Earthquake around the world. Interactive map of volcanic activity

Every day, various areas of our planet are shaken by tremors. An earthquake is one of the natural disasters that humans cannot prevent.

1 Materials on the topic
2 Accounting for earthquake sources
3 EMSC and Google Map data
4 Earthquake map according to Google
5 Seismic activity of the Earth
6 Seismic activity scale. Richter scale. Earthquake by type of activity.
7 Current seismicity of the Atlantic Ocean

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The only thing he can oppose to the indomitable forces of nature is the achievements of science in the field of forecasting. Systematization and monitoring of seismic activity makes it possible to avoid casualties and destruction in a timely manner, as well as to identify areas of the greatest seismic activity.

Accounting for earthquake sources

The Earth's seismic activity map is physical card planet, which displays areas where earthquakes with a power of more than 4 points on the Richter scale occurred over a certain period of time. The map uses the following conventions: the diameter of the area is proportional to the power of the tremors, and the color of the circle indicates the time interval. For example, red areas correspond to earthquakes occurring on the current date or in real time.

Seismic monitor, updated every 20 minutes

red circles - earthquakes in the last 24 hours
orange circles - earthquakes in the last 1-4 days
yellow circles - earthquakes in the last 4-14 days

EMSC and Google Map data

The map of seismic activity of the world allows you to select an area of the earth's surface by clicking the mouse button. In this case, the selected area will be separately displayed in the window, in which the epicenters of earthquakes are indicated in detail. The online seismic monitor allows you to obtain comprehensive data when selecting any source. The table shows the coordinates of the epicenters and the power of tremors, ranging from 24 hours to 30 days. The seismic recording stations located in the selected area are also displayed on the map of the area.

List of earthquakes

To return to the beginning of the document, press Backspace or Back to the earthquake list

Seismic activity map online, updated every 20 minutes. In addition, you can always find out whether there was an earthquake today or not. This allows you to more clearly evaluate the information provided.

Earthquake map according to Google service Seismic activity of the Earth

The images below are from IRIS, a non-profit organization founded in 1984 with support from the National Science Foundation and a consortium of more than 100 US universities dedicated to the study, organization and distribution of seismological data. IRIS programs are aimed at Scientific research, education, reducing the consequences of earthquakes.

In the data below, the time is indicated in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), to convert to Moscow, add 4 hours.

Seismic activity scale. Richter scale. Earthquake by type of activity.

Mercalli scale	Richter scale	Visible action
1	-4.3	Vibration from an earthquake is recorded only by instruments
2		Earthquake vibrations felt when standing on stairs
3		Tremors from the earthquake are felt in enclosed spaces, slight vibrations of objects
4	4.3-4.8	The clanking of dishes, swaying trees, earthquake tremors are felt in stationary cars
5	4.3-4.8	The creaking of doors, the awakening of sleepers, the transfusion of liquid from vessels
6	4.8-6.2	During an earthquake, people walk unsteadily, windows are damaged, paintings fall from the walls
7	4.8-6.2	It’s difficult to stand, tiles on houses are crumbling, large bells are ringing from the earthquake
8	6.2-7.3	Damage to chimneys, damage to sewer networks during such an earthquake
9		General panic from earthquake, damage to foundations
10		Most buildings are damaged*, large landslides, rivers overflow their banks
11	7.3-8.9	Bent railway tracks, road damage, large cracks in the ground, falling rocks
12	7.3-8.9	Complete destruction, waves on the surface of the earth, changes in river flow, poor visibility
* Specially designed buildings with earthquake protection can withstand shocks up to 8.5 on the Richter scale

Current Atlantic Ocean seismic

This map shows the Pacific Ocean, as well as the eastern regions of Russia - Far East and Kuril Islands. The fault line of the Pacific ridge is clearly visible.

Seismic activity in Russia and Central Asia

Map of seismic activity in Russia and Europe

The Indonesian region includes Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, as well as hundreds of islands scattered across Pacific Ocean.

Seismic activity of the Earth online according to the geophysical service of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which is an extensive network of ground stations conducting constant monitoring. Its branches are mainly concentrated in the Eastern regions of our country.

