Earthquakes in Russia occur quiteoften. Residents of the central band have a bad idea of what it is But still, many understand that this is a destructive element, from which it is sometimes almost impossible to escape. This article will talk about the worst and largest earthquakes in our country.
What is an earthquake?
This term literally means the vibrations of the Earth’s surface, caused by the natural forces of nature. Sometimes they can be accompanied by large explosions or other artificial stimuli.
By its destructive power, if you take, toFor example, the earthquake in Neftegorsk 1995, these disasters occupy the main places. In the history of Russia and the world there is a mass of facts of the destroying force of nature - millions of victims around the globe and the consequences that completely violated the infrastructure of large cities and even countries.
The epicenter of the earthquake - the surface of the Earth, which is closest to the center of the elemental phenomenon. Today, the specialists distinguish the following types of earthquakes:
- Volcanic eruptions caused by volcanic eruptions.
- Artificial, which arise from the strongest explosions and subsequent shifts of underground plates.
- Man-made - Earth shocks, arising from the processes of human life.
Where are earthquakes in Russia?
Our country has repeatedly suffered from variousnatural disasters, including from such a disaster that occurred in the city of Neftegorsk. An earthquake then destroyed the village and claimed a huge number of human lives. Other cities of the Sakhalin region are no exception.
The landscape of our country is diverse and great, sosame as climatic zones. Basically, such a natural disaster occurs on the territory of the Russian Federation in mountainous areas. The leaders among those affected by such a disaster are:
- Kamchatka.
- Altai.
- Caucasus.
- Eastern Siberia.
This is not the whole list of territories wheretremors are observed. In some areas, small but constant seismic activity is recorded - these are the villages and cities of the Sakhalin Region and the territory of Kamchatka. Such activity is sometimes almost invisible to the locals, but this is not always the case.
Large earthquakes in Russia
In August 2005, in Uglegorsk districtthere was a strong earthquake with an amplitude of about 7 on the Richter scale. It was not as powerful and fast as the earthquake on Sakhalin (Neftegorsk, 1995), but still. During this spontaneous phenomenon, many buildings and structures were destroyed. In addition, the roads were destroyed by landslides that descended from the mountains.
In September 2003, in six districts of the southern Altaian earthquake with a force of about 7.5 points. Then in the region were marked by a series of elemental phenomena, but of lesser force. At the same time, earth tremors were recorded in other areas:
- Novosibirsk region.
- Krasnoyarsk region.
- East Kazakhstan and others.
Fortunately, there were no human victims, but a few people were injured (received minor injuries). The earthquake caused enormous damage to the republic in the amount of about one billion rubles.
В 2008 году в октябре на Северном Кавказе в Чечне an earthquake of magnitude 5 points. There were human casualties (13 dead), more than 100 people were injured. Tremors were also felt in Georgia, Dagestan, and North Ossetia.
Earthquakes of the seventeenth century
As is known, the fixation of natural disasters, includingnumber and earthquakes, began only three hundred years ago. This does not mean that before this time there were no underground strikes. It's all about the historical division of the territory. Until the 16th century, only the Central European part and the Volga region belonged to Russia. In these regions, earthquakes were insignificant and sometimes even imperceptible to people. Mountain areas were included in the country only in the 18th century, respectively, and the natural disaster report began from a given time interval.
The greatest earthquakes of the 18th century
Serious natural disasters periodicallyoriginated in our country. A major earthquake in 1725 that occurred in Eastern Siberia went down in history as the most devastating at the time. It became known about him from the stories of naturalist Messershmidt D. According to the scientist, the thrust force was equal to 11 points. Examining his house, the naturalist noticed that huge cracks had formed in the structure. Since the regions of Eastern Siberia were not densely populated, the earthquake did not bring many victims. According to the notes of scientists and researchers, then such phenomena occurred quite often, but there were no serious consequences.
В 1761 году на Алтае случилось страшное earthquake with an amplitude of 11 points. The data reached our days thanks to the surviving reports of the military. The shocks were so strong that cracks formed in the ground, and the towers swayed and collapsed.
Earthquakes of the 19th and 20th centuries
Kamchatka - a region that to this dayconsidered an area of seismic hazard. The largest earthquakes are shocks in 1792 and in 1841. According to the seismic shock classification, earthquakes were assigned a value of 8 on the Richter scale.
