After a triple earthquake in Almaty, experts assessed the situation and called it a "manifestation of background seismicity," reports infohub.kz.
Seismologists noted there is no cause for panic — no destructive tremors are expected.
According to Yerik Alipuly, deputy director of the National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research under the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, specialists classify the earthquake as a manifestation of background seismicity. The current seismic situation at the Almaty prognostic test site is assessed as stable.
Experts noted that the cause is meltwater from mountain snow flowing into fault lines, a process that triggers so-called seismic discharge.
"Snow in the mountains, especially glaciers, melted significantly during the summer heat. And the mountain, as it were, experiences relief: the weight is gone, and there is some discharge of stress, and it pulls stress onto itself, resulting in an earthquake here," seismologist Mukhtar Khaidarov said.
Recall that Almaty lies in a 10-point seismic zone. Every year, up to 200 weak earthquakes occur within an 80-kilometer radius of the city. And predicting the exact date and time of perceptible tremors is impossible, experts say.
Therefore, the main thing is to be ready at any moment. Do not panic, wait out the first tremors in a safe place, and then go outside, taking an emergency bag with documents and essential items.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that the Department of Emergency Situations issued a forecast after the earthquake in Almaty.
The first earthquake occurred on September 28 at 06:32 within Almaty, with a magnitude of 3.4 and perceptibility of 2–3 points (mainly in the western part of the city).
The second, stronger earthquake occurred at 09:38 at a short distance from the first. In Almaty, many residents felt it, even on the first and second floors; the intensity is estimated at 3 and 4 points depending on the city district. It was felt as a single sharp vertical jolt.
The third earthquake occurred at 13:53 with a magnitude of 4.2 and an epicenter 254 km southeast of Almaty (near the villages of Narynkol and Kegen). In Narynkol, the intensity was 2–3 points; in Kegen, 2 points.
After that, the situation was reviewed by the Forecasting Commission of the National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research.
"According to the conclusion of the forecasting commission of the National Scientific Center for Seismological Observations and Research, as of 10:30, no destructive earthquakes are expected," the Almaty Department of Emergency Situations reported.