High-risk earthquake areas need response plans

Mountain rocks rolled into a house in Cao Dong commune, Long Son district in Hoa Binh province following an earthquake on March 25 in My Duc district. Photo tuoitre.vn

Hoi Ne – In recent years, earthquakes have occurred frequently in Vietnam and they seem to be on the rise. Therefore, one expert said that communities in high-risk earthquake areas need to understand this type of natural disaster and develop proactive response plans.

Since the beginning of 2024, Vietnam has experienced 135 earthquakes in many regions. They were all small earthquakes, ranging in magnitude from 2.5 to 4.1.

Notably, earthquakes occur almost daily in the Kon Plung area of ​​Kon Tum Province in the Central Highlands, with sometimes seven or eight tremors occurring in one day.

Earthquakes have also been recorded in other areas across the country, including areas where they were previously rare, such as Mu Duc district in Ha Noi, and Ninh Binh and Yien Bai provinces.

Nguyen Xuan Anh, director of the Institute of Geophysics at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, said that most of the earthquakes in 2024 were caused by human activities, especially hydropower operations.

A few of the earthquakes were tectonic, occurring along natural fault zones.

Data from the Institute of Geophysics showed a significant increase in the occurrence of earthquakes over the past five years. Specifically, there were 52 earthquakes in 2019, 98 in 2020, 183 in 2021, 293 in 2022, and 353 in 2023.

In particular, from 2021 to 2023, the number of earthquakes has increased three to six or seven times compared to 2019. This rise is mainly due to the increased number of earthquakes caused by hydroelectric reservoir operations.

Recent data also showed that the northwestern region experiences the strongest earthquakes in the country due to several natural fault zones.

According to the Institute of Geophysics' map of earthquake risk areas, Vietnam is not close to this border but is located on the Eurasian plate, making its geology more stable. Earthquakes in Vietnam are usually of medium magnitude and less destructive compared to those near plate boundaries.

The strongest earthquakes possible in Vietnam can reach a magnitude of 7.5, with a historical record of a 6.8 magnitude earthquake. These occur primarily in the northwest region and Nghe An province.

In other areas such as Kon Tum and major cities such as Ha Ni, Da Nong and HCM City, potential earthquake magnitudes are likely to range from 5.0 to 5.9. Elsewhere in the country, earthquakes are generally mild, with a magnitude of less than 5.0.

Most earthquakes in Vietnam range in magnitude from 5.0 to 5.9, causing minor structural damage such as shaking of houses and minor cracks in walls.

Recently, some earthquakes have occurred in areas with traditionally low seismic activity. For example, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake on March 25 in My Doc District caused tremors in nearby areas including Ong Hoa and Chuong Mai in Hanoi, Kim Bui, Long Son, and Lac Thuy in Hoa Binh Province, and Kim Bang in Han Province. he slept.

This rare event occurred in the Red River-Lu River-Qi River rift zone. When these faults accumulate enough energy, they generate earthquakes.

On May 27, a 3.4 magnitude earthquake in Nhu Quan District of Ninh Binh Province caused tremors in Thach Thanh District of Thanh Hoa Province. This earthquake was due to the area being in the Đà River fault zone.

An officer of Mang Kanh Municipality, Kon Plong District of Kon Tum District, hands out a leaflet on earthquakes to local residents. VNA/VNS Dư Toán image

Regarding earthquake reporting and forecasting, Director of the Institute of Geophysics Xuan Anh said that in the first half of 2024, most earthquakes across the country had a magnitude between 2.5 and 4.1, posing little risk of natural disasters.

However, he said, it is difficult to predict earthquakes, especially the exact timing of their occurrence. Therefore, understanding earthquakes and how to prepare for them is crucial, especially in high-risk areas.

Xuan Anh said the institute maintains a national seismic monitoring system with nearly 40 stations nationwide. In addition, local stations monitor induced seismic activity from hydroelectric reservoirs in the northwest and Quang Nam Province.

Recently, the institute established eight local monitoring stations in Kon Tum Province. These stations provide fast and accurate seismic data, which is essential for assessing seismic activity and the safety of dams and reservoir operations.

He said local authorities should develop annual earthquake response plans based on such activity and in areas at risk, and it was important to raise public awareness and training on earthquake preparedness.

He said basic knowledge about earthquakes and how to respond to them is essential.

During an earthquake, residents indoors should take shelter under a table to protect themselves from falling objects and wait until the shaking stops, avoid using elevators due to the possibility of power outages and turn off circuit breakers before evacuating to prevent fires from forgotten electrical appliances. — Vince

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