earthquake in kazakhstan essay

Earthquake shakes Kazakhstan's biggest city

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Kazakhstan climate change and disaster risk profile

Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world. It is an upper-middle-income country with a population of 18.7 million. Nursultan (capital) and Almaty are the country’s major cities. The geographical terrain is 90% flat with high mountains located only in the South Eastern and Eastern parts of the country. A leading producer and exporter of wheat in the region, the country is the largest economy of Central Asia, generating 60% of the region's GDP (USAID, 2017). More than 50% of its employment is generated by 4 economic sectors: 16 % by agriculture, forestry and fishery; 15% from repair of vehicles and motorcycles; 13% from the industry sector and 12% from the education sector (Third Biennial Report, 2017).

Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources such as coal, oil and natural gas. Due to its high dependence on coal and oil, the country’s GDP growth is closely correlated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The geographical location and climatic conditions of Kazakhstan make it prone to natural disasters such as floods, mudflows and landslides. According to a World Bank assessment, 75% of the country is at an increasing risk of adverse climate change impact (CCKP World Bank, 2021).

Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world. It is an upper-middle-income country with a population of 18.7 million. Nursultan (capital) and Almaty are the country’s major cities. The geographical terrain is 90% flat with high mountains located only in the South Eastern and Eastern parts of the country. A leading producer and exporter of wheat in the region, the country is the largest economy of Central Asia, generating 60% of the region's GDP (USAID, 2017). More than 50% of its employment is generated by 4 economic sectors: 16 % by agriculture, forestry and fishery; 15% from repair of vehicles and motorcycles; 13% from the industry sector and 12% from the education sector (Third Biennial Report, 2017).

Kazakhstan is rich in natural resources such as coal, oil and natural gas. Due to its high dependence on coal and oil, the country’s GDP growth is closely correlated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The geographical location and climatic conditions of Kazakhstan make it prone to natural disasters such as floods, mudflows and landslides. According to a World Bank assessment, 75% of the country is at an increasing risk of adverse climate change impact (CCKP World Bank, 2021).

For more information, please download the paper.

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Kazakhstan Committed to Improve Seismic Safety

By Dana Omirgazy in Nation on 6 July 2024

ASTANA – Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov signed a comprehensive development plan for the seismological industry for 2024-2028 on July 5.

Photo credit: Francesco Scatena/Shutterstock

According to the Prime Minister’s press service, the document provides for implementing a wide range of measures to strengthen the country’s seismological safety. 

The country plans to develop 15 seismic zoning maps, which will allow to predict 70% of earthquake sources in earthquake-prone regions. These maps will also become the basis for the certification of buildings and structures in these territories and the development of new building standards.

“Certification will make it possible to identify the most vulnerable construction locations and prioritize efforts to decrease seismic risk of operation. Examples include seismic reinforcement, protection or removal of valuable equipment, change of purpose, and others,” the statement reads.

It is also planned to install 285 seismic stations and repair and equip the existing 70 stations to produce a high-quality forecast of seismic hazards in the Almaty Region and other at-risk areas of the country. 

According to the document, the country will strengthen control over building construction and operation, improve monitoring methods, and provide seismology specialists with modern equipment and technical means.

As a result of implementing the comprehensive plan, the country’s administration intends to enhance the protection of citizens, structures and infrastructure in earthquake-prone areas throughout the country.

The government prioritizes seismic safety in the country, as seismic zones cover around 40% of Kazakhstan’s territory.

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The importance of earthquake preparedness, mitigation and resiliency

Several experts from the Nazarbayev University , Kazakhstan share their views here on the importance of earthquake preparedness, mitigation and resiliency

Throughout history, earthquakes have caused extensive damage in users areas with complex infrastructures and a high population density. Over the past century, millions of people have lost their lives due to earthquakes with many of those deaths occurring in the continental interiors.

Although regions and cities on continental interiors experience earthquakes less often than those along plate boundaries, this leads to a lack of effective action and preparation for earthquakes as the memory of such events fades over long periods of time. Earthquakes are particularly devastating in more built-up areas, such as large cities, as the destruction caused to buildings leads to higher injuries and fatalities as well as immense financial damage.

This is particularly true of Central Asia and the Tien Shan region; over the past century, the Central Asian cities of Ashgabat, Tashkent, Almaty and Dushanbe have experienced particularly devastating earthquakes. Despite relatively few destructive earthquakes in recent times, numerous faults in this region mean that hazard awareness remains high.

Due to the damage and fatalities earthquakes can cause in these highly-populated and built-up areas, the estimation of seismic activity in urban areas is important in all earthquake-prone regions, including Central Asia. Increased earthquake-induced damages in cities are often a result of local geological conditions and soil properties, as well as surface topography and the presence of lakes or other soft deposits. These geological properties combined with the high vulnerability of buildings can result in extreme disasters and high death tolls during earthquakes.

Seismic microzonation

Densely-populated cities can prepare for and mitigate the effects of earthquakes through seismic microzonation. This would involve seismologists dividing cities into specific microzones depending on-site effects and soil properties of each area. The objective of seismic microzonation is to provide estimates of the hazard for each microzone due to earthquakes shaking; for example, determining zones in large cities where buildings will suffer the most and least damage. This is necessary as an earthquake is felt differently throughout a city based on factors, such as distance from the epicentre and type of buildings and type of soil; damage will be more severe for buildings constructed on soft soil as it is less stable than those built on hard rock.

