Where are the most earthquakes in the world? Earthquakes. Dangerous and safe areas of Russia

During times high technology, established rhythms of life, people often forget that they do not manage everything until the end. And the manifestations of global events such as earthquakes are only in a few cases truly noticeable. But if this cataclysm does reach civilized corners, this event may remain a scar on people's memories for a long time.

How does an earthquake happen?

Vibrations of the earth's surface, as well as tremors, are the process of an earthquake. Scientists believe that the earth's crust consists of 20 huge plates. They move at a very low speed of about a few centimeters per year through the upper layer of the mantle. The boundaries between plates are often mountains or deep-sea trenches. Where the slabs slide over each other, the edges become folded. And in the crust itself, cracks form - tectonic faults, through which mantle material seeps to the surface. Natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions often occur in these places. The area of ​​shock wave divergence sometimes extends for hundreds of kilometers.

Causes of the earthquake

• Collapses large mass rocks from the influence of groundwater often cause earth tremors at a short distance.
• In places of action active volcanoes, under the pressure of lava and gases on the upper part of the crust, nearby areas are exposed to weak but prolonged tremors, often on the threshold of an eruption.
• Man-made activities of people - the construction of dams, mining activity, nuclear weapons testing, accompanied by powerful underground explosions or redistribution of internal water masses.

How an earthquake occurs - earthquake foci

But not only the cause itself directly affects the power of the earthquake, but also the depth of the source of occurrence. The source or hypocenter itself can be located at any depth, from several kilometers to hundreds of kilometers. And it is a sharp displacement of large massifs of rocks. Even with a slight shift, vibrations of the earth's surface will occur, and the range of their movement will depend only on their strength and sharpness. But the further the surface, the less destructive the consequences of the cataclysm will be. The point above the source in the ground layer will be the epicenter. And it is often subject to the greatest deformation and destruction during the movement of seismic waves.

How an earthquake occurs - zones of seismic activity

Due to the fact that our planet has not yet stopped its geological formation, there are 2 zones - the Mediterranean and the Pacific. The Mediterranean stretches from the Sunda Islands to the Isthmus of Panama. The Pacific covers Japan, Kamchatka, Alaska, moves further to the California mountains, Peru, Antarctica and many other places. There is constant seismic activity due to the formation of young mountains and volcanic activity.

How does an earthquake occur - the strength of the earthquake

The consequences of such earthly activity can be dangerous. There is a whole science for studying and recording it - seismology. It uses several types of measurements of magnitude - a measure of the energy of seismic waves. The most popular Richter scale with a 10-point system.

• Less than 3 points are recorded only by seismographs due to their weakness.
• From 3 to 4 points a person already feels slight swaying of the surface. The environment begins to react - the movement of dishes, the swaying of chandeliers.
• At 5 points, the effect is enhanced; in old buildings, interior decoration may crumble.
• 6 points can significantly damage old buildings, causing rattling or cracking of glass in new houses, but they are already damaged at 7 points;
• 8 and 9 points cause significant damage to large areas, bridge collapses.
• The strongest magnitude 10 earthquakes are also the rarest and cause catastrophic destruction.

• When living in high-rise buildings, you should understand that the lower a person is, the better, but during evacuation you cannot use elevators.
• It is worth leaving buildings and moving away from them to a safe distance (turning off electricity and gas), avoiding large trees and power lines.
• If it is not possible to leave the premises, you need to move away from window openings and tall furniture or hide under a strong table or bed.
• While driving, it is better to stop and avoid high points or bridges.

Humanity cannot yet prevent earthquakes, or even predict in detail the reaction of the earth's crust to seismic shocks. Due to the huge number of variables involved, these are incredibly complex forecasts. A person successfully passively defends himself in the form of strengthening buildings and improving the layout of infrastructure. This allows countries located on the line of constant seismic activity to develop successfully.

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 DIVERTERED, THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT CONTINUED TO GROW, WHILE THE NUMBER OF EARTHQUAKES STARTED TO DECREASE 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 (summing up) the daily number of 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, a radical change occurred 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 before 2005 is in no way connected with the greenhouse effect; it occurred for other reasons, these reasons remain to be clarified.
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’s too early to put an end to this issue, but let’s leave it this question without attention, Russian science has no right, 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 Russian science wake up?
24.05. 2016

One of the most terrible and unpredictable natural phenomena occurring on planet Earth is an earthquake. The destructive power of this earthly catastrophe can reach colossal proportions and is beyond the power of mankind to fight. Due to the fact that earthquakes or tremors occur as a result of sudden and fleeting changes in the very depths of the planet, it is currently almost impossible to prevent their occurrence. And sometimes it is also quite difficult to predict where, when and with what force tremors will occur. Therefore, in order to try to save yourself and the lives of your loved ones during this natural disaster, it is very important to know what to do during an earthquake and be able to provide first aid.

