First earthquake. Causes of earthquakes and consequences

The danger of such a natural phenomenon as an earthquake is assessed by most seismologists in points. There are several scales by which the strength of seismic shocks is assessed. The scale, adopted in Russia, Europe and the CIS countries, was developed in 1964. According to data from a 12-point scale, the greatest destructive force is typical for an earthquake of 12 points, and such strong tremors are classified as a “severe catastrophe.” There are also other methods for measuring the strength of shocks, which take into account fundamentally different aspects - the area where the shocks occurred, the time of “shaking” and other factors. However, no matter how the strength of tremors is measured, there are natural disasters that are among the most terrible.

The strength of earthquakes: has there ever been a magnitude 12?

Since the Kamori scale was adopted for consideration, and this made it possible to evaluate natural disasters that had not yet disappeared into the dust of centuries, it happened, according to at least, 3 earthquakes with a magnitude of 12.

1. Tragedy in Chile, 1960.
2. Destruction in Mongolia, 1957.
3. Tremors in the Himalayas, 1950.

In first place in the ranking, which contains the most powerful earthquakes in the world, is the 1960 cataclysm known as the “Great Chilean Earthquake.” The scale of destruction is estimated at the maximum known 12 points, while the magnitude of the ground vibrations exceeded 9.5 points. The most powerful earthquake in history occurred in May 1960 in Chile, near several cities. The epicenter was Valdivia, where the fluctuations reached a maximum, but the population was warned of the impending danger, since the tremors were felt in nearby provinces of Chile the day before. 10 thousand people are considered dead in this terrible disaster; a lot of people were carried away by the tsunami that began, but experts say that without prior notification there could have been many more victims. By the way, many people were saved due to the fact that the mass of people went to church for Sunday services. At the moment the shaking began, people were in churches that stood.

The most destructive earthquakes in the world include the Gobi-Altai disaster, which swept through Mongolia on December 4, 1957. As a result of the tragedy, the earth was literally turned inside out: fractures formed, demonstrating geological processes that would not be visible under normal circumstances. High mountains in the mountain ranges ceased to exist, the peaks collapsed, and the usual pattern of the mountains was disrupted.

Tremors in populated areas progressed and continued for quite a long time until they reached 11-12 points. People managed to leave their houses seconds before complete destruction. Dust flying from the mountains covered the cities of southern Mongolia for 48 hours, visibility did not exceed several tens of meters.

Another terrible cataclysm, estimated by seismologists at 11-12 points, occurred in the Himalayas, in the highlands of Tibet, in 1950. The terrible aftermath of the earthquake in the form of mudflows and landslides changed the relief of the mountains beyond recognition. With a terrible roar, the mountains folded like paper, and dust clouds spread from the epicenter to a radius of up to 2000 km.

Tremors from the depths of centuries: what do we know about ancient earthquakes?

The largest earthquakes that occurred in modern times, discussed and well covered in the media.

Thus, they are still widely known, the memory of them, of the victims and destruction, is still fresh. But what about earthquakes that occurred a long time ago - a hundred, two hundred or three hundred years ago? Traces of destruction have long been eliminated, and witnesses either survived the incident or died. Nevertheless historical literature contains traces of the most terrible earthquakes in the world that happened a long time ago. Thus, in the chronicles recording the largest earthquakes in the world, it is written that in ancient times tremors occurred much more often than now, and were much stronger. According to one such source, in 365 BC, tremors occurred that affected the entire Mediterranean territory, as a result of which the seabed was exposed before the eyes of eyewitnesses.

Deadly earthquake for one of the Wonders of the World

One of the most famous ancient earthquakes is the destruction of 244 BC. In those days, according to scientists, tremors occurred much more often, but this particular earthquake is especially famous: as a result of the tremors, the statue of the legendary Colossus of Rhodes collapsed. This statue, according to ancient sources, was one of the Eight Wonders of the World. It was a giant beacon in the form of a statue of a man with a torch in his hand. The statue was so huge that a flotilla could sail between its spread legs. The size played a cruel joke on the Colossus: its legs turned out to be too fragile to withstand seismological activity, and the Colossus collapsed.

