Strong earthquake hits Sheki region
By Nigar Orujova
An earthquake hit Azerbaijani region Sheki located in the north-west of the country.
The earthquake was recorded at 09:49 a.m. local time in 29 kilometers from Sheki region on September 4. The earthquake measured 7 on Richter scale in the epicenter, the Republican Seismological Center of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences reported.
The depth of the earthquake focus was 13 kilometers, while the magnitude reached 5.9.
“This earthquake may be called a strong one,” said Vusale Rafiqqizi, head of the press service of the Republican Seismological Center.
On the territory of Sheki, where was its epicenter, tremors were felt up to seven points. In Mingachevir, Yevlakh, Ganja, Goychay and other regions tremors were felt up to 5-6 points, she said.
“There is no information about the destruction yet,” she added.
She reminded that Azerbaijan is located in a seismic zone, so such earthquakes are normal.
Meanwhile, another earthquake hit the border cities of
Azerbaijan and Iran in the morning on September 4.
The quake hit the cities of Parsabad, Bileh Savar and Germi in the
Ardabil Province of Iran near the country’s border with
Azerbaijan.
The quake, measured 5 points on the Richter scale in its epicenter and about 4 points in the residential areas nearby.
Earlier, Gurban Yetirmishli, the head of the Republican Seismological Service Center, said minor earthquakes with small magnitudes occur in Azerbaijan on a daily basis.
Scientists believe the seismogenic zones with the potential to produce dangerous force cover the whole country, and the Alpine-Himalayan seismic belt passes directly through Azerbaijan.
The most seismically active zones in Azerbaijan are the Shamakhi and Ismayilli regions.
Last year was marked with intensification in the seismic processes, as well as the most powerful earthquakes in Azerbaijan in the past 15 years.
Six earthquakes measuring over 5.0 on the Richter scale occurred in Azerbaijan in 2014, releasing a large volume of energy.
Overall, more than 8,000 earthquakes were registered in the country in 2014. These earthquakes occurring at great depth have caused tremors affecting a large area, but there was no damage.
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Nigar Orujova is AzerNews’s staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @o_nigar
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