The idea behind microzonation is to develop building codes specific to different areas within a city so that new buildings can be constructed accordingly. The identification of the complex underground structures of the cities can be challenging, but it is necessary for assessing the risk of the effects of earthquakes. By analysing the characteristics of the ground conditions, we can better assess the specific effects earthquakes will have on a region and establish microzones.

In order to be able to predict the essential consequences of earthquakes, we need to develop a physically-based ground-motion prediction methodology incorporated with probabilistic seismic hazard analyses (PSHA). Compared to empirical ground-motion predictions, the simulation methodology is derived from physics and source, path and site effects through statistical approaches. This provides much more flexible and better-suited solutions, especially in complex city environments. Thus, it allows for rapid solutions that would be valid for many earthquake-affected areas, including Central Asia.

The Central Asian network of strong-motion services has continued to develop and grow with a number of programmes, including the Central Asian Seismic Network of CAIAG and the ACROSS Strong Motion Network, emerging over the past decade. Different countries, such as the U.S., Japan, China and some other countries located in seismic active zones, have cooperated on the registration of ground motion fluctuations, buildings and constructions during strong earthquakes.

However, a database of engineering- seismological records on strong ground-motions and new methods for processing and analysing data should be developed through international cooperation. This database would (1) support engineers and seismologists in evaluating the seismic risk of an area; (2) determine the parameters of strong earthquakes and; (3) develop methods for calculating seismic effects. This will increase the reliability of future buildings and structures and influence how buildings are adapted to mitigate the effects of earthquakes, ultimately reducing structural damage.

Finally, the seismic microzonation of densely-populated cities and physically-based ground-motion simulation incorporated with PSHA based on the extensive database compiled through international cooperation will be significantly useful for predicting and mitigating the effects of earthquakes in the future.

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Seasonality in Site Response: An Example from Two Historical Earthquakes in Kazakhstan

During the past 150 yr, the city of Almaty (formerly Verny) in Kazakhstan has suffered significant damage due to several large earthquakes. The 9 June 1887 Mw 7.3 Verny earthquake occurred at a time when the city mainly consisted of adobe buildings with a population of 30,000, with it being nearly totally destroyed with 300 deaths. The 3 January 1911 Mw 7.8 Kemin earthquake caused 390 deaths, with 44 in Verny itself. Remarkably, this earthquake, which occurred around 40 km from Verny, caused significant soil deformation and ground failure in the city. A crucial step toward preparing for future events, mitigating against earthquake risk, and defining opti- mal engineering designs, involves undertaking site response studies. With regard to this, we investigate the possibility that the extreme ground failure observed after the 1911 Kemin earthquake could have been enhanced by the presence of a shal- low frozen ground layer that may have inhibited the drainage of pore pressure excess through the surface, therefore inducing liquefaction at depth. We make use of information collected regarding the soil conditions around the city at the time of the earthquakes, the results from seismic noise analysis, borehole data, and surface temperature data. From these datasets, we estimated the necessary parameters for evaluating the dynamic properties of the soil in this area. We successively characterize the corresponding sediment layers at the sites of the observed liquefaction. Although the estimated soil parameters are not optimally constrained, the dynamic analysis, carried out using selected strong-motion recordings that are expected to be com- patible with the two considered events, indicated that the extensive ground failure that occurred during the Kemin event could be due to the presence of a superficial frozen soil layer. Our results indicate that for this region, possible seasonal effects should, therefore, be considered when undertaking site effect studies.

Related Papers

Robert Kayen

The preceding companion paper presented the updating of the seismic soil liquefaction triggering relationship of Cetin et al. [1], and compared the resulting updated relationship with the earlier version. In this second paper, a detailed cross-comparison is made between three triggering relationships: (1) Seed et al. [2], as slightly updated by the NCEER Working Group (Youd et al. [3]), (2) Boulanger and Idriss [4], and (3) Cetin et al. [5]. Differences between these three triggering relationships, and the apparent causes of them are examined. Also studied are the impacts of these differences on levels of conservatism with regard to evaluation of liquefaction triggering hazard, and the resulting risks for engineering projects.

Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering

kemal beyen

A. Bidokhti

Abstract. In this investigation, relations between the ground’s thermal properties and 70 earthquakes with a magnitude>4 Richter in the Alborz region during a pe-riod of 12 years (1992 to 2004) were studied. Typical changes of ground temperature, 0.4 ◦C; thermal diffusivity, 0.028 m2 s−1×10−6 and ground heat flux take place a few hours prior to the earthquakes. The values of thermal dif-fusivity depend on the ground moisture content, which may change during seismic activities. The analysis of ground heat flux from the epicentre and it’s surrounding regions show some anomalous behavior before the earthquakes but with different signs in the areas close to the sea and far away from the sea. The changes of the ground’s thermal properties prior to the earthquakes in the Alborz region are attributed to the in-crease in seismic activities in the epicentre and it’s surround-ing regions. The anomalous behavior in the ground thermal properties shows great potential in providing early warni...