Iranian earthquake of 856

The death of hundreds of thousands of people as a result of not even very strong earthquakes was a common occurrence: there were no systems for predicting seismic activity, no warning, no evacuation. Thus, in 856, more than 200 thousand people became victims of tremors in the north of Iran, and the city of Damkhan was wiped off the face of the earth. By the way, the record number of victims for this one earthquake is comparable to the number of victims of earthquakes in Iran for the rest of the time, until today.

The bloodiest earthquake in the world

The Chinese earthquake of 1565, which destroyed the provinces of Gansu and Shaanxi, killed more than 830 thousand people. This is an absolute record for the number of human casualties, which has not yet been exceeded. It remained in history as the “Great Jiajing Earthquake” (named after the emperor then in power). Historians estimate its power at 7.9 - 8 points, as evidenced by geological surveys.

This is how this phenomenon was described in the chronicles:
“In the winter of 1556, a catastrophic earthquake occurred in Shaanxi and the provinces around it. Our Hua County has suffered numerous troubles and misfortunes. Mountains and rivers changed their location, roads were destroyed. In some places, the ground unexpectedly rose and new hills appeared, or vice versa - parts of the former hills went underground, floated and became new plains. In other places, mudflows constantly occurred, or the ground split and new ravines appeared. Private houses, public buildings, temples and city walls collapsed with lightning speed and completely.”.

Cataclysm for All Saints' Day in Portugal

Terrible tragedy claimed lives more than 80 thousand Portuguese, occurred in Lisbon on November 1, 1755. This cataclysm is not included among the most powerful earthquakes in the world either in terms of the number of victims or the strength of seismic activity. But the terrible irony of fate with which this phenomenon broke out is shocking: the tremors began precisely when people went to celebrate the holiday in church. The temples of Lisbon could not stand it and collapsed, burying a huge number of unfortunates, and then the city was covered by a 6-meter tsunami wave, killing the rest of the people on the streets.

The largest earthquakes in the history of the twentieth century

Ten disasters of the 20th century that claimed greatest number lives and brought the most terrible destruction, are reflected in the summary table:

Tangshan-1976

The Chinese events of 1976 are captured in Feng Xiaogang's film "Disaster". Despite the relative weakness of the magnitude, the disaster carried away big number lives, the first shock provoked the destruction of 90% of residential buildings in Tangshan. The hospital building disappeared without a trace; the opening of the earth literally swallowed up the passenger train.

Sumatra 2004, the largest in geographical terms

The 2004 Sumatran earthquake affected several countries: India, Thailand, South Africa, Sri Lanka. The exact number of victims is impossible to calculate, since the main destructive force - the tsunami - carried tens of thousands of people into the ocean. This is the largest earthquake in terms of geography, since its prerequisites were the movement of plates in the Indian Ocean with subsequent tremors over a distance of up to 1600 km. The ocean floor rose as a result of the collision of the Indian and Burmese plates; tsunami waves ran in all directions from the fracture of the plates, which rolled thousands of kilometers and reached the shores.

Haiti 2010, our time

In 2010, Haiti experienced its first major earthquake after almost 260 years of calm. The greatest damage was suffered by the national fund of the republics: the entire center of the capital with its rich cultural heritage, all administrative and government buildings were damaged. More than 232 thousand people died, many of whom were carried away by the tsunami waves. The consequences of the disaster were a surge in morbidity intestinal diseases and an increase in crime: the tremors destroyed prison buildings, which prisoners immediately took advantage of.

The most powerful earthquakes in Russia

In Russia there are also dangerous seismically active regions where an earthquake can occur. However, most of these Russian territories are located far from densely populated areas, which eliminates the possibility of large destruction and casualties.

The largest earthquakes in Russia, however, are also included in tragic story the struggle between the elements and man.

Among the most terrible earthquakes in Russia:

• North Kuril destruction of 1952.
• Neftegorsk destruction in 1995.

Kamchatka-1952

Severo-Kurilsk was completely destroyed as a result of tremors and tsunami on November 4, 1952. Unrest in the ocean, 100 km from the coast, brought waves 20 meters high to the city, hour after hour washing the coast and washing away coastal settlements into the ocean. The terrible flood destroyed all buildings and killed more than 2 thousand people.

Sakhalin-1995

On March 27, 1995, the elements took only 17 seconds to wipe out the working village of Neftegorsk in Sakhalin region. More than 2 thousand residents of the village died, accounting for 80% of the residents. Large-scale destruction did not allow the village to be restored, so locality became a ghost: a memorial plaque was installed in it telling about the victims of the tragedy, and the residents themselves were evacuated.

