On Sakhalin earthquake: the scale of destruction

Russia is the largest country in the world, which, due to the diversity of geographic, geological, climatic conditions, is exposed to various spontaneous phenomena.

Russia - the territory of earthquakes

In the total number of them can be attributed destructive earthquakes, representing tremors in the earth's crust due to unstable tectonic processes. Approximately 40% of the country is in the zone of seismic risk (places with the frequency of earthquakes - about once every 500 years). According to the scientists, the most dangerous city for life is Petropavlovsk in Kamchatka. The disturbing zones on which fluctuations in the crust of 8-9 points were recorded were Altai, the North Caucasus, Baikal with Transbaikal, the Kuril Islands, the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Sayan Range and Sakhalin Island.

Sakhalin: earthquake of 1995

It was on Sakhalin that an earthquake of 7.6 points in 1995 killed 2040 people. For the last 100 years it was the most destructive, mercilessly erasing the city of Neftegorsk. Founded in 1964, it was conceived as a settlement for oil workers. It was located on the boundary of two tectonic plates in a seismically inactive zone (at least, it was considered until 1995).

The jolts of varying power (from 5 to 7 points) on the night of May 27-28 were felt throughout the region, but most of all went to Neftegorsk, because the epicenter of the earthquake was 25-30 km away from it. Fluctuations with a force of 7.6 points on the Richter scale within a minute obliterated Neftegorsk, which had been built for 30 years, from the face of the Earth. Later, after finding out the reasons for the tragedy, it was found that houses were built using the cheapest technology and a maximum that they could survive - a 6-point earthquake. The enormous saving on human lives has loudly reminded of itself on this tragic day.

The city that did not become

17 five-story houses, medical institutions, shops, a school, kindergartens, broadcasting and communication facilities, a municipality, as well as a palace of culture, where a disco was held on the occasion of the end of the school year, were destroyed. Of the 26 graduates, only 9 survived; From 3197 inhabitants of the city - 1140 people. The earthquake on Sakhalin in 1995 buried two-thirds of the inhabitants under the rubble, including medical workers. Therefore, there was simply no one to provide first aid.

The oil pipeline and several oil towers were damaged , as a result of which a significant amount of oil was spread over the earth's surface. The environment suffered significant damage, which was not mentioned in the media .

More fortunate is located 60 kilometers north of the city of Okha, with a population of 45,000 people. On that terrible night there were minor violations in it, no human victims were recorded.

Rescue operations in Neftegorsk

In the morning, after the earthquake occurred on Sakhalin Island, there was a strong fog on the island, preventing the rescue teams from reaching the place of the tragedy. The nearest airport, where planes could land, was 65 kilometers, which in combination with bad roads took a lot of time. Therefore, the lost time did not benefit the victims, few were able to save them.

In total, 1,500 people, 25 planes, 24 helicopters, and 66 cars took part in the rescue operation. On the 4th day, the number of equipment involved increased to 267 units. It was on those fateful days when an earthquake occurred on Sakhalin, for the first time 5 minutes of silence were applied, when all the equipment stopped working once an hour, work stopped and conversations ceased to hear the people under the rubble.

The city, which died in an instant, it was decided not to restore. In its place was built a memorial and a chapel. The cemetery with the buried residents is located nearby.

After the tragedy that occurred in 1995 on Sakhalin, the earthquake covered a number of other territories, although with less damage. In 2003, the mountain Altai suffered, in 2006 - Kamchatka, in 2008 - Chechnya.

Sakhalin: a map of seismic activity in real time

To date, everything has changed. Now every user of the Sakhalin Island Internet can observe the seismic situation in the region. The map, developed by scientists specially for the features of this territory, allows real-time monitoring of all fluctuations in the earth's crust. The new unique equipment is located at the Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics, and everyone can trace the course of the earthquake and its parameters: coordinates of the epicenter, depth and amplitude. That is, it was possible to give the most correct assessment of the seismic event. Previously, scientists recorded earthquakes only on paper; Now information on the fluctuations of the earth's crust in the data processing center is transmitted by 15 seismic sensors.