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and The Environment

Halil Sönmez

The Adana-Ceyhan earthquake (Ms=6.2) occurred in the southern part of Turkey on 27 June 1998 and resulted in the loss of 145 lives and extensive damage to buildings in Ceyhan town and the settlement areas in its vicinity. Soil liquefaction, ground failure due to lateral spreading and rock falls occurred. The area of Adana is characterised by a large alluvial basin with a delta shape. Most of the basin is filled with Quaternary recent Holocene deposits. The recent rapid deposition of sediments and the very shallow groundwater table throughout the basin create conditions conducive to liquefaction. The results of a preliminary investigation of soil liquefaction caused by the earthquake and liquefaction assessments based on field performance data are presented together with evaluations concerning the likely contribution of the soils to the damage sustained by buildings. The results of the liquefaction susceptibility analysis indicated that the data from the liquefied sites were within the empirical bounds suggested by the field-performance evaluation method. It was also shown that shallow sand layers should have liquefied and the surface disruption observed on the site could be predicted by the bounds used for the relationships between the thickness of liquefiable sediments and the overlying non-liquefiable soil. Site-response analyses based on acceleration response spectra from the actual earthquake's strong motion records revealed that soil behaviour was one of the most significant factors in the damage to buildings caused by the earthquake. Le tremblement de terre de Adana-Ceyhan survenu au sud de la Turquie le 27 juin 1998 á cause la perte de 145 vies humaines, des dommages étendus aux édifices dans la district de Ceyhan et la subsidence des alentours. La liquéfaction du sol, des mouvements latéraux de terrain et des choutes rocheuse sont aussi survenus dans la district. Dans cet article, les resultats d'une étude préliminaire de la liquéfaction du sol causée par le tremblement de terre, l'évaluation des liquéfaction basées sur les données terrain expérimentale ainsi que la contribution possible du sol sur les dommages causées aux édifices sont présentés. La region de Çukurova est un delta caracterisé par une grande plaine alluviale. Le pluspart de la region áété remblayée par des depots récent d'Holocène de l'aire Quaternaire. L'accumulation rapide des sédiments récents ainsi que la faible profoundeur de la nappe superfacielle dans le bassin a conduit à des conditions favorables à l'apparition de liquéfaction du sol. Les resultats des analyses de susceptibilité de liquéfaction ont montré que les données provenant des sites du sol liquéfiés sont dans les limites empiriques de la methode d'évaluation des performances de terrain. Il a aussi été montré que des couches de sable peu profondes ont pu étre liquéfiées et que les données provenant des sites avec ruptures de surface ont été predités dans les limités utilisées par les relations entre épaisseur des sediments liquéfiables et l'épaisseur du sol non-liquéfiable des couches supéreures. Les analyses de la response des sites basées ou les spectres de response des accelérations provenant des enregirstements des actuels tremblement de terre, ont revelé que le comportement du sol a été un au des facteurs majeurs sur les dommages des édifices causés par le tremblement de terre.

civil.iisc.ernet.in

Anbazhagan Panjamani

Turan Durgunoğlu , Leslie Youd

Valuable cases were presented regarding seismic performance of the shallow mat foundations of building structures in Adapazari, Turkey, during the 17 August 1999 Kocaeli ͑İzmit͒ earthquake. The authors attributed the occurrence of displacements of various forms and levels of the mats essentially to the liquefaction or cyclic softening of the saturated fine surface soils of ML/CL type, which dominated those sites. Subsequently, through contrasting the presumed field liquefaction to the analysis results, they evalu-ated the predictive capability of field-penetration-testing-based liquefaction triggering procedures. It was concluded that in Adapazari, the soils, though they contained significant amounts of clay-size particles and had grain-size distributions within ranges that were believed not to be susceptible to liquefaction, yet liquefied. Among others, the major drawback of the paper under discus-sion appears to be a priori reasoning of soil liquefaction to explain the observed di...

Ethem Balık

mehmet celebi

Dr. Amartya Kumar Bhattacharya

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Kazakhstan Earthquake Report

• Earthquake List

Map of Latest Earthquakes near Kazakhstan

Recent kazakhstan earthquake news.

These are the latest articles published related to earthquakes occurring near Kazakhstan. Check our Earthquake News section for a complete overview of articles written on earthquakes near Kazakhstan and elsewhere.

Kazakhstan Earthquake Statistics

A total of 827 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of Kazakhstan in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 82 earthquakes per year, or 6 per month. On average an earthquake will hit near Kazakhstan roughly every 4 days.

A relatively large number of earthquakes occurred near Kazakhstan in 2024. A total of 237 earthquakes (mag 4+) were detected within 300 km of Kazakhstan that year. The strongest had a 7 magnitude.

Magnitude Distribution

The table below visualizes the distribution of all earthquakes that occurred within 300km of Kazakhstan in the past 10 years. No earthquakes with a magnitude of 7 or above have occurred near Kazakhstan during this time. Usually, higher magnitudes are less common than lower magnitudes. Small earthquakes with a magnitude below 4 on the Richter scale have been omitted from this overview.

Strongest earthquakes near Kazakhstan

The strongest recent earthquake of the past 10 years near Kazakhstan occurred on Jan 23, 2024 00:09 local time (Asia/Almaty timezone). It had a magnitude of 7 and struck 263 kilometers (163 mi) south-southeast of Almaty , at a depth of 13 km. Discover more strong earthquakes near Kazakhstan in the list below.

A longer time ago, a MAG-8 earthquake struck on Jan 4, 1911 04:33, 38 kilometers (24 mi) south-southeast of Almaty. It is the strongest earthquake near Kazakhstan in the past 124 years (Our data goes back to January 1st, 1900).

