Earthquakes in Cyprus happen quite often. Such natural phenomena are not always significant, but, unfortunately, they are constant. One of the most dangerous seismological zones of the Earth is located in the fold belt of the Mediterranean Sea. She is huge. After the collision of the African and European tectonic plates, about. Cyprus. The island is located in the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Turkey and Syria. The Mediterranean fold belt occupies a rather vast territory that runs from the Atlantic to the shores of the South China Sea.
Cyprus earthquakes
On the island, most often people feel not very strong, but frequent tremors, and mainly on the coast from Famagusta, passing through Larnaca and Limassol, to Paphos. It is in these places that there is no danger that threatens people's lives. Earthquakes are calculated on the Richter scale. A magnitude of three is virtually non-existent.felt. Four points is enough to shake hanging objects and make a person wake up if they slept at night.
A magnitude 5 earthquake in Cyprus could knock furniture to the floor, sway trees and crack stone buildings. Pushes of six points are already more dangerous. With them, trees fall, and weak buildings are destroyed. When the epicenter is under water near the island, tsunamis are possible, and if it is far or deep, then there is no such danger.
How often do earthquakes happen?
In 1984, a seismological center began to work in this resort place. It is impossible to predict that there will be an earthquake, but a database of statistical data is being created, according to which it is already possible to approximately navigate. Every year, about five hundred tremors are recorded on the island. For thirty-three years of observation, there were no very significant earthquakes in Cyprus. The statistics below show data for the last five years:
- In 2012, 93 km south of Famagusta, there was an earthquake of 5.5 points. But since it was quite far away, the city did not suffer any damage.
- October 2013. The tremors were strong - 6.4 points, but they lay deep, at a depth of about 30 km. This saved Cyprus from unpleasant consequences.
- December 2014. Although the epicenter was 208 km and at a depth of 64 km, but still during the earthquake in Cyprus, the sea significantly flooded the coastline of the best ecological beaches of the port of Latchi. The waters have invadedland area for forty meters.
- July 2015. Aftershocks of 4.3 points occurred in Limassol. Many just in case jumped out into the street. But a small earthquake did not bring destruction.
- In January, March, May and November 2016, aftershocks caused many people to worry, but they did not cause damage.
Historic major earthquakes
According to researchers, since ancient times, a powerful force of destructive tremors, bearing terrifying consequences, hit the island at least fifteen times. Historical evidence of these events has been preserved.
The city of Paphos was destroyed by earthquakes several times, but it was rebuilt again and again. From the end of the 19th century to the present day, at least four hundred tangible strong shocks have been counted. After them there were 67 victims. Troubles in the form of destruction suddenly came at the end of the 20th century three times: in 1995, 1996 and 1999
Recent Aegean earthquake
In July of this year, the most powerful aftershocks occurred in the Mediterranean. Two countries were affected: Turkey and Greece. The media reported that there were hundreds of victims, and even two people died. The resort town of Bodrum in Turkey was hit by a tsunami at night. The panic began. The electricity went out and in complete darkness everyone ran along the flooded streets, not knowing what to do. Seventy people were admitted to the hospital. The earthquake in Cyprus in July 2017 was almost not felt.
Greece was also shocked by power structures and ordinary people: 6, 3a score on the Richter scale is serious. The beds shook in the houses. Sleepy people reacted inadequately: they jumped out of the windows, so they got bruises and injuries, which they then went to the hospital with. The data given indicate that the strike was received mainly by the island of Kos. The walls of houses were broken, windows and shop windows were shattered, one hundred and twenty people were injured.
Tourists and locals spent the night on the beaches. At the same time, was the earthquake felt in Cyprus? Hardly ever. At least the media doesn't talk about it. All descriptions are given only for Turkey and Greece. Coastal waters were surveyed by divers. Among the dead from the elements are tourists from Sweden and residents of Turkey. There were no casu alties among the Russians. And Cyprus at that time, as it was, and remained a flourishing island: the consequences of the earthquake in Cyprus were not observed, as if it was kept by Aphrodite, who came out of the sea foam to these shores.
