Seismologist tells Telegraf: Will new, stronger quake hit Kragujevac? Many worry because of Petrinja

Petrinja, left, Kragujevac, right; Photo: Daniel Berdais, Shutterstock

A magnitude 3.3 earthquake hit Kragujevac at 11:51 am today. As the Seismological Survey of Serbia announced on its website, the intensity in the epicenter was estimated at 5 degrees on the Mercalli scale, and earthquakes of this intensity can cause very little damage to buildings in the area of the epicenter.

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Seismologist Slavica Radovanovic tells Telegraf.rs that the area where this earthquake happened is seismically active, and that such shocks happen there.

"Now the situation is such that everyone is upset because of Petrinja (earthquake), otherwise it would not have been even noticed. It's an earthquake of magnitude 3.3, there have been such and stronger ones last year in Serbia as well. The area in which it happened is such that earthquakes like this happen in it," explains Slavica Radovanovic, the former director of the Seismological Survey of Serbia.

Asked whether there could be a stronger tremor in Kragujevac, she said that such short-term forecasts cannot be made.

"It's not possible to say whether there is a chance of a stronger quake or not. Short-term forecasts are not made. That area is seismically active, it's not unusual for it, the magnitude is low, we will see what will happen, things should be monitored," she told Telegraf.rs.

Map of felt reports received so far following the #earthquake M3.3 in Serbia 40 min ago pic.twitter.com/DNiRuaGnJm— EMSC (@LastQuake) January 25, 2021

Locals say the quake was felt strongly, but did not last long.

"A surprise, it was short, it wasn't strong, but it moved me from the bed," was one of the comments of the locals in Kragujevac.

"It sounded like an explosion in the depths, I was on the terrace, a wave passed in a second," said another.

"It was felt strongly, but it did not last long - no damage," yet another Kragujevac resident wrote.

(Telegraf.rs)