A dangerous area in Russia from the point of view of seismic activity is any region at the junction of tectonic plates:

• Kamchatka and Sakhalin,
• Caucasian republics,
• Altai region.

In any of these regions, the possibility of a natural earthquake remains possible, since the mechanism of the generation of tremors has not yet been studied.

The greenhouse effect has tripped
Vladimir Erashov

In recent decades, the greenhouse effect has become the talk of the town; it is blamed for the increase in all earthly disasters. But here's a sensational surprise - THE GROWTH OF THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT AND THE NUMBER OF EARTHQUAKES COINCIDED ONLY UNTIL 2005, THEN THE PATH diverged, THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT CONTINUED TO GROW, WHILE THE NUMBER OF EARTHQUAKES STARTED TO DROP SHARPLY. Moreover, the statistics of earthquakes are as follows, we will present them below, which does not leave the slightest doubt about the presence of the indicated trends. The number of earthquakes on Earth increased significantly until 2005, and then began to decrease significantly. Earthquakes in modern times are recorded by many tracking stations with great accuracy and very scrupulously. From this side, any error is excluded in principle. Consequently, the indicated trend is an indisputable fact, a fact that allows us to look at the problem of climate warming in a very unconventional way.
First, we present earthquake statistics; these statistics were obtained after processing (summation) daily amount earthquakes, stored in the archive of the site http://www.moveinfo.ru/data/earth/earthquake/select
Let us clarify that the site stores earthquakes of magnitude four and above, starting in 1974. It has not yet been possible to process all the statistics, it is very labor-intensive, we present statistics for January earthquakes; for other months the picture is similar.
Here are the statistics:
1974 -313, 1975-333, 1976 -539, 1977 – 323, 1978 – 329, 1979 – 325, 1980 – 390, 1981 -367, 1982- 405, 1983 – 507, 1984 – 391, 1985 – 447, 1986 – 496, 1987 – 466, 1988 – 490, 1989 – 490, 1990 – 437, 1991 – 516, 1992 – 465, 1993 – 477, 1994 – 460, 1995 – 709. 1996 – 865, 1997 – 647, 1998 – 747, 1999 – 666, 2000 – 615, 2001 – 692, 2002 – 815, 2003 – 691, 2004 – 915, 2005 – 2127, 2006 – 971, 2007 – 1390, 2008 – 1040, 2009 – 989, 2010 – 823, 2011 – 1211, 2012 – 999, 2013 – 687, 2014 – 468, 2015 – 479, 2016 – 499.
And so in 2005 there was a radical change in the number of recorded earthquakes; if before 2005 the number of earthquakes, albeit with minor stops, only grew, then after 2005 it began to steadily decline.
Main conclusion:
The catastrophic increase in the number of earthquakes that occurred on Earth until 2005 greenhouse effect not connected in any way, it occurred for other reasons, these reasons remain to be determined.
An interesting fact is that in 2005, in parallel with the increase in the number of earthquakes, a radical change occurred in the speed of the Earth’s rotation; the Earth began to slow down its rotation. Now it is still impossible to say unequivocally that these facts are connected with each other, but it is also very unlikely that they coincided by chance. Moreover, short-term surges in the number of earthquakes correlate very well with surges in the Earth’s rotation speed.
From the works of scientist Sidorenkov N.S. It is known that the speed of rotation of the Earth has a very good correlation with the temperature on the Planet; a higher speed of rotation of the Earth also corresponds to a higher average temperature - this has been established experimentally over a fairly long period of observations. Then a completely logical question:
Will a decrease in the Earth's rotation speed be followed not only by a decrease in the number of earthquakes, which has already followed, but also by a decrease in average temperature, that is, do not these factors signal us about the beginning of an era of cooling?
Apparently it is too early to put an end to this issue, but Russian science has no right to leave this issue without attention, the stakes are painfully high. Of course, no scientist will cancel the future cooling of the climate, which may be about to begin, but this cooling should not fall on Russia out of the blue.
In this regard, I ask readers not to be lazy, but also re-read the article “Transparent Climate”.
Isn't it time for Russian science to wake up?
24.05. 2016

The strongest earthquakes throughout human history have caused colossal material damage and caused huge amount casualties among the population. The first mention of tremors dates back to 2000 BC.
And despite the achievements of modern science and the development of technology, no one can still predict exact time, when the elements strike, so quick and timely evacuation of people often becomes impossible.

