Dutch researcher's Pakistan earthquake prediction has Internet spooked after 2 quakes in Nepal

Imagine being able to predict natural calamities like earthquakes and floods, several hours before it actually hits you. 

Well, a Dutch research organisation has gone a bit ahead and done it already when they predicted that an earthquake might hit Pakistan in the next 48 hours.

What

Sometime yesterday, Dutch researcher Frank Hoogerbeets, a researcher affiliated with the Solar System Geometry Survey (SSGEOS), hinted at a potentially strong earthquake hitting Pakistan in the next 48 hours.

Ever since Hoogerbeets made the claim, the Internet is going berserk, wondering about the possibility of predicting calamities like earthquakes and how that will help in preventing the damage caused by it. 

• Frank Hoogerbeets gained recognition for predicting the recent earthquakes that hit Turkiye and Syria this February.
• Exactly three days after Hoogerbeets's prediction, a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey.
• His past record has been one of the pivotal factors that make it hard to ignore such an outrageous claim. 

Just a few hours after Hoogerbeets's prediction, an earthqake of magnitude 6.2 on the Richter scale hit Nepal and parts of India. Based on their close geographical distance from Pakistan, the specculation has gone through the roof.

What did Hoogerbeets say?

• On October 3, 2023, Frank Hoogerbeets shared a a post by SSGEOS on X, which showed readings of strong atmospheric fluctuations along the fault lines in Balochistan's Chaman area in Pakistan.
• Pakistan is considered as one of the most earthquake-prone nations in the world, which makes this claim quite concerning for the residents of the country.

• Hoogerbeets has pointed out that these atmospheric fluctuations in and around Pakistan are a sign of “potential” earthquakes. 
• After the speculation on the Internet skyrocketed, Hoogerbeets clarified that these readings are warning signs, not certainties.

While the scientific community believes that earthquake prediction of this nature is impossible, several reports are suggesting that Pakistan is giving serious consideration to this supposed prediction.

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