Abstract:
The Makran accretionary prism developed in the north-western part of the Indian
Ocean as a consequence of the subduction of the Arabian Sea since Late Cretaceous
times, we surveyed most of the accretionary comp lex of Pakistan with R/V Marion
Dbfresne. Th Makran accretionary prism results from, the nortkwardmotion of the
oceanic crust (White and Klitgord, 1976; Wkite, 1983; Minskull et aL, 1992), witk an
average speed of 3 cmfyear at present Large kistoric earthquakes, suck as the
magnitude 8.2 recorded in November 1945 (Packeco and Sykes, 1992; Byrne et aL,
1992), are clearly related to the shallow dipping inter-plate mega-thrust The
coseismicmotion might be related to the episodic uplift of small mud volcanoes rising
up above tke sea-level, confirming an overpressure regime imposed at depth.