Earthquakes are natural disasters that kill the most people, much more than, for example, hurricanes or typhoons.
In this rating we will talk about the 12 most powerful and destructive earthquakes in human history.

12. Lisbon

On November 1, 1755, a powerful earthquake occurred in the capital of Portugal, the city of Lisbon, later called the Great Lisbon Earthquake. A terrible coincidence was that on November 1 - All Saints' Day, thousands of residents gathered for mass in the churches of Lisbon. These churches, like other buildings throughout the city, could not withstand the powerful shocks and collapsed, burying thousands of unfortunates under their rubble.

Then a 6-meter tsunami wave rushed into the city, covering the surviving people rushing in panic through the streets of destroyed Lisbon. The destruction and loss of life were colossal! As a result of the earthquake, which lasted no more than 6 minutes, the tsunami it caused and numerous fires that engulfed the city, at least 80,000 residents of the Portuguese capital died.

Many famous figures and philosophers touched on this deadly earthquake in their works, for example, Immanuel Kant, who tried to find scientific explanation such a massive tragedy.

11. San Francisco

On April 18, 1906, at 5:12 am, powerful tremors shook sleeping San Francisco. The force of the tremors was 7.9 points and as a result of the strongest earthquake in the city, 80% of the buildings were destroyed.

After the first count of the dead, authorities reported 400 victims, but later their number increased to 3,000 people. However, the main damage to the city was caused not by the earthquake itself, but by the monstrous fire it caused. As a result, more than 28,000 buildings throughout San Francisco were destroyed, with property damage amounting to more than $400 million at the exchange rate of that time.
Many residents themselves set fire to their dilapidated houses, which were insured against fire, but not against earthquakes.

10. Messina

The largest earthquake in Europe was the earthquake in Sicily and Southern Italy, when on December 28, 1908, as a result of powerful tremors measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale, according to various experts, from 120 to 200,000 people died.
The epicenter of the disaster was the Strait of Messina, located between the Apennine Peninsula and Sicily; the city of Messina suffered the most, where practically not a single surviving building remained. brought a lot of destruction and huge wave tsunami caused by tremors and amplified by an underwater landslide.

Documented fact: rescuers were able to pull two exhausted, dehydrated, but alive children from the rubble, 18 days after the disaster struck! The numerous and extensive destructions were caused primarily by the poor quality of buildings in Messina and other parts of Sicily.

Russian sailors of the Imperial Navy provided invaluable assistance to the residents of Messina. Ships included study group sailed in the Mediterranean Sea and on the day of the tragedy ended up in the port of Augusta in Sicily. Immediately after the tremors, sailors organized a rescue operation and thanks to their brave actions, thousands of residents were saved.

9. Haiyuan

One of the deadliest earthquakes in human history was the devastating earthquake that struck Haiyuan County, part of Gansu Province, on December 16, 1920.
Historians estimate that at least 230,000 people died that day. The force of the tremors was such that entire villages disappeared into the cracks. earth's crust, such people suffered greatly big cities like Xi'an, Taiyuan and Lanzhou. Incredibly, strong waves formed after the disaster were recorded even in Norway.

Modern researchers believe that the death toll was much higher and totaled at least 270,000 people. At that time, this was 59% of the population of Haiyuan County. Several tens of thousands of people died from the cold after their homes were destroyed by the elements.

8. Chile

The earthquake in Chile on May 22, 1960, considered the strongest earthquake in the history of seismology, measured 9.5 on the Richter scale. The earthquake was so powerful that it caused tsunami waves more than 10 meters high, which covered not only the coast of Chile, but also caused enormous damage to the city of Hilo in Hawaii, and some of the waves reached the coasts of Japan and the Philippines.

More than 6,000 people died, most of whom were hit by the tsunami, and the destruction was unimaginable. 2 million people were left homeless and the damage amounted to more than $500 million. In some areas of Chile, the impact of the tsunami wave was so strong that many houses were carried away 3 km inland.