In the table below you will find the strongest earthquakes that occurred near Kazakhstan in the past 10 years. You can use the tabs to find the heaviest historic earthquakes since the year 1900 or within a specific year or distance from Kazakhstan.

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions are commonly asked in relation to earthquakes occurring near Kazakhstan.

When was the last earthquake in Kazakhstan?

A 2.6 magnitude earthquake hit near Kazakhstan on the afternoon of July 7, 2024 at 15:54 local time (Asia/Almaty). The center of this earthquake was located 67km south-east of Shymkent at a depth of 0km under land. Check the list on our website for any earthquakes occurring near Kazakhstan in the past hours.

What was the strongest earthquake near Kazakhstan?

A 8 magnitude earthquake hit near Kazakhstan on the night of January 4, 1911 at 04:33 local time (Asia/Almaty). The center of this earthquake was located 38km south-southwest of Almaty at a depth of 20km under land. This is the strongest earthquake that occurred near Kazakhstan since the year 1900.

How often do earthquakes occur near Kazakhstan?

In the past 10 years, 827 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from Kazakhstan. This averages to 83 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 4 days.

Reliable earthquake data sourced from multiple organizations, including:

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Kazakhstan’s Government Under Fire for Sloppy Earthquake Response

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The emergency response system did not work properly, top officials said.

The Minister for Emergency Situations in Kazakhstan faces a possible layoff after the departments under his ministry performed poorly in response to an earthquake that rattled the population in the south of the country.

On January 25, during a meeting on seismic safety in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reprimanded Minister Syrym Sharipkhanov, who was appointed only in June 2023 . According to Tokayev, the response was inadequate and impractical.

Almaty is Kazakhstan’s largest city and the most affected by the recent wave of earthquakes that shook the region over the course of four days. At the epicenter of the quakes, in China’s Xinjiang region, the sensors showed a magnitude of 7.1. At least three people died in China as a result of the earthquake. 

In Kazakhstan, a few dozen people reported minor injuries. Some tried to escape their homes by jumping out of windows.

This, according to Tokayev, was a symptom of both the authorities’ and the people’s unpreparedness.

“Frankly speaking, during the emergency situation in Almaty, the relevant authorities were not fully prepared for an immediate response. The residents were confused, and did not know how to behave. Most people didn’t even have their ‘emergency suitcases’ ready. This should be taught to children in kindergartens and schools,” Tokayev said .

SMS alerts took several hours to reach residents’ cell phones, according to Vice Minister of Digital Development Askhat Orazbekov. He passed the buck to the telecom companies.

Around 800 people called the hotline of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in the initial hours after the earthquake, while thousands left their homes in a panic and flooded the roads of Almaty, worsening all-too-familiar traffic jams.

Aftershocks were felt in the following days, contributing to fear among the population.

Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov also linked the injuries suffered by people who were trying to escape their homes with the slow response from the authorities. 

“Without timely information and clear instructions, people panicked. Their rash actions, such as jumping from the second or third floor, caused suffering,” Smailov said , while noting that the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the local government failed to coordinate.

The reaction of the people to the government’s confused first response was of anger.

In 2022, the government of Almaty signed a contract for the procurement of an automated early warning system for earthquakes with a company that local media linked to Nurali Aliyev . Aliyev is the son of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s eldest daughter Dariga. 

After the recent earthquake, the Ministry of Digital Development said they would implement an instant notification system. This is essentially the promise of a duplicate of what was already supposed to be in place, critics said.

Pictures of cracks in walls and other minor structural damage popped up in social media, alongside  statements of fear and distress. News about Almaty’s distance from the epicenter was also distributed after citizens checked global earthquake websites and later confirmed by the local authorities.

At every emergency situation, be it forest fires or a methane leak , the Kazakh authorities try to shift responsibility for the response onto careless people, negligent companies, or local departments. Individual culprits are found and punished, leaving potential threats unattended and broader bureaucratic and governance failures unaddressed.

While Tokayev keeps reshuffling ministers, the next natural or industrial crisis looms around the corner, and Kazakhstan’s authorities continue to lack the necessary capabilities to face it.

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Recent Earthquakes Near Kazakhstan

• Recent Quakes
• Biggest Quakes
• The Middle East
• Tashkent, Toshkent Shahri, Uzbekistan
• Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
• Almaty, Almaty Qalasy, Kazakhstan
• Kabul, Afghanistan
• Sant Julià de Loria
• Eastern Kazakhstan
• Kazakhstan Xinjiang Border
• Central Kazakhstan
• Southern Xinjiang, China
• Eastern Uzbekistan
• Northwestern Kashmir
• Northern Xinjiang, China
• Russia Kazakhstan Border
• Southwestern Siberia, Russia
• Russia Xinjiang Border
• Western Uzbekistan
• Hindu Kush, Afghanistan

Kazakhstan has had: (M1.5 or greater)

• 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours
• 0 earthquakes in the past 7 days
• 3 earthquakes in the past 30 days
• 75 earthquakes in the past 365 days

The largest earthquake in Kazakhstan:

• this month: 4.4 in Kosonsoy , Namangan , Uzbekistan
• this year: 7.0 in Aykol , Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu , China

4.4 magnitude earthquake

2024-06-19 12:09:43 UTC at 12:09 June 19, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.609, 71.183 49.2 km from Kosonsoy (30.2 miles)