The destructive power of an earthquake depends on its magnitude (at the hypocenter, i.e. at the source), the depth of the earthquake source and the distance from the epicenter (the point of projection of the source onto the surface of the earth).

Examples of media reports and explanations of terms:
"According to ***, there, at such and such Moscow time, an earthquake occurred magnitude in the outbreak M=4.3 points on the nine-point Richter scale, at a depth of 15 km from sea level.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located 100 kilometers southeast of the city ***. Tremors were felt in the village of *** by force up to four points, and in the city of *** - three points (on a 12-point scale). According to the latest data, there are no casualties or serious damage. Over the course of a week, 4 earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.3 to 4.3 on the Richter scale were recorded in the indicated area, which were also felt in neighboring regions. According to statistics provided by seismologists, the average interval between series of earthquakes with a magnitude of up to four in this area is approximately *** years."

Or
“An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 at the source occurred there. Its epicenter was located one hundred kilometers southeast of the city ***. The depth of the source was 15 km” from sea level.

Or
The four-point earth happened today somewhere.

The magnitude of an earthquake (not to be confused with “strength”, and leave the points alone) - quantitatively characterizes its energy at the source, on a nine-point Richter scale (0-9). Calculated from the results of measurements by instruments (seismographs) at the seismic stations closest to the epicenter different countries. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher, with a nearby epicenter and a shallow source, is considered strong and can cause significant destruction and lead to casualties among the population, especially if buildings and residential structures are not designed for proper seismic resistance or were built by low-skilled migrant workers, with rough violations of construction norms and rules.

The strength of earthquake tremors (intensity) is a qualitative (felt, visible) characteristic of the degree of destruction and other manifestations on the earth’s surface, at a specific point on the earth’s surface. For this, a twelve-point scale (1-12) or a modified Mercalli scale is used. They differ little. The real danger comes from tremors with a force of four or more.

Forecast. Before a strong earthquake, a few minutes or even hours later, domestic animals and birds begin to scream and rush around, trying to run away from the house to the street, to hide. The dogs are trying to take their owners and children to a safe place. Cats carry kittens away. Aquarium fish- they are worried, trying to jump out of the water of the aquarium. Rats and mice are running outside from the basements of houses. Wild animals, in advance - several hours or days before the earthquake, leave the dangerous area in packs. Snakes and lizards crawl out of their holes (even in winter, at night and in bad weather), Birds constantly scream, fly in circles for a long time and randomly. Animals and birds lose their appetite, their behavior changes greatly - they, without attacking each other, move away from danger together.

Those who were born, raised and lived (in natural conditions) in earthquake-prone areas have the best sensitivity. The skill lasts a long time. Their reaction is more often selective, only to close (local earthquakes) and dangerous in strength (more than two to four points).

Seismologists and volcanologists use scientific, instrumental forecasting methods and early warning methods: constant monitoring of seismic activity with a network of sensitive sensors, regular measurements and detection of increases in the concentration of helium and radon in the surface air and at depth, etc.

Dependence of earthquake intensity. from the distance to the epicenter. From nearby earthquake epicenters great strength(if a “seven” magnitude strike or higher) - very sharp shocks and impacts, intense shaking are felt, glows and sparks are visible, an underground rumble, crackling and roar of collapsing buildings and falling, broken trees are heard, a sharp increase in wind occurs. At distances of hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter, echoes of an earthquake reach - low-frequency, relatively slow vibrations, wave-like swaying of the earth's surface during the day. The farther away, the smaller their vertical amplitude and the longer the period (up to a minute or more, at a distance to the epicenter of several thousand kilometers), with the exception of anomalously intense and resonant manifestations at certain distances from the epicenter and along large, deep tectonic faults.

Influence of tidal (gravitational) effects. Seismicity increases - during the new moon and, especially, during the full moon, as well as when the Moon is at perigee (closer to the Earth). There is also a seasonal dependence: in autumn and, especially, in winter, it shakes stronger and more often than in spring and summer.

Geological factor. The greatest destruction from an earthquake occurs at rocky outcrops and if they are covered with loose sediments of small thickness, which are thrown up at their base. Safer ground conditions are areas with thick layers of loose rocks. rocks in which the seismic wave weakens and is extinguished until it reaches the earth's surface.

