Seismic activities in Ghana: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Geophysics
• Earthquake science
• Seismology

Background:

• Seismic activities present global challenges, necessitating understanding of occurrence, patterns, and impacts.
• Ghana, particularly its southern region, is susceptible to earthquakes, requiring focused research.
• Effective earthquake management and risk reduction strategies depend on studying seismic event characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize existing research on seismic activities in Ghana.
• To identify knowledge gaps and limitations in current earthquake studies within the country.
• To underscore the need for enhanced research to improve seismic disaster preparedness.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review utilizing the PRISMA technique.
• Searched SCOPUS, Dimensions, and Google Scholar databases for studies published between 2000 and 2023.
• Data extraction and quality assessment were performed on identified studies.

Main Results:

• Only 17 relevant papers met the inclusion criteria from the literature search.
• Research on seismic activity and earthquake threats in Ghana is notably deficient.
• Scarce data availability emerged as a recurring constraint in existing methodologies.

Conclusions:

• There is an urgent need for increased research into seismic activities in Ghana due to significant risks.
• Addressing the data scarcity is crucial for advancing the understanding of earthquakes in the region.
• Enhanced comprehension of seismic phenomena will bolster Ghana's preparedness and response capabilities for seismic disasters.