7. Alaska

On March 27, 1964, the most powerful earthquake in American history occurred in Alaska. The magnitude of the earthquake was 9.2 on the Richter scale and this earthquake was the strongest since the disaster struck Chile in 1960.
129 people died, of which 6 were victims of tremors, the rest were washed away by a huge tsunami wave. The disaster caused the greatest destruction in Anchorage, and tremors were recorded in 47 US states.

6. Kobe

The Kobe earthquake in Japan on January 16, 1995 was one of the most destructive in history. Tremors with a magnitude of 7.3 began at 05:46 am local time and continued for several days. As a result, more than 6,000 people died and 26,000 were injured.

The damage caused to the city's infrastructure was simply enormous. More than 200,000 buildings were destroyed, 120 of the 150 berths in the port of Kobe were destroyed, and there was no power supply for several days. The total damage from the disaster was about $200 billion, which at that time was 2.5% of Japan's total GDP.

Not only government services rushed to help the affected residents, but also the Japanese mafia - the Yakuza, whose members delivered water and food to those affected by the disaster.

5. Sumatra

On December 26, 2004, a powerful tsunami that hit the shores of Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other countries was caused by a devastating earthquake measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale. The epicenter of the tremors was in the Indian Ocean, near the island of Simeulue, off the northwestern coast of Sumatra. The earthquake was unusually large; the earth's crust shifted at a distance of 1200 km.

The height of the tsunami waves reached 15-30 meters and, according to various estimates, from 230 to 300,000 people became victims of the disaster, although the exact number of deaths is impossible to calculate. Many people were simply washed into the ocean.
One of the reasons for such a number of victims was the lack of a system early warning in the Indian Ocean, with which it was possible to inform the local population about the approaching tsunami.

4. Kashmir

On October 8, 2005, the worst earthquake to hit South Asia in a century occurred in the Pakistani-controlled region of Kashmir. The strength of the tremors was 7.6 on the Richter scale, which is comparable to the San Francisco earthquake in 1906.
As a result of the disaster, according to official data, 84,000 people died, according to unofficial data, more than 200,000. Rescue efforts have been hampered by military conflict between Pakistan and India in the region. Many villages were completely wiped off the face of the earth, and the city of Balakot in Pakistan was completely destroyed. In India, 1,300 people became victims of the earthquake.

3. Haiti

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale occurred in Haiti. The main blow fell on the capital of the state - the city of Port-au-Prince. The consequences were terrible: almost 3 million people were left homeless, all hospitals and thousands of residential buildings were destroyed. The number of victims was simply enormous, according to various estimates from 160 to 230,000 people.

Criminals who had escaped from a prison destroyed by the elements poured into the city; cases of looting, robberies and robberies became frequent on the streets. Material damage from the earthquake is estimated at 5.6 billion dollars.

Despite the fact that many countries - Russia, France, Spain, Ukraine, the USA, Canada and dozens of others - provided all possible assistance in eliminating the consequences of the disaster in Haiti, more than five years after the earthquake, more than 80,000 people still live in improvised camps for refugees.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and this natural disaster has dealt an irreparable blow to the economy and living standards of its citizens.

2. Earthquake in Japan

On March 11, 2011, the strongest earthquake in Japanese history occurred in the Tohoku region. The epicenter was located east of the island of Honshu and the strength of the tremors was 9.1 on the Richter scale.
As a result of the disaster, the nuclear power plant in the city of Fukushima was severely damaged and power units at reactors 1, 2, and 3 were destroyed. Many areas became uninhabitable as a result of radioactive radiation.

After underwater tremors, a huge tsunami wave covered the coast and destroyed thousands of administrative and residential buildings. More than 16,000 people died, 2,500 are still considered missing.

The material damage was also colossal - more than $100 billion. And considering that on full recovery It may take years for the infrastructure to be destroyed, and the amount of damage may increase several times.

1. Spitak and Leninakan

There are many tragic dates in the history of the USSR, and one of the most famous is the earthquake that shook the Armenian SSR on December 7, 1988. The most powerful tremors in just half a minute almost completely destroyed northern part republic, capturing the territory where more than 1 million inhabitants lived.

