Apeatse explosion: There must be seismic test to study extent of land fracture – Building consultant

A road and building consultant, Abdulai Mahama, has called for a seismic test at Apeatse to investigate the degree of land fracture before any constructions occur.

He said the move will provide real-time information for structural engineers who would be designing the foundations for new building facilities in the area.

Speaking on the AM Show on Monday, the engineer added that the test will also aid in the proper planning of the town after it was struck by the disaster last week.

“I will propose that there will be a seismic engineer to run a seismic test so that it will give us definite information about how the land was fractured. That will be an added advantage or information to the structural engineers who’d be designing the foundations of the structures [to be built].”

“That will be able to tell us the extent of fracture of the land [so that] there will be an advice from the engineering point for the type of foundation in the construction of such buildings,” he told host, Benjamin Akakpo.

At a visit to ascertain the state of affairs in the community last week, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia assured that measures are being put in place to construct temporary housing facilities for displaced residents.

He disclosed that government has engaged the State Housing Corporation and mining companies to provide an instant haven for the stranded community members in the coming days.

According to Abdulai Mahama, the government must also conduct “a wholesale check on individuals who were within the vicinity and even the outskirt of the town to know the extent of inhalation of this poisonous chemical that can lead to cancerous infections.”

“No matter how high we are going, even if it is one floor or two floors, this information will be very good for planning the town, areas where there’d be reservoirs, and where there’d be high-rise buildings so that we’d be able to know the extent of seepage of water in areas closer.”

A preliminary investigation by the Police has revealed that “a mining explosive vehicle moving from Tarkwa to Chirano mines collided with a motorcycle resulting in the explosion.”

The blast, which was accompanied by a plume of smoke, spread from the place of impact and razed residential and commercial structures to the ground.

Source: Ghana News