Tsunamis occur if the epicenter of the earth is located near the sea coast. At the first impact, the water first moves away from the shore, and then, accelerating, hits the coast in the form of a large wave. The brightness of the glow of marine organisms increases sharply two to three minutes before the tsunami.

The seismic activity map is updated every 20 minutes. To take a closer look at the area and scores, click on the earthquake source, you will be taken to an enlarged area of the map Automatic GEOFON Global Seismic Moniton Map

red - last 24 hours
orange - last 1-4 days
yellow - last 4-14 days

Earthquakes over the last 30 days with a magnitude of 4 or more EMSC+Google Map Earthquakes in the World

red - last 24 hours
orange - from 24 to 48 hours
yellow - for the last 3-17 days
purple - from 2 weeks to 5 years

Seismicity of the Atlantic Ocean

Pacific Ocean. Far East. Kuril Islands. Pacific ridge fault lines

Russia and Central Asia

Europe

Indonesian region

EMSC

Tabular data for the selected period:
http://www.emsc-csem.org/index.php?page=current&sub=list

Live Earthquake Mashup

Excellent map, a direct analogue of Google planets with attached KML files
http://www.oe-files.de/gmaps/eqmashup.html

Earthquakes Canada Seismic activity map of Canada. All earthquakes in the last 30 days. To view the area and scores, click on the source of the earthquake with the cursor, you will be taken to the information of the map area. Updated list of earthquakes - online. Geophysical Service RAS

Shows the last 15 earthquakes

Map of tectonic plates of the world

Scientists have compiled a map of the largest tectonic plates:

Australian;
Arabian subcontinent;
Antarctic;
African;
Hindustan;
Eurasian;
Nazca Plate;
Plate Coconut;
Pacific;
North and South American platforms;
Scotia Plate;
Philippine plate.

From theory we know that the solid shell of the earth (lithosphere) consists not only of plates that form the relief of the planet’s surface, but also of the deep part - the mantle. Continental platforms have a thickness from 35 km (in flat areas) to 70 km (in mountain ranges). Scientists have proven that the slab is thickest in the Himalaya zone. Here the thickness of the platform reaches 90 km. The thinnest lithosphere is found in the ocean zone. Its thickness does not exceed 10 km, and in some areas this figure is 5 km. Based on information about the depth at which the earthquake epicenter is located and the speed of propagation of seismic waves, the thickness of sections is calculated earth's crust.

Map of faults and seismically dangerous places

The map shows the locations of seismically hazardous zones. The zones are highlighted in color - from green to red. The closer the color is to red, the higher the likelihood of strong and destructive earthquakes. The map was created using data from earthquakes that occurred since 1973.
Nuclear power plants are shown on the map. The location of a nuclear power plant in a seismic zone increases the danger to the population.

Gradation of danger. Switch on switch off

Seismic activity scale. Richter scale. Earthquake by type of activity.

Mercalli scale	Richter scale	Visible action
1	0 -4.3	Vibration from an earthquake is recorded only by instruments
2		Earthquake vibrations felt when standing on stairs
3		Tremors from the earthquake are felt in enclosed spaces, slight vibrations of objects
4	4.3-4.8	The clanking of dishes, swaying trees, earthquake tremors are felt in stationary cars
5	4.3-4.8	The creaking of doors, the awakening of sleepers, the transfusion of liquid from vessels
6	4.8-6.2	During an earthquake, people walk unsteadily, windows are damaged, paintings fall from the walls
7	4.8-6.2	It’s difficult to stand, tiles on houses are crumbling, large bells are ringing from the earthquake
8	6.2-7.3	Damage to chimneys, damage to sewer networks during such an earthquake
9		General panic from earthquake, damage to foundations
10		Most buildings are damaged*, large landslides, rivers overflow their banks
11	7.3-8.9	Bent railway tracks, road damage, large cracks in the ground, falling rocks
12	7.3-8.9	Complete destruction, waves on the surface of the earth, changes in river flow, poor visibility
* Specially designed buildings with earthquake protection can withstand shocks up to 8.5 on the Richter scale

