Earthquake in the Urals: the epicenter, the consequences

On the night of October 19 last year there was an earthquake in the Urals. This very much surprised not only its residents, but also seismologists, since the terrain is located in a territory that is protected from such cataclysms. Here, a peat can catch fire, a forest fire may occur, but not an earthquake. So what happened after all? What are the causes of seismic shocks?

What happened?

There was an earthquake in the Urals at night. The first to feel his pets and animals from the local zoo. They became nervous, began to rush about the rooms and enclosures in search of shelter. The hosts and workers of the zoos at first could not understand the reasons for this behavior of the animals.

Then came the jolts. Now the earthquake in the Urals was felt by the whole population. It was especially difficult for residents of the upper floors.

Later, the staff of the Ministry of Emergencies called the event a seismological jerk, but such a concept does not exist. In fact, there was an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 points. It had a natural-titanic origin.

Epicenter

Employees of the URO RAS laboratory reported that the epicenter of the earthquake in the Urals is located between the cities of Revda and Nyazepetrovsk. More precisely, it is located 35 km from the settlement of Mikhailovsk. Rescuers report that it was here that more serious damage and consequences were observed.

Vibration is registered in many cities of the Urals, including Ekaterinburg, Pervouralsk and Novouralsk. Despite the excitement of the residents, life support was not violated. All communications and engineering networks worked in normal mode even during vibrations.

Military units also felt the push, which did not affect the combat readiness of the local army. She continued to work in the regular mode. Military instruments and objects were not affected either. Violations in the work of military command were not observed, the duty forces served the same as usual.

The causes of seismic shocks

What is an earthquake? This is an earthquake, which can be located on a small area, as well as distributed on a large-scale surface. They occur when the plates in the upper part of the mantle are shifted. It is observed almost constantly in different regions of the planet. However, there are no technologies that can determine the epicenter of a new cataclysm.

The causes of the earthquake in the Urals are due to the fact that plates in the lithosphere are moving. The tension inside the Earth increases. When it becomes difficult, the planet begins to help itself. As a result, surface shifts occur to get rid of tension. Energy is converted into kinetic energy, then spreads in different directions for decent distances. The latter depend on the force of the tremors.

Are there any victims?

The earthquake in October in the Urals in 2015 could not pass unnoticed, without victims. There were no human casualties, but the natural disaster still left traces behind it. For example, in the village of Novootkinsk as a result of seismic shocks the building of the kindergarten suffered. The windows were cracked.

The Kamenskoye reservoir also suffered. His upper plate shifted from his place. After the tremors, cracks were found on it, therefore, its further use is impossible.

In the epicenter of the residents of the houses suffered, some of them cracked and battered the dishes, cracked the windows.

Elimination of problems and assistance to victims was done by specialists. Some works continue to this day.

In the event of potential threats, experts report that residents of brick houses will have to be worse than the panel ones if there is a catastrophe of a stronger magnitude.

Forecasts and expectations

Unfortunately, the causes of the earthquake in the Urals are almost always the same. Catastrophes are of natural origin. Despite the modern development of technology, the improvement of seismological instruments and techniques, it is impossible to accurately predict new tremors. This is due to a number of reasons. But the main one is that you can not predict when the next time the titanic plate begins to move, there are no visible patterns.

As for expectations, some experts predict a repeat of the earthquake with a similar force (or higher) in 2030. However, of course, no one gives a full guarantee.

Earthquake forces

There are several ways in which the strength of the disaster is determined. In Russia, the Mercalli scale is used. According to it, the magnitude of earthquakes in the Urals usually does not exceed 6-7 points. For comparison, you need to familiarize yourself with all the points presented in the scale:

• 1 - inconspicuous incident, which is visible only on instruments;
• 2 - tremors, sensible for sensitive animals;
• 3 - only visible in tall buildings;
• 4 - there is a shiver of doors and windows;
• 5 - damage to repairs and property is possible;
• 6 - there is a slight damage to buildings;
• 7 - serious damage to buildings is observed;
• 8 - large violations in the load-bearing walls of houses, if the tremors occur in the mountainous area, then they descend the mud;
• 9 - buildings collapsing, cracks appear in the ground;
• 10 - damage to buildings occurs very quickly, residents of houses do not have time to react;
• 11 - even the most resistant buildings are destroyed, cracks on the ground appear with great latitude;
• 12 - the maximum score, there is a change in the relief, the consequences are catastrophic.

Since there have been no tremors in the Urals over 7 points, its residents should not be afraid for the consequences of this natural disaster. But again, no one can give a 100% guarantee.

How often can you observe earthquakes in the Urals?

In fact, a small earthquake in the Urals can be observed virtually every 2-3 years, and even more often. However, the force of the tremors is so minimal that most of the inhabitants simply do not notice them. The most significant and sensitive natural disasters in the Urals were few. In early 1995, there were vibrations with a force of 4.7 points.

In August 2002, there are new and unique tremors. Then the epicenter of the earthquake in the Urals was deep underground, next to Zlatoust.

In 2010 there were tremors in the Sverdlovsk region, the magnitude of which was 4 points.

And the last serious earthquake occurred in 2015, in October. His strength was not equivalent, different communities felt different vibrations. In general, the magnitude can be designated in the range of 4.5-5.5 points.

Based on the observations of seismologists, most often the tremors are observed in the Sverdlovsk region. Therefore, its residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with TB and the rules of conduct resulting from the corresponding natural disasters.

How to behave during seismic shocks?

In conclusion, it should be said that, despite the rarity, an earthquake in the Urals can still happen. Therefore, all residents are advised to familiarize themselves with the rules of behavior during vibration:

1. Always have at hand a package with the necessary things (warm clothes, essentials, documents). It is necessary that they lay not far away, if there is a need, a person must get them in the shortest possible time.
2. If possible, the building should be left, go to the open area. Otherwise, it is desirable to take a place in the doorway of the bearing wall or under a strong wooden table.
3. If the person is at the moment of vibrations in the car, you need to stop, open the windows, but do not leave it until the end of the jolts.

If these rules of behavior are observed, the chances of survival in strong earthquakes are significantly increased.