A huge number of earthquakes occur on planet Earth every year. But due to the fact that most of of them has a very small impact or occurs at the very bottom of the oceans, many of the tremors do not affect us at all and we are absolutely unaware of their occurrence, and some are not even aware of their existence. Noticeable destruction can only be caused by strong earthquakes or tsunamis that arise in the ocean due to them.

Due to the fact that during earthquakes its energy is generated in large quantities different forms(magnetic, electrical, mechanical), measure the force of its action with absolute precision impossible. The biggest part of the destructive power of this natural phenomenon falls on the epicenter of its occurrence, and the rest of the energy turns into waves, the strength of which decreases with increasing distance.

The strength of an earthquake is usually determined by such concepts as intensity, magnitude and energy class. The most accurate measurement of the amplitude of an earthquake is considered, that is, the magnitude of the vibrations that occur directly at the very epicenter of the disaster, and more often used in ordinary life is the concept of intensity or intensity, measured in points, since it is this that allows us to characterize the strength of an earthquake on the surface of the earth’s crust. The stronger the earthquake and the closer its epicenter, the greater the intensity. Let's look at the impact this has natural disaster depending on the number of points of its intensity:

• From 1 to 2 points– insignificant shock force, which can only be determined with the help of special instruments. Earthquakes of magnitude 2 can also sometimes be detected by a person if at that moment he is motionless.
• From 3 to 4 points– tremors are felt more strongly in high-rise buildings, chandeliers may sway, slight mixing of objects and a feeling of slight dizziness.
• From 5 to 7 points– the tremors begin to be felt quite strongly on the ground, minor destruction of buildings is possible, for example, cracks begin to appear on the walls, windows break, and plaster crumbles.
• 8 points– an earthquake causes deep cracks to appear on houses, the ground and even slopes.
• 9 points– the tremors become so strong that they can destroy the walls of houses and even some underground communication structures.
• From 10 to 11 points– an earthquake of such strength causes severe destruction of many buildings, bridges, collapses, and landslides.
• 12 points– the destructive force of such shocks can significantly change the surface of the earth’s crust, practically crumble buildings and even change the movement of water in rivers.

The strength of the earthquake in to a large extent depends on how close to the Earth’s surface internal changes and movements of the earth’s crust occurred. The closer the source, the greater the destructive power of a natural disaster.

Causes of earthquakes

Quite often, many people have the question: “Why do earthquakes happen?” In ancient times, people believed that such disasters were sent to them from above as punishment for bad deeds. Currently, despite the fact that this question has not yet been fully studied, scientists have some answers. In fact, there are quite a lot of reasons for the occurrence of such disasters and they are all divided into the following impacts:

• Natural. Natural influences include internal changes of the planet Earth, the influence of cosmic storms, the sun, and some other phenomena of the Cosmos.
• Artificial. The artificial influence on the motivation for the occurrence of an earthquake is Man and his influence on environment. Such actions can be explosions, digging up earth rocks for mining, and the like.

Depending on the cause of occurrence, the following types of earthquakes are distinguished:

• Tectonic earthquakes. This type is the most common phenomenon that occurs due to movements, faults and collisions of tectonic plates. Such earthquakes manifest themselves in different ways. This may be the appearance of huge cracks on the surface of the earth, various collapses and landslides, or, with low strength, earthquakes may not reveal themselves at all.
• Landslide earthquakes. These earthquakes occur due to the impact of landslides and landslides on the earth's crust. Such phenomena most often occur due to the appearance of voids underground and inside the mountains. Most often, landslide earthquakes are not very powerful.
• Volcanic earthquakes caused by a volcanic eruption. Their peculiarity is that they do not cause any significant destruction and can be repeated a number of times.
• Artificial earthquakes. This type occurs as a result of a large number of simultaneous explosions, nuclear explosions, and underground testing various types of weapons.
• Man-made earthquakes arise from direct human impact on the environment. It can arise as a result of artificial changes in the landscape during the construction of dams or new structures, the search for oil accumulations, mining various types fossils, during the destruction of mountains and plains by man.

