Under the impression of the movie "San Andreas" film, we made a selection of places on earth, where a terrible catastrophe may occur at any time. Perhaps after reading this text, rest on the islands in Indonesia will seem not such a tempting perspective.
The earth's crust consists of sixteen major lithospheric plates that are in constant motion. Because of the earthquakes occurring at the joints of the plates, more than half a million people have died over the past hundred years. A third of the Earth's population lives in seismically dangerous areas, where a catastrophe can happen at any time. The biggest problem is that seismic scientists can roughly say where an earthquake is, but when they cannot. That is, the forecast is given to the long-term (50-70 years) and a little on medium-term (10-15 years) perspective, but no one will say where the rocks tomorrow. That is why the earthquakes cause such destruction and sacrifices.
San Andreas, California, USA
The West Coast of North America is one of the most seismically active zones of the Earth. Here the two huge lithospheric plates are constantly drunk - North American and Pacific. Spark San Andreas is just the border between these plates. The friction of the plates creates a monstrous tension in the earth's crust, which is periodically removed in the form of destructive earthquakes. The result stretches for 1300 km from the south-west to the northeast, crossing California. Plates move to each other at a speed of 5.6 cm per year. You can look at your nails, they grow at the same speed. The most seismic part of the fault is east of Los Angeles, almost the Mexican border. If the city of Angels periodically discharges in the form of earthquakes, then there were no more than several hundred years. So, it can rock at any moment, and very much.
Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda
Kivu is one of the great African lakes. It is located on the border between Rwanda and Congo. The danger to people living near Kivu is not coming from the earthquake, but from the tsunami. Yes, the tsunami on the lake is also there. Under Lake Kiva is huge methane deposits. According to experts, about 65 million cubic meters. Not even an hour as gas can break out to outward, which will provoke a large explosion and a giant tsunami that will destroy about two million people living near the lake.
Japan and Kuriles
Along the Japanese islands passes the joint of two large tectonic layers. Pacific cooker as it should dive to Eurasian. The Japanese was not lucky enough to live in one of the most seismically dangerous zones of the world. Small shocks here occur constantly, and impress only tourists. Earthquakes and tsunami in Japan are perceived as inevitable dangers. Thirteen million Tokyato live in a permanent waiting for the catastrophe. So, in 1923, as a result of the earthquake of magnitude in 9 points, the city was almost completely destroyed. He had to rejuvenate again.
Indonesia
Indonesia is located in the most seismically dangerous zone of the world. Here, the plate that makes up the bottom of the Indian Ocean goes under Asia and the energy released from the collision of the two plates is released in the form of powerful earthquakes. This is part of a large tectonic fault, called "Pacific Fire Ring". The most dangerous place is considered Sumatra, the West Island of the Archipelago. In 2013, two strong earthquakes occurred here, as a result of which more than four thousand houses were damaged.
Lake Baikal
Few people know that the tectonic rode passes through Baikal, and the shores of the biggest lake constantly diverge. There is the theory for which we are seeing the origin of the new ocean. True, it can be called it only in a few hundred million years. Volcanic activity in the vicinity of the lake is very high, and every day is registered here for five to six small jesters, but the story knows cases and very strong earthquakes. For example, Tsagaganian earthquake, called in honor of the Tsaganskaya steppe on the eastern shore of Baikal. It happened in January 1862 and was felt even in Irkutsk and Mongolia. Part of the Tsaganskaya steppe went under water, now in this place the bay of failure. A few hundred houses and yurt were destroyed, about 1,300 people were injured. Moscow is in the seismically stable zone of the earth's crust, but even here sometimes shook. The most recent impressions of the magnitude of 2 points in the east of the capital felt on May 24, 2013. In some buildings even conducted evacuation. It was the echo earthquake that occurred in the Sea of Okhotsk.