The amount of energy released during an earthquake

Earthquake strength on the Richter scale	Amount of energy during an earthquake (trinitrotoluene equivalent), t
4	6
5	199
6	6270
7	199’000
8	6’270’000
9	99’000’000

Map of earthquakes in Europe over the past 24 hours

Seismic activity on the planet over the past 24 hours

Seismic activity on the planet over the past week

Earthquake map according to Google

Seismic activity map of EMSC service and Google Map

Earthquake map from quakes.globalincidentmap.com Earthquake map from emsc-csem.org Behavior before, during and after an earthquake

The vast majority of earthquakes last about one, rarely more than one minute. However, the intensity of the oscillations during this time is not the same. As a rule, an earthquake begins with relatively weak vibrations (sometimes imperceptible), which last 10-20 seconds, then the main phase of the earthquake begins, in which the vibrations reach their greatest intensity, then a gradual decline follows.

Well-constructed and well-maintained buildings, which do not have special anti-seismic measures, can withstand earthquakes of up to magnitude 6 without much damage. Buildings that are in poor technical condition and dilapidated are doubly dangerous in conditions of the threat of strong earthquakes.

Before the earthquake

Inside your home, firmly attach cabinets, shelving, and cabinetry to the walls and floor. Furniture, standing and hanging objects in residential premises are placed so that if they fall, the sleeping persons will not be injured and the passages and exits from the apartment will remain free. All heavy objects should be moved to lower shelves and places. Shelves with dishes must be closed. Attach chandeliers and overhead lights securely; do not use glass shades.

Do not block passages and exits from rooms and apartments with things. Flammable, caustic, toxic liquids and powders must be securely sealed, closed in strong, secured containers and boxes.

All family members should be well aware of the safest places in living quarters: in the openings of internal main walls near these walls, at supporting columns and under frame beams, in the corners of internal main walls and under durable furniture (tables, beds). And dangerous places too: near large glazed openings and partitions, corner rooms of buildings, especially the top floors.

During an earthquake

Don't panic! Quickly focus on executing previously thought-out actions, but be prepared to act according to circumstances.

In the house/apartment:

If you are in a low building, up to 2-3 floors, then it is better to leave it quickly. Moreover, this should be done if the building is not earthquake-resistant. Run out quickly but carefully, beware of falling objects, downed wires and other sources of danger, and immediately move away from the building to an open area.

When on the upper floors of a multi-story building, do not rush towards stairs or elevators. Most likely, they will be crowded with people and the elevators will be disabled. Therefore, it is better to stay in the building and, having first opened the entrance door, which may later become jammed due to distortions, quickly take the safest place in the room: under durable furniture, at the supporting column wall closest to the center of the building, in the doorway of the main walls, in the corner rooms. And always away from windows, heavy objects and equipment that could tip over. Provide assistance to the disabled and elderly.

Do not enter or run around buildings. Once near a tall building, stand in the doorway, this will protect you from falling pieces of glass, balconies, cornices and parapets. It is best to be in an open place, away from buildings and power lines.

In transport

Any vehicle must be stopped calmly and quickly, as far as possible from tall buildings, overpasses, bridges, power lines or anything that could collapse from strong shocks. Drivers of buses and trams, having stopped transport, must open all doors.

After the earthquake

While in the building, remain calm and assess the situation. Examine yourself and those around you, and if necessary, provide medical assistance to those in need. Wear sturdy shoes to avoid damaging your feet from splinters and debris. When going down the stairs, check the reliability of its structures.

Check for fire hazards. Any fire that occurs must be extinguished immediately. If you notice damage to electrical wiring, turn off the power if you have not already done so.

Based on materials from the State Committee of the Republic of Buryatia
for civil defense and emergency situations

And introduce you to a couple more wonderful services.

There are many seismically active areas on planet Earth, where tremors occur with a certain frequency. Their causes are overwhelmingly natural and caused by the movements of tectonic plates. Despite actively developing research in this area and good technical equipment, it is almost impossible to predict where and at what point on the planet there will be an earthquake tomorrow or today. All that remains is to keep track of where exactly they occur...

