition or quotas, and to assume legal and ethical responsibilities, each in its field.

The necessity of evaluating the existing and old buildings and studying their ability to withstand the expected seismic loads based on the implemented seismic risk assessment studies, as well as evaluating their seismic soil behavior.

(8) And since “earthquakes” do not kill people, but buildings are what kills. Ownership, for example, preserves the capabilities of the state and preserves the rights of citizens

(9) Studying the possibility of seismic insurance for buildings and setting the necessary legislation for that.

(10) Work quickly to implement community awareness procedures and campaigns and ensure their continuation with a clear suspicion, with the aim of continuous training on how to act before, during and after the occurrence of seismic activity, and how to evacuate in order to instill the concept of seismic safety and prevention among students in particular and society in general (11) The need to empower local communities By forming volunteer rescue teams at the level of neighborhoods in areas with high seismic risk, and raising their technical capabilities to be of assistance to the rescue services after the occurrence of the disaster (God forbid).

And we ask God Almighty to keep this country safe and secure from all evil