Depth: 10 km

4.0 magnitude earthquake

2024-06-17 20:12:28 UTC at 20:12 June 17, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.375, 72.817 37.2 km from Bazar-Korgon (23.2 miles)

Depth: 13 km

2024-06-16 04:15:53 UTC at 04:15 June 16, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 43.399, 81.47 145.2 km from Zharkent (90.2 miles)

4.3 magnitude earthquake

2024-05-20 18:31:33 UTC at 18:31 May 20, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.59, 78.916 106.2 km from Ak-Suu (65.2 miles)

5.1 magnitude earthquake

2024-05-20 05:10:23 UTC at 05:10 May 20, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 40.178, 76.956 116.2 km from Kashgar (72.2 miles)

Depth: 27 km

2024-05-06 04:12:56 UTC at 04:12 May 06, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 42.715, 79.266 34.2 km from Kegen (21.2 miles)

Depth: 9 km

2024-04-28 11:31:09 UTC at 11:31 April 28, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.395, 79.006 106.2 km from Aykol (66.2 miles)

Depth: 6 km

2024-04-22 19:09:43 UTC at 19:09 April 22, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 46.232, 53.331 25.2 km from Qaraton (15.2 miles)

Western Kazakhstan

2024-04-18 00:23:36 UTC at 00:23 April 18, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.304, 78.807 118.2 km from Aykol (73.2 miles)

4.6 magnitude earthquake

2024-04-14 13:51:01 UTC at 13:51 April 14, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.384, 78.591 116.2 km from Kyzyl-Suu (72.2 miles)

2024-03-15 02:47:16 UTC at 02:47 March 15, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.38, 78.298 109.2 km from Kyzyl-Suu (68.2 miles)

2024-03-06 00:09:59 UTC at 00:09 March 06, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.313, 78.692 127.2 km from Aykol (79.2 miles)

5.3 magnitude earthquake

2024-03-04 06:22:04 UTC at 06:22 March 04, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 42.903, 76.971 29.2 km from Cholpon-Ata (18.2 miles)

2024-02-26 17:46:04 UTC at 17:46 February 26, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.29, 78.723 124.2 km from Aykol (77.2 miles)

2024-02-21 18:26:45 UTC at 18:26 February 21, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.395, 78.682 119.2 km from Kyzyl-Suu (74.2 miles)

2024-02-18 08:59:15 UTC at 08:59 February 18, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.424, 78.913 114.2 km from Aykol (71.2 miles)

5.0 magnitude earthquake

2024-02-15 03:52:40 UTC at 03:52 February 15, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.275, 78.826 115.2 km from Aykol (71.2 miles)

4.1 magnitude earthquake

2024-02-12 15:52:52 UTC at 15:52 February 12, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.337, 78.712 126.2 km from Kyzyl-Suu (78.2 miles)

4.9 magnitude earthquake

2024-02-11 04:57:13 UTC at 04:57 February 11, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.288, 78.733 123.2 km from Aykol (76.2 miles)

2024-02-11 03:03:37 UTC at 03:03 February 11, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.273, 78.764 120.2 km from Aykol (74.2 miles)

4.8 magnitude earthquake

2024-02-10 08:25:01 UTC at 08:25 February 10, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 50.888, 84.378 27.2 km from Ust’-Kan (16.2 miles)

Depth: 44 km

2024-02-03 08:36:30 UTC at 08:36 February 03, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.342, 78.698 125.2 km from Kyzyl-Suu (77.2 miles)

2024-01-31 19:21:27 UTC at 19:21 January 31, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.344, 78.742 124.2 km from Aykol (77.2 miles)

2024-01-30 01:44:58 UTC at 01:44 January 30, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.259, 78.75 121.2 km from Aykol (75.2 miles)

2024-01-29 23:30:55 UTC at 23:30 January 29, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.3, 78.602 125.2 km from Kyzyl-Suu (78.2 miles)

5.7 magnitude earthquake

2024-01-29 22:27:41 UTC at 22:27 January 29, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.187, 78.716 122.2 km from Aykol (75.2 miles)

2024-01-28 09:52:20 UTC at 09:52 January 28, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.489, 78.312 114.2 km from Kyzyl-Suu (71.2 miles)

2024-01-27 09:03:05 UTC at 09:03 January 27, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.291, 78.633 127.2 km from Kyzyl-Suu (79.2 miles)

Depth: 11 km

2024-01-26 12:05:37 UTC at 12:05 January 26, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.283, 78.87 112.2 km from Aykol (69.2 miles)

2024-01-26 11:40:45 UTC at 11:40 January 26, 2024 UTC

Location: Epicenter at 41.258, 78.805 116.2 km from Aykol (72.2 miles)

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Earthquake Essay for Students and Children

500+ Words Essay on Earthquake

Simply speaking, Earthquake means the shaking of the Earth’s surface. It is a sudden trembling of the surface of the Earth. Earthquakes certainly are a terrible natural disaster. Furthermore, Earthquakes can cause huge damage to life and property. Some Earthquakes are weak in nature and probably go unnoticed. In contrast, some Earthquakes are major and violent. The major Earthquakes are almost always devastating in nature. Most noteworthy, the occurrence of an Earthquake is quite unpredictable. This is what makes them so dangerous.