According to the results of numerous observations, the following natural phenomena occur before the occurrence of many earthquakes:

• Heavy and prolonged rain showers.
• The appearance in the air of an excess of gases such as uranium compounds, radon, helium, argon.
• Severe anxiety and unusual behavior of domestic and wild animals, it is believed that, for example.
• An unexpected glow in the air.

Ecological consequences of earthquakes

Depending on the strength of the earthquake, the proximity of the epicenter, and the location of its occurrence, varying degrees of consequences of this phenomenon appear.

Disasters with higher intensity significantly affect the ecology of the environment.

• The most common environmental consequences resulting from earthquakes are the occurrence of such natural processes as landslides, landslides, mudflows, destruction of the earth's crust and even floods. With any even slight change in the usual landscape, in any case, great stress arises for the living organisms living in this area. For example, large landslide debris spoils the composition of the soil; flooding caused by an earthquake tsunami can permanently kill the life of organisms in the area.
• In the case of deep faults, various substances begin to enter the atmosphere from the bowels of the earth. heavy metals, negatively affecting living organisms.
• One of the most dangerous effects of an earthquake is provoking man-made disasters. In the event that it arose in an area where there were various structures created to create production technologies, such as, for example, an oil refinery or pharmaceutical enterprise. As a result of violations of such buildings, severe environmental pollution almost always occurs.
• If an earthquake occurs in an area where waste was stored, all toxic and unsafe substances can spread over a long distance around the area, which is also detrimental to good environmental conditions.
• The destruction of oil and gas pipes is also very dangerous, causing a large accumulation of harmful substances in the air.
• The destruction of such energy facilities as a result of an earthquake, such as thermal power plants and state regional power plants, can cause fires of enormous destructive proportions, capable of destroying the area for many kilometers around. Most dire consequences earthquakes occur when a nuclear power plant collapses.

The area where earthquakes occur does not have a uniform distribution. The main point or seismic belt where earthquakes often occur is in the Pacific Ocean. This belt covers Indonesia, the western part of the Central and South America, Japan, Iceland, Kamchatka, Hawaii, Philippines, Kuril Islands and Alaska.

The regions of the Eurasian belt are in second place in terms of seismic activity. It includes such mountain ranges as the Pyrenees, Caucasus, Tibet, Apennines, Himalayas, Altai, Pamir and Balkans.

A large number of earthquakes occur along fault lines and where plate collisions are most likely to occur, as well as in places where volcanoes are active.

Over the past ten years, the most destructive and powerful disasters have occurred in the following countries:

• India – more than 20 thousand victims.
• Iran - razed to the ground the whole city and about 30 thousand people died.
• O. Sumatra - more than 200 thousand people became victims.
• Pakistan - more than 70 thousand dead.
• China – more than 80 thousand died
• Haiti – more than 200 thousand people became victims.
• Japan - the earthquake caused the death of about 30 thousand people and caused the destruction of nuclear power plants, which led to harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Where do earthquakes occur in Russia?

Russia also has enough a large number of places where earthquakes periodically occur. The main seismically active points here are mountainous areas such as Kamchatka, Eastern Siberia, the Caucasus, and Altai. Also, quite often similar disasters of quite large scale were noticed on Sakhalin and Kuril Islands, where earthquakes often generate tsunamis.

The most destructive and terrible in terms of the scale of casualties and destruction in last years in Russia was the earthquake that occurred on the island of Sakhalin in 1995. The intensity of this disaster was almost 8 points, which contributed to the destruction of most of the city of Neftegorsk, where it occurred, and the death of more than two thousand people.

It is very important for every person to know the rules of behavior during an earthquake in order not to get confused at the most crucial moment and to try, if possible, to provide themselves and others with the maximum possible help. First of all, this applies to those people who permanently live or are temporarily located in seismically dangerous zones, who must always be prepared.

In order for an earthquake not to take all important documents and savings by surprise, a first aid kit, as well as a flashlight, must be stored in one place, always kept in mind rough plan actions while in any of the possible places where you could be. Also, do not store heavy, sharp or nuclear-containing substances on top shelves and cabinets.

If you receive a message about a strong earthquake and the need to evacuate, if you are not at home and you have a small amount of time, you need to immediately go to your home, collect all the necessary documents and things, turn off the water, electricity and gas and close the doors. After which you need to leave as soon as possible locality and head to more safe place.

During an earthquake, it is very important to pull yourself together, suppress panic and confusion, and try to act rationally, as quickly and productively as possible, in order to have a greater chance of saving yourself from damage. First of all, if you are indoors, you should try to get out of the premises as soon as possible, while capturing and, if possible, going to a more open area where there is no electricity, buildings or trees nearby. If you exit from higher floors, it is better to do so by stairs rather than by elevator.

