Report on possible 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Algeria is no more than exaggerated scenario, say experts

Experts and scientists said there is no exact science which predicts earthquakes and they unanimously considered a Japanese report on a possible destructive earthquake in Algeria as a presumed and altered scenario.

“If it was possible to predict earthquakes, Japanese would have foresee their daily tremors”

Director of the Centre of Building Technical Studies, Hamid Azouz said the recent Japanese report was his personal initiative and considered it as no more than a presumed scenario if Algeria was hit by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake.

“My personal initiative developed to a scenario idea with the participation of 15 experts from Algeria and 17 from Japan.”“The report was altered by media sparking panic among Algerians who don’t have a scientific culture on natural catastrophes,” Hamid Azouz said at Echorouk’s Forum on Monday.

According to him, there is no way to predict when exactly an earthquake will happen. “If that was possible for Japanese, they would have predicted the earthquakes which hit their country everyday,” he said.

In 2003, a study was made by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as well as Japanese and Algerians experts.“Actually, it was a personal initiative from me and the Japanese expert Takachi in an international meeting at Hilton Hotel.”

“Japanese report has nothing new on possible earthquake in Algeria”

Reports published in Algerian press on a Japanese report which warned of a possible earthquake in Algeria altered its scientific contents for media excitement, according to Doctor Loth Bounatiro, an Algerian scientist.

He adde that the Japanese report has no scientific expertises. “The report was supposed to indicate minimum degree which causes damage so that we could use these data in a logical way,” he told Echorouk.

“The publication of such reports for simple people sparks panic among them without any benefit,” he added.

Doctor Bounatiro believes that the report should have been given to experts and researchers for analysis and drawing scientific conclusionsHe said the media approach for the Japanese report made people thinking that an earthquake would surely happenAccording to him, the report is no more than a scenario for precaution purposes and intended to researchers and experts in this field.

“The Japanese report has no scientific basis”

For his part, Abdelkader Cherki, a lieutenant in Civil Protection said his department was adapted through a presidential decree to face 10 big risks in Algeria including earthquakes.

“The Civil Protection department has adopted a prevention and management system and was provided with modern equipments,” he said. He added that the Japanese report on a possible 7.7 magnitude earthquake does not make sense as there is no technique in the world which predicts earthquakes.

According to him, North African countries including Algeria are vulnerable to earthquakes but not like Japan which is situated on a series of rivers and islands.

“Algerians should not be panicked by earthquakes”

Imam Sheikh Chemsseddine explained the spiritual dimension of earthquakes saying people who die in earthquakes are considered as martyrs for God.He added that Algerians should not adopt earthquake rumours and their mentalities have to be adapted by a scientific culture.“Earthquakes are not a calamity from God,” he said.

Fake building materials threaten Algerians more than earthquakes

On the other hand, Zubeir Derradj, a teacher of architecture said if Algerians built their houses in accordance to the right architectural ways, they would not have afraid of earthquakes.

He added that the use of fake building materials makes their houses more vulnerable to earthquakes.