Earthquake and volcanic eruption in Russia: list, history and interesting facts

Volcanoes and earthquakes are special phenomenanature, occurring in connection with the features of plate tectonics. The eruption of a volcano, as a rule, is accompanied by earthquakes related to a special state of shaking of the earth's crust, as a result of which a sharp release of powerful energy occurs. For the most part, these are seismic waves, originating from terrestrial natural phenomena, and sometimes even certain technogenic events.

Volcanoes - a variety of holes in the earth's crust, from the depths of which with great speed and strength on the surface are emitted large volumes of molten rock.

Before we consider examples of volcanic eruptions in Russia, we briefly give some definitions, and find out how such phenomena arise.

General information about volcanoes and earthquakes

Earthquakes occur in connection with a suddena jump in pressure accumulated under the earth's crust for a certain period of time. The seismic situation is determined by measurements using a seismometer (the size and strength of the earthquake that occurred).

The point of the earthquake is calledepicenter. Hypocenter is a point on the earth's surface, and above the epicenter of volcanoes. Eruptions involving masses (extrusions) of molten magma usually take the form of mountains or hills after cooling of discarded materials.

These terrible natural phenomena can arise inany part of the earth's surface (even in the mountains) both in land and on the seabed and in the oceans. Often there is an eruption of volcanoes in Russia, which will be described in more detail below in the article.

Volcanoes are subdivided into 3 types: extinct, asleep (not yet active) and active.

Maps with volcanic outbreaks andearthquakes demonstrate that mostly (as noted above), these phenomena are closely related to each other, and the basis of their appearance is largely a feature of the earth plate tectonics.

The most terrible cataclysms in the world

Before describing the largest volcanic eruptions in Russia, we will present the most terrible similar phenomena that ever happened on the whole planet.

The most famous and catastrophic eruptionthe volcano in all history - the activity of the famous volcano Vesuvius in August 1979. As a result, the three cities of Italy, including the largest of them, Pompeii, were completely destroyed. Killed 16,000 people.

The most terrible earthquakes arethe following: in 1976, the city of Tangshan in China was destroyed (800 thousand people were killed); in 2011 on the island of Honshu (Japan) earthquake triggered the emergence of a terrible tsunami that destroyed the nuclear power plant in the city of Fukushima (a large-scale emission of radiation).

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Russia

Earthquakes in Russia - this is also a fairly common phenomenon. While for residents of megacities and the central part of the country, this phenomenon, fortunately, is unfamiliar.

Of course, many remember the terrible event that occurred in the country during the Soviet era. The worst earthquake was in Armenia in December 1988, when the city of Spitak completely collapsed.

This activity is often observed in Russiathe earth's crust, but relatively with a small amplitude. For example, in the territory of the Republic of Tuva in late 2011 there was an earthquake of 3.2 points. And to this day in this area, seismic activity does not stop.

The eruption of a volcano in Russia is also not uncommon. In vast territories of a huge state there are approximately 200 most diverse volcanoes, most of which are located in Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands. This includes 8.3% of all active volcanoes of the Earth.

Below are several volcanoes of Russia that have shown their activity over the past five years, and a brief history of their activity is given.

Flat Tolbachik

In November 2012, the eruption of a volcano in Russiaoccurred in the east of Kamchatka. This place is the Tolbachik volcanic massif, which is part of the Klyuchevskaya group of volcanoes (its south-western part). Its structure includes Flat Tolbachik (with a height of 3140 m) and Sharp Tolbachik (3682 m). They are located on an ancient shield volcano.

This was a new eruption, which began with the discoverycracks (length approximately 5 km). Lava flows flooded the hospital (the former base "Leningradskaya"), located at the foot of the volcano, and the building of the base of the natural park "Volcanoes of Kamchatka".

Kizimen

It is a stratovolcano in the form of a regular cone. The last active eruption of it happened in 2013. The volcano (2485 m) is located on the southern side of the Tumrok ridge (western slope), 265 kilometers from the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and 115 kilometers from the village. Milkovo.

The greatest activity was observed in 2009year, which resulted in the activation of many of them in the valley of the geysers. Ashes from the volcano in that year were scattered over large areas of the biosphere reserve (Kornotsky). This volcano appeared 12 thousand years ago.

Nameless

This is another volcano located on Kamchatka near Klyuchevskaya hill. From the village of Klyuchi it is located about 40 kilometers (Ust-Kamchatsky district). Its absolute height is 2882 meters.

The last eruption of it happened in 2013,but the most famous - in 1955-1956. The eruption cloud at that time reached a height of almost 35 km. As a result, a horseshoe-shaped crater was formed, open in the east (diameter 1.3 km). At the eastern foot of the area of ​​500 square meters. km, all bushes and trees were broken and felled.

Klyuchevskaya Sopka

More recently (August 1913).) a strong volcanic eruption in Russia occurred in the east of Kamchatka. This stratovolcano is the highest of all active in Eurasia. Its age is approximately 7000 years, and the altitude varies periodically (4750-4850 m).

In October 2013, the main phase occurred (after4 lava flows) an eruption with the ascent of the ash column to 10-12 kilometers. The train from him stretched in the south-west direction. The ash falls in the villages of Atlasovo and Lazo and Atlasovo, and the thickness of its layer was about two millimeters.

Karymskaya Sopka

Eruption is the last of this stratovolcano,located in Kamchatka (East Ridge), occurred in 2014. Its absolute height is 1468 meters. This is one of the most active volcanoes. Since 1852, there have been recorded more than 20 eruptions.

Near Karymskaya Sopka there is a lake of the same name, in which, in 1996, with a large-scale underwater explosion, almost all the living things that lived in it died.

The last volcanic eruption in Russia

Shiveluch Volcano is also located on the Kamchatka peninsula (the Eastern ridge). This is the northernmost of all active Kamchatka volcanoes. Its absolute height is 3307 meters.

In June 2013 (early morning) Shiveluch threw outat a height of 10,000 meters a powerful column of ash. As a result, ash falls in the village of Klyuchi (47 km from the volcano). All streets and houses it covered with a millimeter layer of ash of red color. In October (after the eruption of Klyuchevskaya Sopka) Shiveluch again ejaculated a column of ash to a height of 7600 meters. In February 2014, this mark reached more than 11 kilometers, and in May the volcano erupted immediately 3 pillars (from 7000 to 10,000 meters).

In conclusion about an interesting fact

Earthquakes and the volcanic eruption in Russiaincreased the area of ​​Russia by 4,500 square meters. meters. What happened? In connection with the seismic events that occurred in the Kuriles and Sakhalin in 2007-2009, the country's territory has increased.

After the earthquake in the south of Sakhalin (Nevelsk) inAugust 2007, the bottom of the sea rose, forming a new small area of ​​land (an area of ​​three square kilometers). In addition, 1.5 square meters. kilometers of the territory of was received as a result of a new eruption of Peak Sarychev (Kuril island of Matua).