Earthquake Statistics and Earthquake Research Studies in Pakistan

Abstract

This paper is about short review of earthquake statistics and efforts for earthquake mitigation, hazard and risk assessment studies in Pakistan. Pakistan and adjoining region lying between longitude 60˚E to 78˚E and latitude 20˚N to 45˚N are selected for the study as this region has a history of many large earthquakes because of its location in the region of intersection of three plates namely Indian, Eurasian and Arabian Sea plate. This paper is based on the study of both seismological history of the region which includes recent and historical seismicity based on earthquake catalogue as well as geological knowledge supplemented with available fault system information. In this study, Pakistan and adjoining regions are divided into 14 seismogenic zones. Seismicity of each zone is studied considering also the major cities in the respective zone and type of infrastructure which is mainly responsible for earthquake disaster rather than earthquake itself.