The caretaker Prime Minister Najib Miqati visited the "National Center for Geophysics" in the town of Bahnas, located in the central Metn region and affiliated with the National Council for Scientific Research. The visit was aimed at assessing the center's efforts in evaluating seismic risk in Lebanon and sending alerts about recorded tremors based on their significance. Miqati was accompanied by the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, Judge Mahmoud Makiyeh, and the Secretary-General of the Higher Defense Council, Major General Mohamed Mustafa. Upon his arrival at the center, he was received by the Secretary-General of the National Council for Scientific Research, Dr. Tamara Zein, and the Director of the National Center for Geophysics, Marlene Brax, along with the engineers working at the center.
President Miqati listened to a detailed explanation about the center's work, which aims to evaluate seismic risk in Lebanon through scientific studies and seismic monitoring using a national network that includes several stations spread across Lebanese territory linked to the main center. This also includes land and maritime studies of active faults, studies of crustal deformations, and measuring tide levels using two devices, one of which is connected to the tsunami warning network in the Mediterranean Sea.
Dr. Zein expressed her gratitude to President Miqati for the visit, which she described as a moral support for the center and the council, and emphasized the center's exclusive role in all scientific information related to earthquakes. She noted that she is currently working with some international entities to technically reinforce the center to develop its studies and research and called on the Prime Minister to provide necessary facilitation to support the human resources in the council.
At the end of the tour, President Miqati stated: "I wanted today, amid these unusual circumstances we are experiencing, to visit the National Center for Geophysics in Bahnas, to see the mechanism of work, the existing equipment, and its safety. This equipment can confirm the occurrence of an earthquake, its location, and provide warnings to people. However, science confirms that no one can predict when an earthquake or tremor may occur."
He added: "We observed during this tour whether there is a lack of equipment, and I congratulated the supervisors of the center for their presence, perseverance, and attention to the finest details regarding tremors and aftershocks. The Disaster Authority accompanied us on this visit to explore how to fully cooperate between the authority and this center, and we agreed on how to respond in case of an earthquake, God forbid."
He continued: "The Disaster Management Authority has taken all necessary measures and established all necessary protocols and mechanisms to protect citizens, and we agreed to conduct on-ground tests in several provinces to ensure that these theories are truly valid, praying that God spares this country from dangers and protects us all."
