Involve geologists in land development

ema, March 8, GNA - Dr Ofori Quaah, a geologist, on Tuesday called on property developers to contact the Geological Survey Department for technical advice before construction to avoid building in disaster-prone areas.

Dr Quaah, Chairman of the Geological Disaster Sub-Committee of NADMO, said non-adherence to this directive has resulted in the siting of many buildings in disaster-prone areas including earth quake zones.

He was addressing the second ordinary session of the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA), on how to manage natural disasters particularly earthquakes. He said earthquakes in Ghana have a cycle of 60 to 70 years adding that the last major one happened 61 years ago (1939), which must be a warning for Ghanaians to take the necessary precautions.

"If we have an earthquake to the tune of magnitude six on the Richter scale, multiply whatever you felt at the last earth quake 200 times. That would be about 500 million tonnes of energy and there is no way your building can survive", Dr Quaah warned.

In 1939, 17 people died in Accra out of the then population of 77,000. Most school buildings have been situated on dangerous grounds, but declined to mention their names not to create panic.

He said it is not advisable to build closely to coastal areas because they are earthquake-prone and asked land developers to adhere to the building code. Dr Quaah said the La Beach Hotel, for instance, would cease to exist in the next 25 years due to sea erosion, adding, the entire coastline of Ghana has lose material, which is dangerous for building.

He explained that earth quakes can generate tidal waves rising as high as 60 feet, which can penetrate far inland and wash down everything on its path on its way back.

Dr Quaah said it is the duty of the Town and Country Planning Department, which has maps showing earthquake-prone zones and requested Estate Developers to fall on it.

He urged city authorities not to grant permit for development in disaster-prone areas because in the event of a major earthquake, the entire citizens of this country would pay the price for resettlement.

The country has experienced earthquakes since 1939, which normally occur at depths of between 15 to 25 kilometres and warned the public against activities that would worsen the effects of disasters when they strike.

Dr Quaah stated that open places in communities are left for a purpose and because they are disaster prone but unfortunately they have been developed. The offices of Ghana News Agency (GNA), the National Theatre and surrounding areas in Accra as places, which were left vacant for such reasons.

He said a recent survey of the Usher Fort area in Accra, indicated that open spaces available there could not take even 25 per cent of the population when a disaster strikes.

A similar survey would be conducted at Tema in June.