For today’s publication, I have selected three of the best services with which you can find out where there was an earthquake today or in the previous day (week, month, etc.), what strength it was, where its epicenter is, etc. In general, get access to almost the same information , which is owned by geologists all over the world. Online earthquake map

This map displays the most complete information on seismic activity from all major geological sources. You can change its scale by holding down the CTRL key and turning the mouse wheel, switch between display modes in the form of a map or from a satellite:

The advantage of this map is that it collects specific numerical statistics in the form of graphs on tremors around the world:

Quantity per day
Time distribution
Maximum magnitude by day

And in the table, data is updated online (the most recent at the top) for all earthquakes in the world, indicating their characteristics and data source.

Online monitor of the planet's seismic activity The website https://earthquake.usgs.gov/ appeared thanks to the support and participation of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) - the US Geological Survey. The goal of this project is to save human lives by providing the most up-to-date information about earthquakes occurring not only in the United States, but throughout the world.

In the central part of the screen you see a display of our planet and circles representing the epicenters of seismic activity at the present time. On the left side of the window there is a monitor (constantly updated list) of the latest information:

Where did the earthquake occur?
At what depth
What time
What magnitude

By clicking on any event from the list in the pop-up window you will find more detailed information about it:

The size of the circles on the map and their color depend on the strength of the tremors and how long ago they occurred:

The information on the site is updated every minute (!), so you receive the most current and up-to-date information about seismic activity on Earth.

Real-Time Earthquake Monitoring Finally, the third resource provides real-time animated images of earthquakes occurring on Earth:

Epicenters have different colors depending on the strength of the tremors (green - up to three, burgundy - more than six):

The left side of the window displays a feed of seismic events in the world (the most recent at the top). By clicking on any of them, you will move to the desired point on the world map and see the details in a pop-up window:

Everything is fine, the animation is cool and interesting, it makes the overall picture more clear, but it is precisely because of it that the site slows down quite noticeably. Perhaps it’s just me (if you haven’t had any problems with it, please write in the comments).

At 18.14 local time (21.14 Moscow time) an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 was recorded. The epicenter was located 49 km southwest of the city of Puebla de Zaragoza and 8 km from the village of Tepeohuma. The source of the earthquake lay at a depth of 60 km. Powerful tremors from the earthquake in southern Mexico were felt in the country's capital, Mexico City. As a result of the earthquake, fires broke out, building collapses were recorded, and people were trapped under the rubble.

On September 8, an earthquake of magnitude 8.2 was recorded in Mexico. The epicenter was located 119 kilometers southwest of the village of Tres Picos. The source of the earthquake lay at a depth of 33 kilometers. It was followed by an aftershock of magnitude 5.7. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warns of the threat of destructive waves.

Earthquakes became 95 people.

At 21.19 local time (16.19 Moscow time) in Jiuzhaigou county in Ngawa Tibetan Qiang Autonomous Okrug A magnitude 7 earthquake occurred in Sichuan Province.

After this, more than 1.7 thousand aftershocks were recorded. As a result of the earthquake, people died and were injured.

There were tremors of magnitude 6.6. The epicenter of the earthquake was near the resort town of Bodrum in southwestern Turkey and the Greek island of Kos. The earthquake in Greece killed two people and injured another 120. Also, some attractions and infrastructure on the island were destroyed.

There are about 80 people affected by the disaster in Turkey.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.6 occurred, the epicenter was located near the city of Tajumulco on the border with Mexico. More than 40 buildings were partially destroyed. Victims natural disaster Five people were killed, and about 600 more were injured to varying degrees.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 occurred near the border of Iran and Turkmenistan. The epicenter of the tremors was located north of the Iranian city of Bojnurd. At least three people were killed and another 225 were injured.

(XUAR) An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 occurred in China. The epicenter of the earthquake lay at a depth of eight kilometers. 1.52 thousand buildings were destroyed. Local authorities evacuated 9.2 thousand people from the affected areas. Eight people died from the earthquake and another 23 were injured. A total of 12 thousand local residents were affected.