The consequences of the disaster were monstrous: the city of Spitak was almost completely wiped off the face of the Earth, Leninakan was severely damaged, more than 300 villages were destroyed and 40% of the republic’s industrial capacity was destroyed. More than 500 thousand Armenians were left homeless, according to various estimates, from 25,000 to 170,000 residents died, 17,000 citizens remained disabled.
111 states and all republics of the USSR provided assistance in the restoration of destroyed Armenia.

Earthquakes are underground tremors accompanied by vibrations of the earth's surface.

Causes and types

The location of earthquake foci practically coincides with the boundaries of lithospheric plates

Earthquakes are tectonic, volcanic and landslide.

Tectonic earthquakes arise due to sharp displacements of mountain plates or as a result of the displacement of an oceanic platform under the continent. After all, the surface of the earth consists of continental and oceanic platforms, which, in turn, consist of separate blocks. When blocks are placed on top of each other, they can rise up and mountains are formed, or they can fall down and depressions are formed, or one of the plates will go under the other. All these processes are accompanied by vibrations or shaking of the earth.

Volcanic earthquakes occur due to the fact that streams of hot lava and gases press from below onto the surface of the Earth and thus make you feel that the earth is disappearing from under your feet. Volcanic earthquakes are usually not very strong, but can last quite a long time, sometimes several weeks. Often such earthquakes warn of an imminent volcanic eruption, which is even more dangerous than the earthquake itself.

Sometimes voids form underground, for example, under the influence of groundwater or underground rivers that erode the ground. In these places, the earth cannot withstand its own gravity and collapses, causing a slight shaking. It is called landslide earthquake.

After strong earthquakes, the landscape of the area changes, new lakes and mountains may appear

The most destructive and terrible are tectonic earthquakes. The place where plates collide or a powerful explosion occurs due to the release of energy accumulated in the earth is called earthquake source, or hypocenter. When the explosion occurs, a shock wave with a speed of more than 5 km/s (depending on the power of the explosion) begins to spread in all directions, reaches the surface of the earth (this area on the surface is called the epicenter, and it is located directly above the hypocenter) and diverges to the sides along circles. The epicenter is where the worst destruction occurs, and on the outskirts of the area affected by the earthquake, people may not even feel anything.

Strength of earthquakes

Earthquakes are one of the most dangerous natural phenomena. They bring great destruction and disaster, destroying not only material values, but also all living things, including people. The strength of an earthquake on the surface of the earth is measured in points on a special 12-point scale.

Point scale for measuring earthquake strength:

• 1 point - Not felt. Marked only with special devices
• 2 point - Very weak, noted only by domestic animals and some people in the upper floors of buildings
• 3 points - Weak. Only felt inside some buildings, like the shock of driving a truck
• 4 points - Moderate. You can hear the creaking of floorboards and beams, the clinking of dishes, and the shaking of furniture. Inside the building, the shaking is felt by most people
• 5 points - Quite strong. Tremors are felt in the rooms as if heavy objects were falling. Window glass breaks, chandeliers and furniture sway
• 6 point - Strong. Heavy furniture sways, dishes break, books fall from shelves, only very dilapidated houses are destroyed
• 7 point - Very strong. Old houses are being destroyed. In strong buildings, cracks appear and plaster crumbles. The water in rivers and lakes becomes cloudy
• 8 point - Destructive. Trees sway violently and strong fences break. Many strong buildings are being destroyed. Cracks appear in the soil
• 9 points - Devastating. Strong buildings are destroyed. Significant cracks appear in the soil
• 10 points - Destructive. Even strong buildings and bridges are destroyed. Landslides and collapses, cracks and bends in the soil occur
• 11th point - Disaster. Almost all stone buildings, roads, dams, and bridges are destroyed. Cracks with shifts form on the surface of the earth
• 12th point - Major disaster. All structures are destroyed, the entire area is devastated. River courses are changing

Seismology

The seismograph pen draws a curved line in the form of sharp zigzags when tremors begin

Science studies earthquakes seismology. IN different countries around the world, scientists are observing the behavior of the earth's crust. They are helped with this special devices- seismographs. They measure and automatically record the slightest vibrations occurring anywhere globe. When the earth's surface oscillates, the main part of the seismograph - the suspended load - due to inertia, begins to move relative to the base of the device, and the recorder records the seismic signal transmitted to the marker.

