Scientists might be able to predict earthquakes by examining groundwater
Chemical changes in groundwater might provide clues for an approaching earthquake, as early as six months prior, a study finds.
According to a study, "Changes in groundwater chemistry before two consecutive earthquakes in Iceland", published in the journal Nature Geoscience, scientists who had been trying to find a way to predict an earthquake uncovered the most promising lead, The Guardian reported.
During the course of the study in Iceland, which is known for its volcanic activity, scientists have measured the groundwater weekly over the course of five years. What they eventually discovered was remarkable. In 2012 and 2013 there were two separate earthquakes in the region as they were sampling. Bothe of them were over the magnitude of five on the Richter Scale. They found out that the chemistry of groundwater dramatically changed before four to six months the earthquakes, the Guardian reported. Earthquakes are the only type of natural disasters that cannot be forecast, yet they can claim thousands of lives, usually in seconds. In 2010 an earthquake in Haiti claimed more than 100,000 lives. In Turkey, in the summer of 1999, approximately 17,000 lost their lives because of an earthquake that shook the ground for only 45 seconds. In 1995, in Japan, a country where people constantly live with earthquakes, more than 6,000 people died. The discovery of a scientific method to predict earthquakes could save thousands of lives. But, it might be too soon to tell even though the study is highly promising. Prof Alasdair Skelton at Stockholm University who led the research, in an interview with the Guardian said, "This does not mean we can predict earthquakes yet, but at the least we have shown something happens before earthquakes. That is tantalising, as it means something is happening to the rocks before the earthquakes. We are highlighting groundwater chemistry as a promising target for future earthquake prediction studies."
