By Ghadeer Ghloum
KUWAIT: The disastrous effects of a powerful earthquake that hit southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria is overwhelming people from all around the globe. Countries across the world including Kuwait are sending aid to support the victims of the deadly quake and help rescue workers. The tragedy prompted many people in Kuwait and neighboring countries to voice concerns about possible aftershocks in Kuwait, even though the country is considered safe and away from quake-prone areas.
How close is Kuwait to the fault line of the recent earthquake?
Referring to the distance between Kuwait and the epicenter of the recent earthquake, Supervisor of Kuwait National Seismic Network at Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) Dr Abdullah Al-Enezi told Kuwait Times: "Kuwait is far from the fault line of the earthquakes, as the epicenter is approximately 1300 km from Kuwait." Thus, Kuwait can hardly be in danger from the recent earthquake. But minor tremors were felt in some places, Enezi said. "The earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria barely affected Kuwait. A few tremors were felt in some of the buildings, especially high-rise buildings and those near the coast," he said.
What is the closest fault line to Kuwait?
The closest fault line to Kuwait is in the Zagros Mountains in Iran, which according to Enezi are approximately 300 km away from Kuwait. He also said the earthquakes that occur in this area are either average or strong, but their effects are limited. The earthquake that occurred on the border between Iran and Iraq in 2017 was a magnitude 7.3. It rattled buildings but no casualties or material damage were reported.
Is Kuwait safe from disastrous outcomes due to earthquakes?
Principle research associate Farah Al-Jeri said: "Presently, Kuwait is not at risk of earthquake disasters. Most of the earthquakes in Kuwait are either light or average, thus, Kuwait can be considered safe. Since the foundation of Kuwait National Seismic Network, no major earthquake has been recorded."
Additionally, Enezi said: "For the short-term, it can be claimed that Kuwait is safe from major earthquakes, even though people might worry about the occurrence of a major earthquake. The significant factor in case of earthquakes relies on the quality of the buildings' structure. The solidity of buildings and quality of the material used determine whether the earthquakes are disastrous or not."
This issue was also highlighted by Jeri. "This underlines the importance of safety and solidity of buildings rather than the earthquakes. Earthquakes cannot be stopped or predicted as they are a natural phenomenon. The quality of the buildings is important in withstanding earthquakes. By taking care of the necessities required during construction, we may be able to prevent buildings from collapsing when they are hit by an earthquake," added Jeri.