Types of Earthquake

Tectonic Earthquake: The Earth’s crust comprises of the slab of rocks of uneven shapes. These slab of rocks are tectonic plates. Furthermore, there is energy stored here. This energy causes tectonic plates to push away from each other or towards each other. As time passes, the energy and movement build up pressure between two plates.

Therefore, this enormous pressure causes the fault line to form. Also, the center point of this disturbance is the focus of the Earthquake. Consequently, waves of energy travel from focus to the surface. This results in shaking of the surface.

Volcanic Earthquake: This Earthquake is related to volcanic activity. Above all, the magnitude of such Earthquakes is weak. These Earthquakes are of two types. The first type is Volcano-tectonic earthquake. Here tremors occur due to injection or withdrawal of Magma. In contrast, the second type is Long-period earthquake. Here Earthquake occurs due to the pressure changes among the Earth’s layers.

Collapse Earthquake: These Earthquakes occur in the caverns and mines. Furthermore, these Earthquakes are of weak magnitude. Undergrounds blasts are probably the cause of collapsing of mines. Above all, this collapsing of mines causes seismic waves. Consequently, these seismic waves cause an Earthquake.

Explosive Earthquake: These Earthquakes almost always occur due to the testing of nuclear weapons. When a nuclear weapon detonates, a big blast occurs. This results in the release of a huge amount of energy. This probably results in Earthquakes.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Effects of Earthquakes

First of all, the shaking of the ground is the most notable effect of the Earthquake. Furthermore, ground rupture also occurs along with shaking. This results in severe damage to infrastructure facilities. The severity of the Earthquake depends upon the magnitude and distance from the epicenter. Also, the local geographical conditions play a role in determining the severity. Ground rupture refers to the visible breaking of the Earth’s surface.

Another significant effect of Earthquake is landslides. Landslides occur due to slope instability. This slope instability happens because of Earthquake.

Earthquakes can cause soil liquefaction. This happens when water-saturated granular material loses its strength. Therefore, it transforms from solid to a liquid. Consequently, rigid structures sink into the liquefied deposits.

Earthquakes can result in fires. This happens because Earthquake damages the electric power and gas lines. Above all, it becomes extremely difficult to stop a fire once it begins.

Earthquakes can also create the infamous Tsunamis. Tsunamis are long-wavelength sea waves. These sea waves are caused by the sudden or abrupt movement of large volumes of water. This is because of an Earthquake in the ocean. Above all, Tsunamis can travel at a speed of 600-800 kilometers per hour. These tsunamis can cause massive destruction when they hit the sea coast.

In conclusion, an Earthquake is a great and terrifying phenomenon of Earth. It shows the frailty of humans against nature. It is a tremendous occurrence that certainly shocks everyone. Above all, Earthquake lasts only for a few seconds but can cause unimaginable damage.

FAQs on Earthquake

Q1 Why does an explosive Earthquake occurs?

A1 An explosive Earthquake occurs due to the testing of nuclear weapons.

Q2 Why do landslides occur because of Earthquake?

A2 Landslides happen due to slope instability. Most noteworthy, this slope instability is caused by an Earthquake.

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Kazakhstan: drought - emergency plan of action (epoa) dref operation n° mdrkz010, attachments.

A. Situation analysis

In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the heatwave that began in June 2021 in the Southern and Western regions of the country (Kyzylorda, Mangystau and Turkestan provinces) led to record temperatures1 up to 46.5℃ (recorded on 7 July) in the area with a baseline average of 28.3℃.

This has seriously affected the main livestock farms. According to the local meteorological service "Kazhydromet", the influx of hot and dry air masses from the region of Iran preserves abnormally hot weather on the territory of most of the Republic of Kazakhstan. According to the data provided by the Global Drought Observatory (GDO), a high risk of drought and arid conditions are observed in several regions of the country (Mangystau, Turkestan, Kyzylorda). (see Map 2)

As a result of the abnormally high air temperature in various country regions, rapid runoff of rivers and reservoirs occurs. As a result, the soil dries up to a depth of 50 cm, which causes a lack of vegetation and natural feed on pastures. Due to the impossibility of grazing livestock, the minimum reserves of feed and water are exhausted, which leads to the mass death of animals. To date, the end of more than 2,000 units of livestock has been recorded in the target regions, and this figure is increasing every day. In addition, crops are also being destroyed by the heat, which can potentially2 lead to a major food crisis in several regions of the country, where cattle are a key object of vital activity due to the geographical and climatic features of the southern and western parts of Kazakhstan. The death of livestock and crops in the three regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Mangistau, Kyzylorda and Turkestan regions, see Picture 2) causes severe damage to the local population since animal husbandry is the only source of income and constitutes a vital activity.

According to statistics, more deaths occur in arid regions. The climate is especially harmful to older people, as it increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Some families resort to harmful coping practices, such as cutting and selling the meat of already dead animals, which leads to various diseases. Natural drought is the cause of a sharp reduction in water entering the root system of cultivated crops. At the same time, the ratio between transpiration (evaporation of moisture by the plant) and the inflow of water from the ground changes. The water saturation of plant tissues drops sharply, photosynthesis and carbon balance are disturbed. Rivers and lakes are drying up; there is no drinking water for the livestock. The remaining water sources become polluted, and the population risks not having access to clean drinking water, especially in remote villages. In the example of the Kyzylorda region, the state plans to dig 15 wells for the population who have lost access to safe water. With a slow onset of drought, subsistence farmers are more likely to migrate because they do not have alternative food and income sources, or alternatively face hunger, poverty and an increased risk of mortality. There are no alternative sources of income-generating activities in these regions. Eighty per cent of the population takes out loans to raise livestock; however, with the death of livestock, the population does not have the opportunity to pay off loans and provide their family with basic needs.