In the south of Russia, namely in the Caucasus, it wasA terrible earthquake was recorded in 1970. Then the elements destroyed more than 250 settlements. Dagestan lost more than thirty inhabitants. The magnitude of shocks - 7 points. This earthquake was considered the most destructive in the history of the country.
January 1862 - it was then that terribleseismic shocks began to crush the territory of Baikal. The catastrophic earthquake lasted for three days. According to studies, its magnitude was 8-9 points. As a result of the disaster, the Tsagan steppe was flooded and part of the lake went underground.
Seismic activity in Russia
Землетрясения, подземные толчки, колебания Earth's surface can occur with a certain force. That is, sometimes the above phenomena are almost invisible, for people in particular. And sometimes this force is destructive, for example - Neftegorsk (Sakhalin). On the map of Russia now such a settlement does not exist, or rather, no one lives there. The impulses in this place were of such strength that the integrity of the soil was disturbed, which led to the destruction of buildings and the death of people. Neftegorsk, in which an earthquake claimed many lives, was practically wiped off the face of the earth. In more detail we will tell about it further.
The territory of our country has averagedseismic activity indicators, despite the fact that some natural disasters have become real disasters. There are regions where the probability of an earthquake is very high. According to statistics, more than 40% of the territory of Russia is at risk. These include regions where earthquakes of more than 6 points occur every 500 years. 9% of the territory has a high earthquake class, that is, they belong to the zone with the maximum probability of frequent tremors - on the Richter scale, they reach 8-9 points. Such parts of the continent include the Altai, Sayan ridge, Baikal, the Kuril Islands, Kamchatka, the Transbaikalia and Sakhalin.
Recent earthquakes in Russia
Какие землетрясения были в России совсем недавно?These disasters include an incident in Tuva. In 2012, an earthquake measuring 3.2 on the Richter scale was recorded near Kyzyl. It began at 7 o'clock in the morning. The victims were not in view of the fact that the earthquake was a small force. In the same region in 2011 there was a natural disaster of 9-point power at the epicenter and about 6 points in the regions. Seismic activity continued from December to the end of February. But since the epicenter of this earthquake was located at a distance of more than 100 km from the nearest populated areas, there were no victims or destructions. But the earth tremors could be felt in the following regions:
- Buryatia.
- Irkutsk region.
- Khakassia
- Krasnodar region.
The main regions subject to seismic activity are marked, including Kyzyl, Sakhalin, on the map of Russia.
Neftegorsk
Нефтегорск Сахалинской области – маленький Russian town with a population of just over three thousand people. He was conceived as a shift town of oilmen. Founded in 1964. But, as often happens, all temporary becomes permanent. Why leave the city, where there is a permanent high-paying job, good housing? Especially since it is a provincial town, but very cozy and well-kept, in which there are 4 kindergartens, a school, etc.
1995-й – год небывалой сейсмической активности в Pacific In winter, an earthquake in Japan claimed more than 5,000 human lives. Russian seismologists expected earth tremors in the Far East and Kamchatka. No one imagined what Neftegorsk would soon become. The ghost town is what became the place of existence of the oil industry. No one expected an earthquake here. The north of Sakhalin has always been considered a zone of lesser seismic activity than the southern part or the Kuriles.
Neftegorsk: earthquake
It was unexpected, quick and scary. On the night of May 28, 1995, when the general population subsided, the village of Neftegorsk was almost completely destroyed on Sakhalin - provincial small town. This earthquake is the most devastating in Russia in the 20th century. It claimed about 2 thousand lives. Disappeared from the face of the earth this locality.
Earthquake in Neftegorsk (1995) Consequences
As a result of the Sakhalin earthquake collapsed:
- 17 five-storey prefabricated houses.
- School.
- Bakery.
- Club.
- Canteen.
- House private sector.
- Bridges.
- Roads, etc.
It was enough one push, and almost allbuildings with people sleeping peacefully turned into a pile of rubble. Over 2,300 people remained buried alive under them. They managed to get alive a little more than 400 people, 37 of whom died in hospital.
The fate of the village
It was decided not to restoreNeftegorsk. An earthquake erased this town from the map of Russia. In the same year, in the fall, it was completely liquidated. Now at this place is a sandy desert with tombstones and a memorial complex. Plates lie on the site of the former five-story building. And the memorial complex is open at the place where the last graduates ball was held. Every year on May 28, people come to this place to worship and honor the memory of the dead.