An important task of seismology is earthquake prediction. Unfortunately, modern science cannot yet accurately predict them. Seismologists can more or less reliably determine the area and strength of an earthquake, but its onset is very difficult to predict.

Can an earthquake shake the Earth?

In mid-May 1960, one of the most significant and destructive earthquakes occurred in Chile - the Great Chilean Earthquake. Despite the fact that the main vibrations of the earth occurred in the southwestern part South America- the epicenter of the earthquake was located near the city of Valdivia - their “echoes” reached other territories of our planet: in particular, the Hawaiian Islands and Japan. The phenomenon in which an earthquake that occurs in one part of the earth causes other parts of the earth to pulsate and tremble, even those located thousands of kilometers from the epicenter, is called “swing” or “vibration” of the earth.

Earthquake - strong concussion surface of the Earth, resulting from the sudden release of energy in the earth's crust, which creates seismic waves. It is one of the most deadly natural disasters and often leads to fractures of the earth's surface, shaking and liquefaction of the earth, landslides, tremors or tsunamis.

If we look at the structure of earthquakes occurring in the world, it becomes clear that most of seismic activity is concentrated in a number of different earthquake belts. Earthquakes are unpredictable in terms of when they will strike, but certain areas are most likely to be hit.

The world map of earthquakes shows that most of them lie in precise zones, often along the edges of continents or in the middle of the ocean. The world is divided into seismic zones based on tectonic plates and the magnitude of earthquakes. Here list of the most earthquake-vulnerable countries in the world:

Several cities are also vulnerable to damage from the Indonesia earthquake. Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, is in a difficult situation. Not only does it sit atop the Pacific Ring of Fire, but with slightly less than half the city below sea level, it sits on soft soil that has the potential to liquefy if struck by an earthquake of sufficient magnitude.

But the complications don't end there. Jakarta's altitude also puts the city at risk of flooding. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean with its epicenter on the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia.

A mega-magnitude undersea earthquake occurred when the Indian Plate subducted under the Burma Plate and generated a series of devastating tsunamis along much of the coastline washed by the waters Indian Ocean, killed 230,000 people in 14 countries, and coastal areas were inundated by waves up to 30 meters high.

Indonesia was the worst affected area, with the majority of deaths estimated at around 170,000. This is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on seismographs.

Türkiye lies in a seismic zone between the Arabian, Eurasian and African plates. This geographical location assumes that an earthquake can occur in the country at any time. Turkey has a long history of large earthquakes, which often occur in progressive contiguous earthquakes.

The magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck western Turkey on August 17, 1999 is one of the world's longest and best-studied strike-slip faults: the East-West strike North Anatolian Fault.

The incident lasted only 37 seconds and killed approximately 17,000 people. More than 50,000 people were injured and more than 5,000,000 people were left homeless, making it one of the most destructive earthquakes of the 20th century.

Mexico is another earthquake-prone country and has experienced several high magnitude earthquakes in the past. Situated on three large tectonic plates, namely the Cocos Plate, the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, which make up the earth's surface, Mexico is one of the most seismically active areas on earth.

The movement of these plates causes earthquakes and volcanic activity. Mexico has an extensive history of devastating earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, an earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale was centered on a 300-kilometer subduction zone off Acapulco, killing 4,000 people in Mexico City.

One of the most recent earthquakes occurred in 2014 in the state of Guerrero with a magnitude of 7.2, causing numerous casualties in the region.

El Salvador is another seismically active country that has suffered massive damage due to earthquakes. The small Central American Republic of El Salvador has experienced an average of one devastating earthquake per decade over the past hundred years. Two large earthquakes occurred on January 13 and February 13, 2001, with magnitudes of 7.7 and 6.6, respectively.

These two events, which have different tectonic origins, reveal patterns of seismicity in the region, although neither event has a known precedent in the earthquake catalog in terms of size and location. The earthquakes have damaged thousands of traditionally built houses and caused hundreds of landslides, which are the leading causes of deaths.

The earthquakes clearly demonstrated the increasing trends in seismic risk in El Salvador due to rapid growth population in areas of increased probability of tremors and landslide danger, the situation is aggravated by deforestation and uncontrolled urbanization. The institutional mechanisms needed to control land use and construction practices are very weak and pose a major obstacle to risk reduction.

