Earthquake: No prediction, only forecast, aver experts

Hyderabad: After devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, it is discussed whether earthquakes can be predicted. Many researchers have started predicting that there will be huge earthquakes in India. According to Professors of Geology, earthquakes cannot be predicted but can be forecasted. Professor B Veeraiah, Principal, University College of Science and head of the Geophysics, Department of Geophysics, Osmania University, said, "Earthquake prediction is very difficult some indication we can get, but if we don't have continuous observation, then it is very difficult. The earthquake cannot be predicted, it can be forecasted. A forecast tells you the chance or the probability of a range of future earthquakes in a given region.

This includes how big the quakes may be and how frequently they will occur over a specified time period. Once the person has continuous observation in earthquake-prone areas, then it is possible, but getting continuous observation, especially in India, is difficult nowadays. It is getting boomed up, but still, there is a huge gap in tracking the network." Adding further on the prediction of earthquakes in India, he said, the possibility might be there, as India has tectonic zones, as in the past we have experienced big earthquakes, but we cannot say with certainty nor the exact date and time cannot be given, he added.

M Srinivas, Professor of Geology, Osmania University, said, "We cannot predict earthquakes at the most; we can identify the vulnerable areas, but there is no guarantee that only in those areas earthquakes will occur. An earthquake can be forecasted but in India, changes are a little low, what technology is available over here, I don't think so, in Japan, there is a possibility of an earthquake being forecasted."