Expert tells Telegraf: Devastating earthquake feared in Balkans, this is how we'll know it's started

D. R.
Vreme čitanja: oko 2 min.
Photo: Tanjug/AP, Printskrin: Tanjug

A series of earthquakes hit the territory of Serbia in the past few days. There were also earthquakes in the region. In the previous five days alone, there were earthquakes over M3.5 that hit Romania (4.2), Krusevac (3.9) in Serbia, as well as one Zadar (2.4) in Croatia, and to yesterday during the day two in Vranje in Serbia (of 3.7 and 3.9 magnitude).

Increased seismological activity started at the beginning of this year when Mladenovac, Donji Milanovac and Lazarevac shook, while earthquakes hit Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro, which had serious problems due to earthquakes in April.

For this reason, the Telegraf.rs portal spoke with well-known seismologist Slavica Radovanovic, who explained that increased seismic activity should be understood as a warning.

"It is obvious to everyone, including seismologists, that seismic activity is increasing in our region. After a number of years, which passed without major earthquakes, those stronger than M3 started to occur in the territory of Serbia. From Vranje, Krusevac, Paracin, Svrljig, when you think about Mladenovac and other earthquakes that happened in the previous year, it becomes clear that a stronger earthquake is coming," she said, adding:

"According to one theory, which is supported by the devastating earthquake in Montenegro in 1979, more areas with increased activity and earthquakes that move above M3 will lead to strong earthquakes, which in our country cannot be as terrible as those elsewhere in the world, but they are certainly destructive. That earthquake will happen at a location that was not affected before. It should be investigated where this might happen. We can't know when, but we could check where and prepare the area. From my experience, it will happen either in Serbia or in the border areas with the neighboring countries," Radovanovic told Telegraf.rs and pointed out that experience leads us to conclude that it will happen within a year:

"When on April 15, 1979, an M7 earthquake hit Montenegro and claimed more than 100 lives, a year earlier the earth began to shake like it is (now). This leads us to assume that the next devastating earthquake will occur within the next year. We will know that we have entered the final phase (before it) when an earthquake of magnitude 4 or even 4.5 occurs."

(Telegraf.rs)