If you cannot leave the premises, you must find the safest place in it. This could be a place near a load-bearing wall that is not overloaded with objects, a doorway, or under a strong table or bed that will be able to protect from falling objects. Under no circumstances should you stand near windows, shelves or heavy objects; you should also not use gas or electricity.

If there are children near you, first of all you need to try to calm them down, find them a secluded place, or, if you are in an open area, under no circumstances let them out of sight and keep them close to you.

If an earthquake finds you in a car, you also need to try to find a more open area, not cluttered with poles, various plantings and billboards intended for advertising, stop the car, open the door and stay in it until the tremors are over.

Earthquake - powerful manifestation internal forces Earth. Earthquakes, underground impacts and vibrations of the Earth's surface caused by natural causes (mainly tectonic processes). In some places on Earth, earthquakes occur frequently and sometimes reach great strength, disrupting the integrity of the soil, destroying buildings and causing casualties. Number of earthquakes recorded annually in globe, numbers in the hundreds of thousands. However, the overwhelming majority of them are weak, and only a small proportion reaches the level of catastrophe.

According to their manifestation on the Earth's surface, earthquakes are divided, according to the international seismic scale MSK-64, into 12 gradations - points. A measure of the total wave energy is the earthquake magnitude (M) - a certain conventional number proportional to the logarithm of the maximum amplitude of displacement of soil particles; this value is determined from observations at seismic stations and is expressed in relative units. The strongest earthquakes have a magnitude of no more than 9.

The source of an earthquake - the fault point - can be on the surface of the Earth or at a depth of up to 700 km. The epicenter of an earthquake is the area on the Earth's surface located directly above the source. The greatest destruction is caused by earthquakes, the source of which is located at a depth of 10 km or less. Typically, the longer the interval between movements along the fault line, the hit harder. The science of earthquakes (seismology) is not yet developed enough to accurately predict such tremors.

The area of ​​occurrence of an underground shock - the source of an earthquake - is a certain volume in the thickness of the Earth, within which the process of releasing accumulated long time energy. In a geological sense, a source is a rupture or a group of ruptures along which almost instantaneous mass movement occurs. In the center of the outbreak there is a point called the hypocenter. The projection of the hypocenter onto the Earth's surface is called the epicenter. Around it is the area of ​​greatest destruction. From the source of the earthquake, elastic seismic waves propagate in all directions.

At the moment of shaking, three different seismic waves are created:

primary (push), secondary (impact), longitudinal (surface). Primary and secondary waves are created in the seismic source, at a depth of up to 690 km. They reach the surface and create shaking. They continue to propagate on the surface in the form of longitudinal waves.

Maximum destruction is observed around the epicenter. A large earthquake is usually followed by several aftershocks. If the source of an earthquake is located under the seabed, it often leads to the formation of a tsunami.

Destruction of buildings and structures;

Destruction of potentially dangerous objects, oil and gas pipelines;

Formation of rubble, destruction of life support systems and fractures of the earth's crust

The consequences of earthquakes are very dangerous - landslides, soil liquefaction, subsidence, destruction of dams and the occurrence of tsunamis.

Landslides can be very destructive, especially in the mountains. For example, when a landslide and avalanche occurred, which was caused by an earthquake of magnitude 7.9 on the Richter scale off the coast of Peru in 1970, the town of Ranrahirka was partially destroyed, and the town of Yungay was wiped off the face of the earth.

About 67 thousand people died from this avalanche, other landslides and destruction of adobe houses. According to eyewitnesses, the height of the avalanche exceeded 30 meters, and its speed was over 200 km/h.

Soil liquefaction occurs under certain conditions. The soil, usually sandy, must be saturated with water, the tremors must be quite long - 10-20 seconds and have a certain frequency. Under these conditions, the soil turns into a semi-liquid state, begins to flow, and loses its bearing capacity. Roads, pipelines, and power lines are being destroyed. Houses sag, tilt, and yet may not collapse.

A very clear example of soil liquefaction is the aftermath of the earthquake near the city of Niigata in Japan in 1964. Several four-story residential buildings, without receiving any visible damage, tilted heavily. The movement was slow. There was a woman hanging laundry on the roof of one of the houses. She waited until the house tilted, and then calmly jumped from the roof to the ground. It should be noted that one should not be afraid that liquefied soil can absorb a person. Its density is much greater than the density human body and for this reason, a person will definitely remain on the surface, only plunging to one degree or another into the liquefied soil.

