The Joint Committee tasked with studying landslides in the Baghuz area of Deir Ezzor Governorate issued its final technical report on Wednesday, identifying the main factors causing cracks, subsidence, and landslides, and excluding any direct link to seismic activity recorded in the area.
The report, published by the Ministry of Energy via its Telegram channel, clarified that these phenomena are primarily related to hydrological and geomorphological factors, including the impact of flowing water, changes in saturation conditions, and water pressure within surface sediments and clay formations, which leads to loss of soil stability and landslides towards the watercourse.
For its part, the report stated that the seismic activity recorded in the area, which did not exceed a magnitude of 3.8, does not explain the extent of the observed surface deformations, excluding any direct relationship with the Sanliurfa earthquake due to the large spatial distance between the sites. It noted that field inspections did not detect direct surface indicators of recent tectonic activity or active faults responsible for the cracks.
The committee recommended removing threatened rock and gypsum blocks, conducting detailed geological and geophysical studies, along with implementing an accurate topographic survey of the area, and completing necessary studies to determine appropriate treatments and mitigate potential risks, thereby contributing to the preservation of public safety. The General Establishment for Geology and Mineral Resources and the National Center for Earthquakes conducted a geological and geophysical survey in the Baghuz Jahfa area on the Syrian-Iraqi border last September, following the appearance of fractures and cracks in the mountain body, with the aim of taking gypsum and clay samples and studying the causes of these fractures.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
Comments (0)