An earthquake is the most destructive and dangerous natural phenomenon, leading to irreversible changes. Destruction of cities, industry, energy and transport communications and, of course, loss of life - these are the consequences of any earthquake.
The capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, April 26, 1966. At 05:23 in the morning, when people were still sleeping in their homes, one of the most devastating earthquakes of the last century happened.
Earthquake in Tashkent (1966)
In the focus of the magnitude of the earthquake was 5.2 points on the Richter scale. On the surface, the seismic effect exceeded the mark of 8 points out of 12 possible. The earthquake in Tashkent began with an underground rumble; many noticed the bright light flashes that accompanied the first push. At a depth of 2 to 9 kilometers, a rupture of rocks occurred. The hearth was under the very center of the city, where all the destructive power of this natural phenomenon fell. On the outskirts of Tashkent, the seismic effect reached 6 points, the fluctuations lasted 10-12 seconds at a frequency of 2 to 3 Hz.
The earthquake in Tashkent in 1966 is far from the first - tremors have occurred there before. Under the city there is a fracture of tectonic plates, called Karzhantausky. Tashkent is also located in the zone of seismic activity of the relatively young mountain system, the Tien Shan, so such phenomena are not uncommon there. But the earthquake in Tashkent in 1966 was the most devastating of all.
The victims
The strength of the earthquake was terrifying, but the epicenter was at a shallow depth. Because of this, the vertical waves quickly damped and did not disperse far, only this saved the city from destruction. But on the other hand, the central regions of the capital suffered greatly: the destruction zone reached 10 kilometers. Thanks mainly to vertical vibrations, even adobe houses did not completely collapse. Many buildings were skewed and cracked, but survived. This is what saved people from death: when the earthquake in Tashkent (1966) occurred, the death toll was 8 people. More than two hundred people were injured, later many elderly people died from the shock.
Destruction
The earthquake in Tashkent deprived half of the city’s inhabitants. In a matter of minutes, about two million squares of living space fell into disrepair. 78 thousand families were left homeless, administrative buildings, trade facilities, utilities, educational institutions, medical and industrial buildings were destroyed by an earthquake.
Tremors continued for several more years, and by 1969, seismologists had counted more than 1,100 tremors. The strongest were recorded in May and June 1966, as well as in March 1967. Shocks reached 7 points on the Richter scale.
The courage of the inhabitants
The earthquake in Tashkent required great courage from the residents of the city. During the day, tents were built on the sidewalks and lawns, in which people were settled. They launched water supply and uninterrupted supply of electricity. People helped each other as they could, there was not a single case of looting in the city.
Food and medicine were sent to help residents of the ruined city from all over the Soviet Union. The city was supplied with tents, equipment, materials for construction. About 600 stores and temporary outlets, catering places were opened. About 15 thousand families were relocated to other cities and union republics. Children were sent to pioneer camps throughout the USSR.
City restoration
The earthquake in Tashkent in 1966 rallied people. The city was recovering at an accelerated pace, and by the beginning of winter, more than 300 thousand residents moved into new homes. In less than three years, they eliminated all the effects of the earthquake. On the outskirts they rebuilt new residential neighborhoods, restored the city center, schools and administrative buildings, cultural and leisure facilities.
With the help of the republics of the Soviet Union, the city not only survived a terrible disaster, but also rebuilt. The earthquake in Tashkent contributed to the development of the city, the area of which after restoration increased by one and a half times. The number of inhabitants has also increased: more than a hundred different nationalities live in the city.
Tashkent: earthquake (1966). Photo and Monuments
In the city center, on Sayilgokh Street, which was previously named after Karl Marx, a large department store was destroyed. On its wall were a large clock that stopped when an earthquake struck. Probably, this particular watch gave the idea of the memorial.
In honor of the decade since the tragedy, an architectural complex “Courage” was built in Tashkent, which was dedicated to the aftermath of the earthquake. The monument was located on the edge of a new residential quarter, built after the earthquake. The composition consists of a cube and a bas-relief in the background. The black labrador stone cube is split into two parts. One shows the dial of the watch - the hands show the time when the earthquake in Tashkent began. On the other half is the date of the tragedy. The rift extends to the foot of the sculpture, which depicts a man covering his chest with a woman and a child.
The base is made of bronze, the broken shape symbolizes the destruction that caused the earthquake in Tashkent in 1966. Seven rays diverge to the sides, leading to 14 steles. Through stelae are installed through bas-reliefs of bronze, which depict people restoring the city.
Until 1992, in Tashkent, in the quarter of Chilanzar, there was another monument to the builders of the city. The memorial was a rectangular pool of marble, and above it was a granite stele, which depicted the coats of arms of the republics of the Soviet Union, helping to rebuild the city after the earthquake. In 1992, the monument was destroyed, the water was lowered from the pool, the coats of arms were removed.
After the earthquake in Tashkent, an organization was created that is engaged in the study of seismological activity. Their activities also include the study of dangerous areas, the causes of earthquakes, and, if possible, the prediction of new shocks. The Institute of Seismology of the Uzbek SSR, now the Republic of Uzbekistan, was created on the basis of the Tashkent Central Seismology Station.