The drought has greatly affected the food security of the regions, which leads to cheaper livestock and higher prices for feed, food and drinking water, which are used to ensure the vital activity of the population. Therefore, the possible negative consequences due to the sharp deterioration of the socio-economic situation include the lack of adequate nutrition.

The desiccation of the soil and grass litter also leads to an increased risk of fires. This year alone, more than 1,000 hectares of land caught fire on the territory of the Karaganda region due to drought, which in turn led to the death of 1 person and 200 heads of cattle.

In addition, the rural population is spread out on a sizeable territory with low population density, unsatisfactory road transport, poorly developed communication links, including telecommunications, is negatively affected and is facing constraints to access timely, affordable, qualified and high-quality specialized medical care.

According to the Turkestan branch of the Red Crescent of Kazakhstan, in all seven regions where there was a drought, outpatient care is organized through paramedic visiting teams from nearby district centres, that is, there are no medical organizations in these villages, and assistance is provided by inviting paramedics from the nearest district centres. Also, the Mangystau regional branch confirmed the availability of outpatient care in all towns.

According to residents, at the initial stages of the drought, there were cases when the meat of diseased cattle was used for cooking. As a result, there was an increase in the incidence of acute intestinal infections. Since the abnormal heatwave began relatively recently, there is no information on those who fell ill due to the drought. However, the risk of developing infectious and non-communicable diseases in the villages remains high. Abnormal heat can worsen the health status of people with chronic diseases and older people, the probability of getting heatstroke also remaining high. Even though the local authorities are taking all measures to destroy the products of dead livestock, the use of the meat of a sick animal for food is not excluded.

The situation is complicated because animal breeders have a considerable number of bank loans for breeding livestock, which is currently dying. Accordingly, to compensate for their losses and continue their lives, pastoralists need a free and gratuitous supply of large volumes of feed to preserve the number of the remaining livestock until the end of the drought (end of September). However, despite the measures taken by the state, there is still a shortage of feed in the region. Therefore, on behalf of the President, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan temporarily restricted the export of feed to support farmers and households suffering from drought.

In the Aral region of the Kyzylorda region, due to drought and acute shortage of feed, a state of emergency was introduced on 14 July. 3 The last time a state of emergency was declared on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan was in the Kazakh SSR in 1975. The decision to introduce an emergency regime in the Turkestan and Mangistau regions is being considered by the Ministry of Emergency Situations and local executive bodies. In the latter two regions, written requests for assistance were sent from the administration of these regions dated July 19.

As the situation with the spread of COVID-19 worsens, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan predicts a peak in the incidence rate in August 2021, leading to an increase in possible restrictive measures to prevent the spread of the infection. Currently, there is a ban on holding mass events, and there are restrictions on the operation of some retail and non-retail outlets. In addition, a project called "Ashyq" was launched in Kazakhstan, which allows tracking potential contact persons quickly and monitoring compliance with quarantine measures.

In general, the epidemiological situation in the country remains tense with a tendency to worsen; 5,179 new cases of the disease were registered only over the past day. There are 15 regions of Kazakhstan categorized ‘red’, including Almaty and Nur-Sultan.

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ALMATY (Reuters) – An earthquake jolted Kazakhstan’s biggest city of Almaty on Monday, sending dozens of people scurrying to safety outdoors as sirens went off.

The quake of magnitude estimated at about 5 in Almaty by Kazakhstan’s emergencies ministry, was also felt in Bishkek, the capital of neighbouring Kyrgyzstan.

(Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibilty for its content.

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Seismic Analysis of Dams and Levees: Papers and Presentations at the 18th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering (WCEE 2024), Milan, Italy

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Jajaira Gonzalez and Jahmal Harvey aim to revive U.S. reputation in Olympic boxing

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There was a time when the U.S. dominated Olympic boxing. In the three Summer Games the Americans took part in between 1976 and 1988, U.S. fighters made the podium in 26 of 35 divisions, winning 17 gold medals.

Among the boxers who won Olympic titles, then went on to win world championships as professionals, were Sugar Ray Leonard , Michael and Leon Spinks and Pernell Whitaker .

But lately? Not so much. The U.S. has won only 10 medals since 2004 — or one fewer than it won in 1984 alone. And Claressa Shields , a two-time women’s middleweight champion, is the only American to strike gold in that span.

That could change this summer. Although none of the eight boxers the U.S. is sending to Paris have fought in the Olympics , at least half are solid medal contenders. Their success will rest in large part on the draw to determine the bracket for each weight class, which is held the night before the first bout.

For women’s lightweight Jajaira Gonzalez and men’s featherweight Jahmal Harvey , it’s unlikely their paths through the brackets will be more challenging than the ones they took to get to Paris in the first place.

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For Gonzalez, a three-time world junior champion as a teenager, the Olympics offer an opportunity for redemption after a three-year career pause.

“I was blessed with a second chance that not a lot of people get,” the Glendora native said. “I feel like this was destined for me, like I was supposed to be here.”