Tremors with a magnitude of 6.1 were recorded 94 kilometers southeast of Mashhad on northeast Iran. The outbreak lay at a depth of 10 kilometers. Four villages located at the epicenter of the earthquake were destroyed.

One person, 34 were injured.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 occurred in the southern province of the Philippines. Eight people were killed and more than 200 were injured. More than a thousand houses suffered varying degrees of destruction.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 occurred in southern Iran. Four people were killed and four more were injured. The dead were Afghan citizens who worked on local farms.

2016

In Ecuador, in the province of Esmeraldas, a series of earthquakes occurred, the magnitude of which reached 5.9.

Three people were killed and 47 were injured. At least 10 houses were destroyed. Several hotels collapsed in the resort town of Atacames.

A magnitude 6.5 tremor occurred off the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The source of the earthquake lay at a depth of ten kilometers. The tremor destroyed many mosques, public places and residential buildings.

92 people died, about 500 injured were taken to hospitals.

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.4 occurred at dawn (around midnight Moscow time) in eastern Japan. Its epicenter was located off the coast of Fukushima, the source lay at a depth of ten kilometers. Several residents who suffered minor injuries required medical attention.

The earthquake caused a fire in the laboratory of the Kureha chemical corporation and led to the shutdown of production, including at Nissan Motor. The Fukushima II nuclear power plant had a cooling system in its spent fuel tanks.

An earthquake of magnitude 7.9 occurred, triggering a tsunami. Following it, more than 400 aftershocks were recorded. Two people died.

There were seriously buildings and bridges on the east coast of the South Island.

A strong earthquake occurred in central Italy. The website of the European Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of 10 kilometers, its magnitude was 6.6. According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the magnitude was 6.5.

They were recorded in approximately 100 settlements of four Italian regions - Marche, Umbria, Lazio and Abruzzo, about 40 thousand people were left homeless.

20 people were injured.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 occurred. After that, over the course of two days, about 550 tremors of varying strength were recorded in central Italy. As a result of the earthquake, serious destruction occurred in many cities and villages of central Italy, and the greatest damage was caused to 20 settlements in the province of Macerata, where about five thousand people were left homeless. About ten people were injured and shell-shocked.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 occurred. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 23 kilometers from the village of Nsunga. The outbreak lay at a depth of 10 kilometers. At least 16 people were killed and another 253 were injured. As a result of the earthquake, 840 buildings were destroyed, including 44 government agencies, and telecommunications were disrupted. The earthquake was felt in Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 occurred in central Myanmar. Its epicenter was 19 kilometers west of the city of Chau. The outbreak lay at a depth of 91 kilometers.

In the ancient capital of Myanmar, the city of Bagan, famous for its 2,500 Buddhist temples built in the 11th-14th centuries, there are 400 temple buildings.

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.0 occurred in central Italy. Destruction was recorded in three areas: Lazio, Marche and Umbria. The vibrations of the earth's surface were felt in many Italian cities, including Rome, Florence and Bologna.

The natural disaster killed 299 people, injured several hundred people and left more than three thousand homeless.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 occurred in southern Peru. The epicenter of the earthquake was 3.1 kilometers east of the city of Coporake.

The earthquake killed four people and injured 68. After the disaster, 132 houses became uninhabitable, and 556 buildings were partially destroyed.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 occurred off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The epicenter of the tremors was located 91 kilometers west of the city of Sungai Penuh. The source of the earthquake lay at a depth of 50.8 kilometers. As a result of the earthquake, 14 people were injured and several buildings collapsed.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 occurred in western Ecuador. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 34 kilometers west of the city of Rosa Zarate and 155 kilometers west of the capital Quito. The source of the tremors lay at a depth of 32.4 kilometers. Six people were injured as a result of the earthquake.

On the same day, a second earthquake of magnitude 6.8 occurred. The epicenter of the tremors was located 29 kilometers southwest of the city of Rosa Zarate and 139 kilometers northwest of the capital Quito. Their source lay at a depth of 68 kilometers.

An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 occurred in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The epicenter of the tremors lay at a depth of 7 kilometers. More than 60 people were injured. The earthquake destroyed houses, bridges and roads.

