DAMMAM: The Kingdom needs to lay stress on buildings that are earthquake resistant, especially in regions like Dammam and Alkhobar which are more vulnerable, a study has said.

The country is close to areas that have significant seismic activity, like in the east of the Gulf and the Zagros Mountains in Iran, said the study.

Abdullah Al-Omari, supervisor of the Seismic Research Center at King Saud University, said: “The study carried out by the center in Dammam and Alkhobar — high earthquake prone cities — focused on the response level of infrastructure to earthquakes in the east of the Gulf and the mountains of Iran. It included a precise field work of the geotechnical side of the soil and precautions to make the vulnerable cities able to withstand tremors.”

He said the study provided solutions for the existing infrastructure in those cities to withstand the impact of tremors and prevent the consequences of seismic risk. The study concentrated on the coasts of Dammam and Alkhobar, and will extend in the next phase to Jubail.

Al-Omari urged the municipalities to apply these studies and the building codes, develop necessary solutions and coordinate with specialized bodies in earthquakes.

He said the center will carry out similar studies in Jeddah, Makkah and Taif, as these cities are located in the north of the Red Sea, an earthquake prone area.

The geologist added that the authorities concerned should pay great attention to infrastructure in urban areas by studying the geotechnical aspects of the soil and how it was affected by the earthquakes in nearby areas.