Ghana in Imminent Danger of an Earthquake

...Geological Survey department warns

The Geological Survey Department says current scientific investigations show that there is an imminent danger of an earthquake or tremor in some parts of the country that might cause considerable damage to life and property.

According to the Director of the Department, Dr. E.K. Brantuoh, "the entire landmass after the Weija Police Barrier is on a lot of fractured rock formation and weak zone which is not safe from the quakes." He added that towns like Senya Bereku, Gomoa Fetteh and Nyanyano all in the Central Region are also on fractured rock formations known in geological terms as the "Togo Rock" formation. He added that these areas form the Southern part of the Akwapim range and lie on the geological fault zone of Ghana and that "our investigations further revealed that there is a deep seated movement of underground materials relating to volcanic formation."

Dr. Brantuo said a team of geophysicists, geologists and seismologists had also visited the site to get first hand information on what the department had already received from its monitoring station at Weija.

Based on the findings of these reports, the Survey Department recommends that further development of the areas into human settlements particularly the Weija and Dunkonah areas be stopped "or where developers insist on putting up structures, they should seek advice from the department on the sort of houses to be built in order to withstand any shocks."

On the issue of the Dunkonah Housing Project, Dr. Brantuoh urged the project owners to collaborate with the department for possible mapping out of fault zones and also for particular designs of houses needed for such areas.

"If we had our own way and as experts, we would have suggested to the authorities to transform Bortianor, especially Dunkonah, into a recreational area instead of building on these disaster prone areas," Dr Brantuoah added.