1. Name :  Talat Iqbal

2. Organization: Micro Seismic Studies Programme

3. Course: 2000 - 2001 (ID: J-00-00634) Seismology

4. Title:  Strong ground motion records and seismic hazzard assessment in Northern Pakistan

5. Abstract:
Being situated at boundaries of three tectonic plates (Eurasian, Indo-Australian and Arabic), Pakistan is prone to earthquake calamity. Further, population and industries have become more concentrated geographically, the potential for loss associated with an earthquake has become correspondingly great. Efforts are being carried out to mitigate the consequences of earthquake devastations. Strong motion recording and seismic hazard assessment studies carried out for various regions of Pakistan are summarized in this report. Strong motion recordings of widely felt Hindukush earthquakes at some locations in northern Punjab (Pakistan) are presented. Unfortunately no local earthquake of magnitude sufficient enough to trigger the accelerograph occurred in the region of interest so far. The instruments deployed for this purpose are also described. The highest acceleration recorded during the initial period of operation was O.007g at Chashma nuclear power plant site. The historical and instrumental seismicities in Pakistan are also discussed. Seismic hazard assessment for various regions are being carried out for the estimation of the peak ground acceleration for two big industrial cities Karachi and Hyderabad due to maximum credible earthquakes of faults in 50 years is presented.