MOSCOW, October 26 (Itar-Tass) — The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) will radically modernise seismic stations in the North Caucasus, which will make it possible to record low-magnitude earthquakes, Deputy Director of the RAS Institute of Physics of the Earth Valery Rogozhin said on Friday at a meeting of the RF Government Commission on Emergency Situations, which was chaired by Russian Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov.
According to him, almost the whole of the North Caucasus is a 9-point zone, but this assessment was made based on a simple system of seismic sources. “Since then more than 15 years have passed and we are making a new detailed map of seismic hazard, where the zones of different seismic sources are highlighted,” Rogozhin said.
“Radical modernisation of the seismological network is now underway, 22 new digital stations have been installed. Particular attention is paid to the North-West Region and the Greater Sochi area,” the deputy head of the Institute of Physics of the Earth said. Just 3 years ago there were three stations in Sochi, and now there are 10 stations there.
“Thanks to the new stations small magnitude earthquakes - of two or even one points are recorded in all districts of the Caucasus and near Sochi and Dagestan,” Rogozhin concluded.
The emergency situations minister asked him how the problem of early prediction of earthquakes is settled.
“We need to expand the infrastructure. The centre in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky makes it possible, for example, to predict them in the short term,” Rogozhin said.
However, it is impossible to equip all regions with such centres, he believes. “In the North Caucasus it is necessary to restore the system for the monitoring of early precursors of earthquakes,” Rogozhin said.
The coordinating prediction centre currently works in Moscow. “It should be linked with the structures of Siberia, the Far East, to unite and jointly ensure the complex system-based, calm development in a planned manner,” the emergencies minister said.
According to him, it is also necessary to look for new approaches and implement technologies for short-term earthquake prediction.
“We have launched the creation of an integrated system of global monitoring of emergencies, including earthquakes. The National Centre for Crisis Management is beginning to interact with the relevant services and the methods are being worked out,” Puchkov said. Also, a joint group with the Italian experts for the comprehensive settlement of problems in the sphere of ··prevention of emergency situations is starting to work. “It focuses on earthquakes and floods,” he said.