Seismically active regions of Russia: where earthquakes are possible

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:45

Earthquakes are a terrible natural phenomenon that can bring numerous troubles. They are associated not only with destruction, due to which there may be human casu alties. The catastrophic tsunami waves caused by them can lead to even more disastrous consequences.

For what areas of the globe are earthquakes most dangerous? To answer this question, you need to look at where the active seismic regions are. These are zones of the earth's crust, which are more mobile than the regions surrounding them. They are located at the boundaries of lithospheric plates, where large blocks of the earth's crust collide or move apart. It is the movements of powerful rock layers that cause earthquakes.

Dangerous areas of the world

On the globe, several belts are distinguished, which are characterized by a high frequency of underground shocks. These are seismically dangerous areas.

The first of them is usually called the Pacific Rim, since it occupies almost the entire coast of the ocean. Not only earthquakes, but also eruptions are frequent here.volcanoes, so the name "volcanic" or "fiery" ring is often used. The activity of the earth's crust here is determined by modern mountain-building processes.

The second large seismic belt stretches along the high young mountains of Eurasia from the Alps and other mountains of Southern Europe to the Sunda Islands through Asia Minor, the Caucasus, the mountains of Central and Central Asia and the Himalayas. There is also a collision of lithospheric plates, which causes frequent earthquakes.

The third belt stretches across the entire Atlantic Ocean. This is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which is the result of the expansion of the earth's crust. Iceland, known primarily for its volcanoes, also belongs to this belt. But earthquakes here are by no means rare.

Seismically active regions of Russia

Earthquakes also happen on the territory of our country. Seismically active regions of Russia are the Caucasus, Altai, the mountains of Eastern Siberia and the Far East, the Commander and Kuril Islands, about. Sakhalin. Great tremors can occur here.

One can recall the Sakhalin earthquake of 1995, when two-thirds of the population of the Neftegorsk village died under the rubble of destroyed buildings. After the rescue work, it was decided not to restore the village, but to relocate the residents to other settlements.

In 2012-2014, several earthquakes occurred in the North Caucasus. Fortunately, their centers were at great depths. There were no casu alties or serious damage.

Seismic map of Russia

The map shows that the most seismically dangerous areas lie in the south and east of the country. At the same time, the eastern parts of the territory of Russia are relatively poorly populated. But in the south, earthquakes pose a much greater danger to people, since the population density is higher here.

Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and some other large cities are in danger. These are active seismic regions.

Anthropogenic earthquakes

Seismically active regions of Russia occupy approximately 20% of the country's territory. But this does not mean that the rest of the world is completely insured against earthquakes. Shocks with a force of 3-4 points are noted even far from the boundaries of the lithospheric plates, in the center of the platform areas.

At the same time, with the development of the economy, the possibility of anthropogenic earthquakes increases. They are most often caused by the fact that the roof of underground voids collapses. Because of this, the earth's crust seems to be shaken, almost like a real earthquake. And there are more and more voids and cavities underground, because people extract oil and natural gas from the depths for their own needs, pump out water, build mines for the extraction of solid minerals … And underground nuclear explosions are generally comparable to natural earthquakes in their strength.

The collapse of rock layers can itself be a danger to people. After all, in many areas, voids are formed right under the settlements. The latest events in Solikamsk only confirmed this. But even a weak earthquake can lead to dire consequences, because it can destroy structures that are in disrepair, dilapidated housing in which people continue to live… Also, the violation of the integrity of rock layers threatens the mines themselves, where collapses can occur.

What to do?

Prevent such a formidable phenomenon as an earthquake, people still can not. And even to accurately predict when and where it will happen, they also did not learn. So, you need to know how you can protect yourself and loved ones during tremors.

People living in such dangerous areas should always have a contingency plan in case of an earthquake. Since the elements can catch family members in different places, there should be an agreement on a meeting place after the shocks stop. The dwelling should be as safe as possible from the fall of heavy objects, furniture is best attached to the walls and floor. All residents should know where they can urgently turn off gas, electricity, water to avoid fires, explosions and electric shocks. Stairs and passages should not be cluttered with things. Documents and some set of products and essentials should always be at hand.

Starting from kindergartens and schools, the population should be taught how to behave in a natural disaster, which will increase the chances of rescue.

Seismically active regions of Russia place special demands on both industrial and civil construction. Earthquake-resistant buildings are more difficult and expensive to build, but their costsconstruction is nothing compared to lives saved. After all, not only those who are in such a building will be safe, but also those who are nearby. There will be no destruction and blockages - there will be no victims.