Is there a strong earthquake in Attica? Seismologists-luminaries answer

The townspeople are alarmed by the seismic shocks that have occurred in the capital of Greece in recent months.

“Memories of the Past” (the catastrophic earthquake that occurred on September 7, 1999, the vibration of which was 5.3 Richter) in the inhabitants of Athens caused a series of small tremors.

At the end of September and in October of this year, seismic activity of the order of 3.1 and 2.9 on the Richter scale was observed in Athens. The “tremor,” albeit a mild one, raised concerns among citizens about the evolution of the tremors, as they feared it might be a harbinger of a massive earthquake. The question arises: do we expect a strong earthquake in Attica?

Newsbomb.gr presented the opinion of four seismologists-experts, and they expressed their opinion on this matter.

Akis Celentis: The scenario is not troubling
Director of the Geodynamic Institute, Professor Akis Celentis, spoke about a small seismic activity that has been observed for a year and has not yet raised concerns.

“There has been little seismic activity in Kalogrese for a year now. Last September we had a 3.5 magnitude earthquake and recently a 2.5 magnitude earthquake. But we also have hundreds of earthquakes below 1.5 on the Richter scale that are not felt. We do not know if there is an active rift in the area, but we must be careful if a small earthquake will cause damage to buildings. As for Mount Parnitha, it has exhausted its seismic potential, so nothing threatens Athens, ”he said.

However, Mr Celentis sounded the alarm about the gas supply network, which he indicated needs to be better shielded.

“But what should be taken seriously is that Athens is a densely populated area with a large gas network. Imagine what could happen in an area like Kipseli if the gas network fails due to vibration. When connecting from the network to homes, I noticed that the required security standards were not met. Special inexpensive anti-seismic valves should be installed, which, if the acceleration of an earthquake exceeds the limit, will automatically cut off the gas supply, ”he said.

Efthymios Lekkas: physiological activity
Efthymios Lekkas, President of the Organization for Action Planning and Earthquake Protection (OASP), said that “the activity recorded is absolutely normal.”

“This is normal seismic activity. This is not a sign or signs. Of course, we cannot predict exactly what will happen, we analyze the data. It is important to construct buildings suitable for each area, depending on the history of earthquakes that occur from time to time, in order to ensure the safety of citizens, ”he said.

Gerasimos Huliaras: These are microseismic, not preseismic tremors
The director of research at the Geodynamic Institute of the Athens Observatory talks about microseismic activity. “In Attica, there are geo-faults, which from time to time give a similar picture. But do not worry. An example of this is Nafpaktos, where seismic activity continues without a strong earthquake,” he stressed.

Gerasimos Papadopoulos: There is no sign of an impending strong earthquake
Seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos echoes him, who noted that “so far there are no signs of an impending strong earthquake.”

“This is normal microseismic activity. It does not cross the red line of danger, ”the specialist explained.

…



Source link