Quake surprise

The earthquake that struck the north-western areas of the country on November 22 came nearly a month after a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake jolted the country and its neighbours on October 26, killing nearly 300 people. The Nov 22 earthquake’s depth was measured at 57.4 miles, with a magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter scale, making it less severe in intensity than the previous one. One thing is clear: an earthquake of this magnitude cannot be an aftershock.
This earthquake came as a surprise to everyone in the major cities, proving the sluggishness and inactivity of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). There can be two probabilities for this lapse: the people associated with it are either not qualified enough or else they are deliberately lethargic in performing their duties. The PMD should have issued a warning beforehand to make people mentally prepared for the earthquake. The authorities concerned should take the matter seriously in order to save people from calamities in the future.
Tauseef Ul Mohsin
Lahore