The consequence of an earthquake can be subsidence of the soil. This occurs due to the compaction of particles during vibration. Easily compressible or bulk soils are susceptible to subsidence.

For example, during the Tien Shan earthquake in China in 1976, large ground subsidence occurred, especially along the sea bay. At the same time, one of the villages sank by 3 meters and, subsequently, began to be flooded by the sea.

The most severe consequence of earthquakes can be the destruction of artificial or natural dams. The resulting floods cause additional casualties and destruction.

Tsunamis generated by earthquakes under the seabed cause destruction and casualties comparable to the consequences of earthquakes.

Act immediately as soon as you feel vibrations in the ground or building, the main danger that threatens you is falling objects and debris

Quickly leave the house and move away from it to a safe distance

Leave corner rooms immediately if you are above the second floor

Immediately move to a safer area if you are in the room. Stand in an interior doorway or corner of the room, away from windows and heavy objects

Do not rush for the stairs or elevator if you are in a high-rise building above the fifth floor. The exit from the structure will be the most crowded with people, and the elevators will be out of order.

Away from tall structures, overpasses, bridges and power lines

It seems that natural disasters happen once every hundred years, and our vacation in one or another exotic country lasts only a few days.

Frequency of earthquakes of different magnitudes in the world per year

• 1 earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 or higher
• 10 – with a magnitude of 7.0 – 7.9 points
• 100 – with a magnitude of 6.0 – 6.9 points
• 1000 - with a magnitude of 5.0 - 5.9 points

Earthquake intensity scale

Mexico City, Mexico

One of the world's most populous cities is known for its insecurity. In the 20th century, this part of Mexico felt the force of more than forty earthquakes, the magnitude of which exceeded 7 points on the Richter scale. In addition, the soil under the city is saturated with water, which makes high-rise buildings vulnerable in the event of natural disasters.

The most destructive earthquakes occurred in 1985, when about 10,000 people died. In 2012, the epicenter of the earthquake was in the southeastern part of Mexico, but vibrations were well felt in Mexico City and Guatemala, about 200 houses were destroyed.

The years 2013 and 2014 were also marked by high seismic activity in different parts of the country. Despite all this, Mexico City is still attractive to tourists due to its picturesque landscapes and numerous monuments of ancient culture.

Concepcion, Chile

Chile's second largest city, Concepción, located in the heart of the country near Santiago, regularly falls victim to tremors. In 1960, the famous Great Chilean earthquake with the highest magnitude in history, magnitude 9.5, destroyed this popular Chilean resort, as well as Valdivia, Puerto Montt, etc.

In 2010, the epicenter was again located near Concepción, about one and a half thousand houses were destroyed, and in 2013 the outbreak sank to a depth of 10 km off the coast of central Chile (magnitude 6.6 points). However, today Concepcion does not lose popularity among both seismologists and tourists.

Interestingly, the elements have haunted Concepcion for a long time. At the beginning of its history, it was located in Penko, but due to a series of destructive tsunamis in 1570, 1657, 1687, 1730, the city was moved just south of its previous location.

Ambato, Ecuador

Today, Ambato attracts travelers with its mild climate, beautiful landscapes, parks and gardens, and massive fruit and vegetable fairs. Ancient buildings from the colonial era are intricately combined here with new buildings.

Several times this young city, located in central Ecuador, two and a half hours drive from the capital Quito, was destroyed by earthquakes. The most powerful tremors were in 1949, which leveled many buildings and claimed more than 5,000 lives.

IN Lately Seismic activity in Ecuador continues: in 2010, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 occurred southeast of the capital and was felt throughout the country; in 2014, the epicenter moved to the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador, however, in these two cases there were no casualties.

Los Angeles, USA

Predict destructive earthquakes in Southern California - a favorite pastime of geological survey specialists. The fears are fair: the seismic activity of this area is associated with the San Andreas Fault, which runs along the coast Pacific Ocean across the state.

History remembers the powerful earthquake of 1906, which claimed 1,500 lives. In 2014, the sun twice survived tremors (magnitude 6.9 and 5.1), which affected the city with minor destruction of houses and severe headaches for residents.

True, no matter how much seismologists frighten with their warnings, the “city of angels” Los Angeles is always full of visitors, and the tourist infrastructure here is incredibly developed.