Another earthquake-prone country is Pakistan, which is geologically located in the Indus-Tsangpo suture zone, which is approximately 200 km north of the front Himalayas and is defined by an ophiolite chain along the southern margin. This region has the most high performance seismic activity and the largest earthquakes in the Himalaya region, caused mainly by fault movement.

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan's Kashmir in October 2005, killing more than 73,000 people, many in remote parts of the country, in sparsely populated urban centers such as Islamabad. More recently, in September 2013, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale occurred, causing enormous damage to lives and property, killing at least 825 people and injuring hundreds.

The Philippines lies on the edge of the Pacific Plate, which is traditionally considered a seismically hot zone that surrounds the state. The risk of earthquakes in Manila is three times higher. The city is comfortably adjacent to the Pacific Ring of Fire, which, of course, makes it especially sensitive not only to earthquakes, but also to volcanic eruptions.

The threat to Manila is worsened by soft soil, which poses a risk of liquefaction. On October 15, 2013, an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck the central Philippines. According to official statistics The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) killed 222 people, 8 were missing, and 976 people were injured.

Overall, more than 73,000 buildings and structures were damaged, of which more than 14,500 were completely destroyed. It was the deadliest earthquake to hit the Philippines in 23 years. The power released by the earthquake was equivalent to 32 Hiroshima bombs.

Ecuador has several active volcanoes, which makes the country extremely dangerous for earthquakes with powerful magnitude and tremors. The country is located in the seismic zone between the South American plate and the Nazca plate. Earthquakes that affect Ecuador can be divided into those that result from movement along a subduction junction along a plate boundary, those that result from deformation within the South American and Nazca plates, and those that are associated with active volcanoes.

On August 12, 2014, an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale rocked Quito, followed by an aftershock measuring 4.3. 2 people were killed and 8 were injured.

India has also experienced a number of several deadly earthquakes due to the movement of the Indian tectonic plate at a rate of 47 mm every year. Due to the movement of tectonic plates, India is prone to earthquakes. India has been divided into five zones based on peak ground acceleration.

On December 26, 2004, an earthquake created the third deadliest tsunami in the history of the world, killing 15,000 people in India. The earthquake in Gujarat occurred on January 26, 2001, on the occasion of the 52nd Republic Day of India.

It lasted more than 2 minutes and amounted to 7.7 points on the Kanamori scale, according to statistics, from 13,805 to 20,023 people were killed, another 167,000 people were injured and about 400,000 houses were destroyed.

If the calculations are correct, then a citizen in Nepal will be more likely to die from an earthquake than any citizen in the world. Nepal is a disaster-prone country. Floods, landslides, epidemics and fires cause significant property damage in Nepal every year. This is one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

Mountains are built due to the movement of Indian tectonic plates under Central Asia. These two large crustal plates are moving closer together at a relative rate of 4-5 cm per year. The peaks on Everest and its sister mountains are subject to numerous tremors. Moreover, the remains of a prehistoric lake, in a 300-meter deep layer of black clay, lie in the lowlands of the Kathmandu Valley. This increases the damage from large earthquakes.

Thus, the region becomes susceptible to soil liquefaction. During strong earthquakes, solid soil turns into something like quicksand, swallowing everything above the ground. In April 2015, an earthquake in Nepal killed more than 8,000 people and injured more than 21,000. The earthquake triggered an avalanche on Everest, killing 21 people, making April 25, 2015 the deadliest day on the mountain in history.

Japan tops the list of earthquake-prone areas. Japan's physiographic location along the Pacific Ring of Fire makes the country very susceptible to earthquakes and tsunamis. The Ring of Fire are tectonic plates in the Pacific Basin that are responsible for 90% of the world's earthquakes and 81% of the world's largest earthquakes.

At the height of its prolific tectonic activity, Japan is also home to 452 volcanoes, making it the most destructive geographical location from the point of view of natural disasters. The powerful earthquake that occurred in Japan on March 11, 2011 caused swipe and became one of five largest earthquakes in the world since the beginning of seismological recording.

It was followed by a tsunami with waves up to 10 m high. As a result natural disaster Thousands of people were killed and extensive property damage was caused to buildings and infrastructure, leading to significant accidents at four major nuclear power plants.

You will see the consequences of the most powerful earthquakes in the world and understand why this phenomenon is considered so dangerous.