An earthquake of magnitude 7.8 occurred. Its epicenter was located 28 kilometers southeast of the village of Muisne. The source of the earthquake lay at a depth of 20.2 kilometers. 663 people were killed, 12.5 thousand were injured and injured, infrastructure was destroyed in the provinces of Manabi, Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Guayas, Santa Elena and Los Rios.

Since the evening of April 14 on the Japanese island of Kyushu with a magnitude of up to 7.3 on the Richter scale, causing massive destruction of houses and bridges, landslides and soil displacements with damage to automobile and railways. In total, about 500 tremors were recorded. In Kumamoto Prefecture alone, about 400 houses were completely destroyed, and 1,262 buildings were partially damaged. Over 40 people were killed, more than a thousand people were injured.

The earthquake was recorded 50 kilometers south of the city of Ashkasham in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. The source lay at a depth of 211 kilometers. The magnitude was 6.8. Tremors were felt in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. They lasted about three minutes, residents of the provinces left the buildings. Tremors were reported in the cities of Lahore, the Pakistani capital Islamabad, Peshawar, Swat, Chitral, Mardan, Kohat, as well as in Pakistani Kashmir. Residual tremors are also in northern India and Afghanistan.

In Peshawar (Pakistan), at least six people were injured due to the earthquake, about 28 were injured.

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Indian Ocean west of the Indonesian island of Sumatra and caused panic on the island. The epicenter of the earthquake was located 682 kilometers southwest of Mentaway Island, located off the northwestern coast of Sumatra. The outbreak lay at a depth of only ten kilometers under the surface of the Indian Ocean.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.4 (originally estimated at 6.7) occurred in the southern part of the island of Taiwan. The tremors were recorded 25 kilometers south of the city of Yujing. The outbreak was located at a depth of 10 kilometers. The city of Tainan was hit hardest by the earthquake. 36 people became victims of the natural disaster.

An earthquake of magnitude 7 occurred in Kamchatka on the territory of the Elizovsky municipal district, 87 kilometers northeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of 189 kilometers. The earthquake was felt in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky with a force of up to 5 points, and residents also felt tremors settlements Elizovsky, Milkovsky, Ust-Kamchatsky districts and ZATO Vilyuchinsk. According to rescuers, there was no damage and no one was injured.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 occurred in northern Japan. Its source lay at a depth of 50 kilometers near the southern coast of Hokkaido. Tremors measuring up to magnitude 5 were felt in 13 Japanese prefectures. Two people were injured.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.7 occurred in northeastern India in the state of Manipur near the border with Myanmar. Its epicenter was located 29 kilometers west of the state capital, Imphal. The source of the earthquake lay at a depth of 55 kilometers. The natural disaster killed nine people, injured about 200, and approximately two thousand people lost their homes.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

As earthquake statistics show, seismological disasters account for 13% of the total number of natural ones. Over the past hundred years, about 2,000 tremors with a magnitude of 7 or more have occurred in the world. Of these, 65 cases exceeded the 8 mark.

World situation

If you look at a world map on which seismological activity is displayed as dots, you will notice one pattern. These are some characteristic lines along which tremors are intensely recorded. The tectonic boundaries of the earth's crust are located in these zones. As statistics have established, the strongest earthquakes, entailing the most destructive consequences, occur due to tension in the focus of the “rubbing” of tectonic plates.

Earthquake statistics over 100 years show that only on continental tectonic plates(not oceanic) there were about a hundred seismic disasters in which 1.4 million people died. A total of 130 strong earthquakes were recorded during this period.

The table shows the largest known seismic disasters since the 16th century:

Year	Scene of the incident	Destruction and casualties
1556	China	The victims were 830 thousand people. According to current estimates, the earthquake can be assigned the highest rating - 12 points.
1755	Lisbon (Portugal)	The city was completely destroyed, 100 thousand inhabitants died
1906	San Francisco (USA)	Most of the city was destroyed, 1,500 people became victims (7.8 points)
1908	Messina (Italy)	The destruction claimed 87 thousand lives (magnitude 7.5)
1948	Ashgabat (Turkmenistan)	175 thousand people died
1960	Chile	The largest earthquake recorded in the last century. It was rated 9.5 points. Three cities were destroyed. About 10 thousand residents became victims
1976	Tien Shan (China)	Magnitude 8.2. 242 thousand people died
1988	Armenia	Several cities and towns were destroyed. More than 25 thousand victims were recorded (7.3 points)
1990	Iran	About 50 thousand inhabitants died (magnitude 7.4)
2004	Indian Ocean	The epicenter of the 9.3 magnitude earthquake was at the bottom of the ocean, which killed 250 thousand people
2011	Japan	An earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 caused the death of more than 15 thousand people and caused enormous economic and environmental consequences not only for Japan, but for the whole world.

