2nd Workshop on ECO-SHARP held in Sungun Mine Complex in Tabriz
The 2nd Workshop on ECO Seismic Hazard Reduction Programme (ECO-SHARP) hosted by the Geological Survey of Iran (GSI) was held on 15-16 October 2016 in Sungun Mine Complex in Varzeghan Area, Tabriz - East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. The participants from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Iran (host), the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Republic of Tajikistan, as well as a delegation from the ECO Secretariat participated in the Workshop.
The proceedings of the workshop were jointly inaugurated by Dr. Jalil Ghalamghash, Deputy Director of GSI and Mr. Fuad Farzalibayov, ECO Director for Energy, Minerals & Environment (EME). Dr. Jalil Ghalamghash, Deputy Director of GSI, while underlining the objective and importance of the ECO-SHARP, opined that the Project undertook by the GSI during 2014-2016 is in completion phase. He pointed out that the ECO countries are prone to strong earthquakes with average occurrence of 2-3 years, and during the last decades the ECO Region has experienced and suffered from several huge catastrophic earthquakes. In this rationale, the ECO-SHARP project was initiated to carry out regional analysis of earthquake hazard zones within the territories of the ECO Member States and reduce risks of future earthquakes. Furthermore, Dr. Ghalamghash gave overview of the completion phases of the Project, including (1) GIS-Ready Geo-Database in three data layers; (2) uniform seismotectonic map; (3) uniform seismic hazard map and (4) uniform spectral acceleration data. He extremely appreciated the Member States for providing timely contribution for execution and completion of the Project and ECO Secretariat for coordination among relevant stakeholders. He called for synergic cooperation among ECO Member States to utilize this Project in their respective authorities to tackle with natural hazards in future.
Mr. Fuad Farzalibayov, ECO Director for EME expressed his deep gratitude to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly the GSI, for hosting the 2nd Workshop on ECO-SHARP as part of project completion phase, followed by 6th ECO Minerals Experts Group Meeting in Sungun Mine Complex and for making excellent arrangements for delegations. ECO Director highlighted the main objective and outcomes of the ECO-SHARP Project, including preparation of the Seismotectonic and Seismic Hazard GIS-Ready Maps Base Data, assessing seismic hazards, earthquake catalogues, faults catalogues for different parts of studied regions, recognizing potential seismogenic sources, determination of suitable attenuation relationships for countries in ECO Region, and Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA). ECO Director called for enhancing synergic cooperation at regional and global levels among ECO Member States with a view to dealing collectively with natural disasters and boosting engagement among concerned stakeholders, which would certainly lead the way towards sustainable socio-economic development in the ECO Region.
The ECO-SHARP Project team made presentations on various topics, including summary report of the ECO-SHARP Project, concept of geodatabase with an approach to the seismotectonic map of the ECO Region, active tectonics and remote sensing, seismotectonics of ECO Region, and final map of earthquake vulnerability in ECO Region.
During the deliberations, the participants expressed satisfaction over smooth implementation of the ECO-SHARP and the Project Manager (GSI) was requested to provide Final Report of the Project by end of January 2017, based on the overall feedbacks of Member States.
On 16 October 2016 site visits were arranged for the participants to the geologic features around Tabriz, including Bilverdi Village and Ahar-Tabriz Y junction fault-lines, as well as Paleoseismological Seyyedabad Trench site on North Tabriz Fault, respectively. Moreover, on 14 October 2016, while on the way from Tehran to Verzeghan, the participants were also briefed by Dr. Mohammad Faridi, Director of the Northwestern Regional Office (Tabriz Centre) of GSI on Zanjan-Mianeh Road-cut: Normal Faulting and extensional features. The participants became familiar with the movements and other geological features of the fault-lines.