SEISMICITY of the NORTHERN CAUCASUS in 2020

Abstract

Seismic monitoring of the territory of the Northern Caucasus in 2020 was carried out by a seismic network of 63 stations. The seismic network provided representative registration of earthquakes with KR≥7.0 in most of the territory, in its central (including the Greater Sochi region) and eastern parts – with KR≥6.0, and in some local zones – with KR≥5.5. In general, 3685 earthquakes were recorded in the region and its environs. 16 earthquakes were felt in the Caucasus settlements, 26 of them occurred in the North Caucasus region. The maximum shaking intensity Imax=5–6 according the MSK-64 was noted from the earthquake on December 12 with KR=12.9 on the territory of the Chechen Republic (Tersk-Caspian forward trough). On the territory of Ossetia (Greater Caucasus), the Verkhne Fiagdon earthquake of January 26 with KR=11.1 occurred. It was felt in populated areas up to I=4–5. Two notice able earthquakes were registered in the Black Sea: on September 1 with KR=10.8 and on December 12 with KR=10.5. They were felt in Krasnodar Region with intensity up to I=5 and I=4–5 respectively. In accordance with the seismicity level scale "SOUS-09", seismicity of the North Caucasus in 2018–2019 is set as a "background average" for the observation period from 1962 to 2020.