Over the 30 years of the end of the 20th century, about 1 million people died in seismic disasters. This is approximately 33 thousand per year. Over the past 10 years, earthquake statistics show an increase in the average annual figure to 45 thousand victims. Every day, hundreds of imperceptible vibrations of the earth's surface occur on the planet. This is not always associated with the movement of the earth's crust. Human actions: construction, mining, blasting - all of them entail vibrations that are recorded by modern seismographs every second. However, since 2009, the USGS geological service, which collects data on earthquake statistics in the world, has stopped taking into account tremors below 4.5 points.

Crete

The island is located in a tectonic fault zone, so increased seismological activity there is a frequent occurrence. According to statistics, earthquakes in Crete do not exceed magnitude 5. With such force there are no destructive consequences, but local residents and they don’t pay any attention to this shaking. On the graph you can see the number of registered seismic shocks by month with a magnitude greater than 1 point. You can see what last years their intensity increased slightly.

Earthquakes in Italy

The country is located in a zone of seismic activity on the territory of the same tectonic fault as Greece. Earthquake statistics in Italy over the past 5 years show an increase in the number of monthly tremors from 700 to 2000. In August 2016, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 occurred. That day claimed the lives of 295 people and injured more than 400.

In January 2017, another earthquake with a magnitude of less than 6 occurred in Italy; there were almost no casualties from the destruction. However, the shock was caused in the province of Pescara. The Rigopiano Hotel was buried under it, killing 30 people.

There are resources that display earthquake statistics online. For example, the IRIS organization (USA), which collects, systematizes, studies and distributes seismological data, presents a monitor of this type:
The website contains information showing the presence of earthquakes on the planet at the moment. Here their magnitude is shown, there is information for yesterday, as well as events from 2 weeks or 5 years ago. You can take a closer look at the areas of the planet you are interested in by selecting the appropriate map from the list.

The situation in Russia

According to earthquake statistics in Russia and the OSR (General Seismic Zoning) map, more than 26% of the country's area is located in seismically hazardous zones. Tremors of magnitude 7 may occur here. This includes Kamchatka, the Baikal region, the Kuril Islands, Altai, the North Caucasus and the Sayan Mountains. There are about 3,000 villages, about 100 thermal power plants and hydroelectric power stations, 5 nuclear power plants and enterprises of increased environmental hazard.

Krasnodar regionIrkutsk

Due to its location near the Baikal Rift, earthquake statistics for Irkutsk record up to 40 minor tremors every month. In August 2008, seismic activity with a magnitude of 6.2 was recorded. The epicenter was in Lake Baikal, where the indicator reached 7 points. Some buildings were cracked, but no significant damage or casualties were recorded. In February 2016, another earthquake of magnitude 5.5 occurred.

Ekaterinburg

Despite the fact that the growth of the Ural Mountains has long ceased, the statistics of earthquakes in Yekaterinburg continues to be updated with new data. In 2015, an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.2 was recorded there, but there were no casualties.

Conclusion

Between the end of 2008 and 2011, there was a decrease in seismic activity on the planet, to a level of less than 2,500 events per month and a magnitude above 4.5. However, after the earthquake in Japan in 2011, between 2011 and 2016 there was a tendency for earthquake activity around the world to almost double. Earthquake statistics for recent years are as follows:

Predicting earthquakes is very difficult. It is often possible to say with certainty where it will happen, but when exactly it will happen is impossible to determine. However, there are biological precursors. On the eve of a strong earthquake, other representatives of the fauna living in this territory begin to behave abnormally.