Tokyo, Japan

It is no coincidence that a Japanese proverb says: “Earthquakes, fires and father are the most terrible punishments.” As you know, Japan is located at the junction of two tectonic layers, the friction of which often causes both small and extremely destructive tremors.

For example, in 2011, the Sendai earthquake and tsunami near the island of Honshu (magnitude 9) led to the death of more than 15,000 Japanese. At the same time, Tokyo residents are already accustomed to the fact that several earthquakes of minor magnitude occur every year. Regular fluctuations only impress visitors.

Despite the fact that most buildings in the capital were built taking into account possible shocks, residents are defenseless in the face of powerful disasters.

Repeatedly throughout its history, Tokyo disappeared from the face of the earth and was rebuilt again. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 turned the city into ruins, and 20 years later, rebuilt, it was destroyed by large-scale bombing by American air forces.

Wellington, New Zealand

The capital of New Zealand, Wellington, seems to be created for tourists: it has many cozy parks and squares, miniature bridges and tunnels, architectural monuments And unusual museums. People come here to take part in the grand festivals “Summer City Program” and admire the panoramas that have become film set Hollywood trilogy "The Lord of the Rings".

Meanwhile, the city was and remains a seismically active zone, experiencing tremors of varying strength from year to year. In 2013, just 60 kilometers away, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck, causing power outages in many parts of the country.

In 2014, Wellington residents felt tremors in the northern part of the country (magnitude 6.3).

Cebu, Philippines

Earthquakes in the Philippines are a fairly common occurrence, which, of course, does not in the least frighten those who like to lie on the white sand or swim with a mask and snorkel in transparent sea ​​water. On average, more than 35 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0-5.9 points and one with a magnitude of 6.0-7.9 occur here per year.

Most of them are echoes of vibrations, the epicenters of which are located deep under water, which creates the danger of a tsunami. The 2013 earthquakes claimed more than 200 lives and caused serious damage in one of the most popular resorts in Cebu and other cities (magnitude 7.2).

Employees of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology are constantly monitoring this seismic zone, trying to predict future disasters.

Sumatra Island, Indonesia

Indonesia is rightfully considered the most seismically active region in the world. The westernmost one in the archipelago has become especially dangerous in recent years. It is located at the site of a powerful tectonic fault, the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire.”

The plate that forms the floor of the Indian Ocean is being squeezed under the Asian plate here as quickly as a human fingernail grows. The accumulated tension is released from time to time in the form of tremors.

Medan - The largest city on the island and the third most populous in the country. As a result of two strong earthquakes more than 300 were seriously injured in 2013 local residents, about 4,000 houses were damaged.

Tehran, Iran

Scientists have been predicting a catastrophic earthquake in Iran for a long time - the entire country is located in one of the most seismically active zones in the world. For this reason, the capital Tehran, home to more than 8 million people, was repeatedly planned to be moved.

The city is located on the territory of several seismic faults. An earthquake of magnitude 7 would destroy 90% of Tehran, whose buildings are not designed for such violent elements. In 2003, another Iranian city, Bam, was destroyed by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake.

Today Tehran is familiar to tourists as the largest Asian metropolis with many rich museums and majestic palaces. The climate allows you to visit it at any time of the year, which is not typical for all Iranian cities.

Chengdu, China

Chengdu - ancient city, center of southwestern Chinese province Sichuan. Here they enjoy a comfortable climate, see numerous sights, and experience original culture China. From here they travel along tourist routes to the gorges of the Yangtze River, as well as to Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong and.

Recent events have reduced the number of visitors to the area. In 2013, the province experienced a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0, when more than 2 million people were affected and about 186 thousand houses were damaged.

Residents of Chengdu annually feel the effects of thousands of tremors of varying strength. In recent years, the western part of China has become especially dangerous in terms of seismic activity of the earth.

What to do in case of an earthquake

• If an earthquake catches you on the street, do not go near the eaves and walls of buildings that may fall. Stay away from dams, river valleys and beaches.
• If an earthquake strikes you in a hotel, open the doors to freely leave the building after the first series of tremors.
• During an earthquake, you should not run outside. Many deaths are caused by falling building debris.
• In case of a possible earthquake, it is worth preparing a backpack with everything you need for several days in advance. A first aid kit, drinking water, canned food, crackers, warm clothes, and washing supplies should be at hand.
• As a rule, in countries where earthquakes are a common occurrence, all local cellular operators have a system for alerting customers about an approaching disaster. While on vacation, be careful and observe the reaction of the local population.
• After the first shock there may be a lull. Therefore, all actions after it must be thoughtful and careful.