Hani Zahran, director-general of the National Center for Earthquakes and Volcanoes at the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS), said the center intends to install an additional 15 fixed stations throughout the Kingdom to detect earthquakes during 2015, bringing the total number of such fixed stations to 175.
Pointing out that seismic activities are caused by the movement of the earth’s tectonic plates, he said: “The Arabian Plate is one of three tectonic plates and its history clearly indicates that the region was hit by a number of strong earthquakes, including the Aqaba Gulf area and the south-western region but without any risks or dangers to the residents of these regions.”
The local seismic activity witnessed along the western side of the Kingdom in general and the Red Sea coast in particular is due to the forces that affect the terminal borders of the Kingdom and move inside the Arabian Plate. “It then gathers force to such an extent that the rocks inside the ground cannot hold out any longer and result in an earthquake,” he explained.
He said the National Center for Earthquakes and Volcanoes works around the clock to receive and analyze seismic data, and then report to the competent authorities including the General Directorate of Civil Defense.
15 new seismic stations to be installed across Kingdom this year
