By Sarah Hannan
At least four minor seismic activities had been recorded on the seismometers installed at the Victoria Reservoir during the weekend, the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) stated.
“We have a team deployed in the area, who have been continuously monitoring the activities. We must reiterate that as the expert committee that submitted the report on the previous tremors, there was no correlation to the limestone quarrying that is taking place,” GSMB Chairman Anura Walpola told The Morning.
The three seismic activities that took place on Saturday (5) had occurred between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the vicinity of the Victoria Reservoir. Seismic activity of a magnitude less than two points on the Richter scale was reported in Aluthwatta, Digana, the same morning, according to the GSMB.
However, all tremors have measured magnitudes less than two points on the Richter scale, the GSMB further noted.
Seismic activity under two on the seismometer was reported from the Ambakote area on 29 November at around 8.45 p.m.
Walpola said that such minor seismic activities are to be expected due to weathering, with the area mainly composed of dolomite marble and charnockite rocks. Since the charnockite rocks are resistant to weathering, when pressure is released along the marble bands, seismic activity is recorded.
Studies continue in the site to understand the reactions to the weather changes that the area’s soil and mineral deposits are undergoing.
Walpola also noted that in other countries, they generally release the pressure that is built between two rock layers through artificial methods, and Sri Lanka does not have the technology to do the same at the moment.
“We have a team deployed in the area, who have been continuously monitoring the activities. We must reiterate that as the expert committee that submitted the report on the previous tremors, there was no correlation to the limestone quarrying that is taking place,” GSMB Chairman Anura Walpola told The Morning.
The three seismic activities that took place on Saturday (5) had occurred between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the vicinity of the Victoria Reservoir. Seismic activity of a magnitude less than two points on the Richter scale was reported in Aluthwatta, Digana, the same morning, according to the GSMB.
However, all tremors have measured magnitudes less than two points on the Richter scale, the GSMB further noted.
Seismic activity under two on the seismometer was reported from the Ambakote area on 29 November at around 8.45 p.m.
Walpola said that such minor seismic activities are to be expected due to weathering, with the area mainly composed of dolomite marble and charnockite rocks. Since the charnockite rocks are resistant to weathering, when pressure is released along the marble bands, seismic activity is recorded.
Studies continue in the site to understand the reactions to the weather changes that the area’s soil and mineral deposits are undergoing.
Walpola also noted that in other countries, they generally release the pressure that is built between two rock layers through artificial methods, and Sri Lanka does not have the technology to do the same at the moment.