Why earthquakes have become more frequent in the Poltava region: an explanation by a scientist

Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Dmitry Grin, leading researcher at the Institute of Geophysics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, explained why earthquakes in central Ukraine have become common. According to the scientist, Poltava is located on a crystalline shield, but this does not mean absolute stability. The territory is divided into megablocks with tectonic faults that cause slight shifts and lead to earthquakes.

According to the scientist, the depth of shocks in this region can reach 3-4 km. Such vibrations pose no danger to the population, but due to modern equipment, they are increasingly recorded.

“This is a natural process - the planet is moving. There is no danger at the moment,” concluded Grin.

An interesting situation is also observed at the junction of Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi, and Vinnytsia regions, where after the construction of the Dniester hydro cascade, there was a redistribution of geomass. This changed the nature of seismic activity, turning rare strong shocks into frequent minor earthquakes.

It is worth noting that earthquakes in the Poltava region are not rare. For example, on July 1, an earthquake with a magnitude of over three on the Richter scale occurred, but it was not felt by people. The most powerful earthquake this year in central Ukraine occurred on February 1 and reached almost 4 points.

Earthquakes in central Ukraine are the result of geodynamic processes occurring on tectonic faults. The depth of shocks can vary, but there is currently no direct threat to the population. Scientists continue to study the situation to understand and predict the possible consequences of these natural phenomena.