Earthquakes in Cyprus happen quite often. Such natural phenomena are not always significant, but, unfortunately, permanent. One of the most dangerous seismological zones of the Earth is located in the fold zone of the Mediterranean Sea. She is huge. After the collision of the African and European tectonic plates, Fr. Cyprus. The island is located in the Mediterranean Sea, near Turkey and Syria. The Mediterranean fold belt occupies a rather vast territory that runs from the Atlantic to the shores of the South China Sea.
Cyprus earthquakes
On the island, most often people feel not very strong, but frequent tremors, and mainly on the coast from Famagusta, passing through Larnaca and Limassol to Paphos. It is in these places that there is no danger threatening the lives of people. Earthquakes are calculated on the Richter scale. The magnitude of three points is almost not felt. Four points is enough to swing hanging objects and make a person wake up if he slept at night.
A five-magnitude earthquake in Cyprus could knock furniture to the floor, rock trees, and crack stone buildings. Shocks of six points are already more dangerous. With them, trees fall, and weak buildings are destroyed. When the epicenter is under water near the island, tsunamis are possible, and if far or deep, there is no such danger.
How often do earthquakes happen?
In 1984, a seismological center began to operate at this resort site. It is impossible to predict that there will be an earthquake, but a database of statistical data is being created, on which it is already possible to roughly orient. About five hundred tremors are recorded on the island annually. For thirty-three years of observation, there have not been very significant earthquakes in Cyprus. The statistics below show data for the last five years:
- In 2012, 93 km south of Famagusta, an earthquake hit 5.5 points. But since it was quite far away, the city did not suffer destruction.
- October 2013 The shocks were strong - 6.4 points, but lay deep, at a depth of about 30 km. This saved Cyprus from unpleasant consequences.
- December 2014 Although the epicenter was 208 km and at a depth of 64 km, but still with the earthquake in Cyprus, the sea significantly flooded the coastline of the best ecological beaches of the port of Latchi. Water invaded the land area for forty meters.
- July 2015 Shocks of 4.3 points occurred in Limassol. Many just in case rushed out into the street. But a small earthquake did not bring destruction.
- In January, March, May and November 2016, tremors caused many to worry, but they did not create damage.
Historical major earthquakes
According to researchers, since ancient times, the powerful force of destructive tremors, bearing terrifying consequences, fell on the island at least fifteen times. Historical evidence of these events has been preserved.
The city of Paphos was destroyed by earthquakes several times, but it was restored again and again. From the end of the 19th century to the present day, at least four hundred tangible tremors have been counted. After them there were 67 victims. Misfortunes in the form of destruction suddenly came at the end of the 20th century three times: in 1995, 1996 and 1999.
Recent Aegean Earthquake
In July of this year, powerful shocks occurred in the Mediterranean. Two countries were affected: Turkey and Greece. The media reported that there were hundreds of victims, and even two people died. Tsunami hit the resort city of Bodrum in Turkey at night. The panic began. Electricity went out and in complete darkness everyone ran along the streets flooded with water, not knowing what to do. Seventy people were hospitalized. The earthquake in Cyprus in July 2017 was practically not felt.
In Greece, the authorities and ordinary people were also shocked: 6.3 on the Richter scale is serious. Beds were shaking in the houses. Asleep people reacted inappropriately: they jumped out of the windows, so they received bruises and injuries, which they then turned to the hospital. The data presented indicate that the strike was taken mainly by the island of Kos. The walls of houses were broken, windows and shop windows were broken, one hundred and twenty people were injured.
Tourists and locals spent the night on the beaches. Was there an earthquake in Cyprus? Hardly ever. At least in the media nothing is said about this. All descriptions are given only for Turkey and Greece. Coastal waters were surveyed by divers. Among the dead from the elements - tourists from Sweden and residents of Turkey. There were no victims among the Russians. And Cyprus at that time, as it was, remained a flourishing island: the effects of the earthquake in Cyprus were not observed, as if it was kept by Aphrodite, who emerged from sea foam on these shores.