Gonzalez was supposed to make her Olympic debut eight years ago in Rio. But she was upset by Mikaela Mayer in the U.S. trials, losing a split decision in the deciding bout and failing to make the team. That started a downward spiral in which Gonzalez began to skip training and saw her mental health deteriorate while she gained 35 pounds.

She hit rock bottom in the 2018 national championship where she lost her first fight. She wouldn’t box again for more than three years.

“It was a lot of mental stuff. I just needed a break,” Gonzalez said. “I used to be the type of person that used to think that mental stuff was, like, weak. Until it happened to me.”

Gonzalez dealt with anxiety attacks, so she started seeing a therapist and keeping a journal. Slowly she began to emerge from what she calls “a very dark time in my life.”

“I’ve grown so much mentally,” she said. “I feel like I’ve been through the worst already. Any little setback that I have now, it’s like I’ve learned from that and it’s easier for me to push it to the side and keep moving forward.

“Instead of staying in that dark hole where I’m just feeling sorry for myself, now I’m like ‘OK, this bad thing happened but how can I make it positive?’ Control what you can control, F what you can’t.”

That mindset helped push Gonzalez, 27, to a bronze medal at 60 kilograms (132 pounds) at last fall’s Pan American Games. She had started her comeback at 63.5 kilograms (140 pounds) but returned to her old weight after finishing ninth at the 2022 world championships as a super lightweight.

Gonzalez’s father, Jose, was a fighter in his native Mexico, although he didn’t push his children into the sport. But when his two eldest sons fell in love with boxing and asked their father to train them, he chose to make it a family affair, inviting Jajaira to tag along on the trips to the gym.

Now Gonzalez’s family will be following her to Paris, where she hopes to become the first American to medal in the women’s lightweight division. Just stepping into the ring, however, will qualify as a victory given what she has been through.

“I never thought I wouldn’t be boxing again. Boxing’s all I’ve known since I was 8 years old,” she said. “This is my life. This is what I love to do.

“Now that I think about it, now that I look back, I do feel like maybe I was too young. Now that I’m older, I’m more mature. Everything I went through, I feel like it kind of prepared me and I feel like this is my moment now.”

Harvey, who will compete at 57 kilograms (127 pounds) in Paris, was pushed into boxing by Daryl Davis, a former football coach who thought Harvey was too small for the gridiron but knew he was pretty good at fighting.

“He knew that I got into a lot of fights growing up,” Harvey said. “He and my parents grew up together in the same neighborhood, went to the same high school. So when I would get in trouble in school for fighting, he [knew].

“Once he started getting to coach in boxing, he wanted to transfer me over.”

That proved to be a pretty good decision since Harvey, who grew up just outside Washington, won his first national Junior Olympics title at 13. Five years later he became the first American male to win a title at the elite world championships since 2007, beating defending world champion Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov of Uzbekistan in the second round before dispatching Olympians Samuel Kistohurry of France and Serik Temirzhanov of Kazakhstan.

He followed that with a gold medal in the Pan American Games last fall and now Harvey, 21, is considered by many to be the best amateur boxer in the U.S. He’s certainly the best hope to win a medal, although Olympic teammates Joshua Edwards (super heavyweight) and Roscoe Hill (flyweight) have both medaled in international competition and are good bets to make the podium in Paris.

One of the first things Davis taught Harvey when they began working together was that he was safer being punched in the ring than he was being hit on the football field. It wasn’t a lesson the youngster immediately appreciated.

“I didn’t think nothing of boxing. I was always football,” Harvey said.

Jajaira González aseguró su boleto a París 2024 con EEUU tras superar retos mentales 

Jajaira, de Glendora, se convirtió en la primera boxeadora estadounidense en clasificar este año a los Juegos Olímpicos de París 2024

Dec. 22, 2023

But he weighed about 85 pounds when he entered high school, which caused him to reconsider.

“I just weighed my options,” he said. “I was like yeah, I really love football. But I’m a realistic person and I know that I can make it way further in boxing than I could in football.

“I just knew boxing would be my sport.”

Yet for all his success, Harvey said his path to Paris was paved with a three-bout losing streak that started six months after his world championship win.

“It was important for me to lose so that I could work on the aspects of my game that I lacked,” said Harvey, who is 59-7 in his career. “And it wasn’t really anything inside the ring. It was everything outside the ring. Being away from family, mentally that was draining. Training all the time.

“I got a better diet, and then I started recovering better so my body could perform.”

As Harvey grew, he began to cut weight for the first time. So he experimented with a vegetarian diet. but that left him with low energy. Eventually he added fish and found a combination that worked.

“I had to learn what foods to eat and how to get the right nutrition,” he said.

He also sought more balance between his life inside and outside the ring.

“It’s very important to not let [boxing] run your life,” he said. “I just let it be fun, let it come to me naturally. I put in a lot of work in the gym, so I know that OK, I can still go out, watch a movie, hang with friends.

“The gold medal, definitely that’s what I’m working to achieve. But I’m not stressing about the gold medal. I know it’s going to come to me if I put the work in. I’m just so proud of myself for even making it there.”

And if he becomes the second American male to win a boxing gold this century after Andre Ward earned one in 2004, would he follow Ward into the pro ring and cash in on all that work?

“If I win the gold medal, I might want to come back and become a two-time gold medalist,” he said.

That would be an even bigger achievement. The Americans haven’t had a man do that since 1904.

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