2024-02-18 19:33:06
The director of the National Seismological Center, Sergio Barrientos, explained the series of earthquakes that have affected the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo.
The series of earthquakes in the north of the country has raised concern in the population, specifically in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo.
Due to this situation, Sergio Barrientosseismologist and director of the National Seismological Center, explained this phenomenon, where telluric movements have passed the 5.0 degree barrier.
In conversation with 24 Horas, the expert explained that there is a network in charge of monitoring the area, where they also analyze “the earthquakes that occur there.”
The seismologist stressed that the tremors that have shaken the area in recent days have to do with “aftershocks at 5.8.”
In this sense, he stated: “It is not the first nor the largest in the region. “Both to the north and south of Huasco there were other sequences of earthquakes.”
The anticipation of a possible “major earthquake”
The director of the National Seismological Center commented that when there is a large earthquake, this causes a “sequence of aftershocks of a larger one”. To which he added: ““It is a swarm when there are several earthquakes in a place without one standing out from the rest”.
However, Sergio Barrientos said that in the area “There is enough accumulated energy for a major earthquake.”
“The last great earthquake was that of Atacama, in 1922, whose magnitude was between 8.5 and 8.6. We do not know the figure well or exactly the rupture zone due to the lack of measuring equipment at that time,” he explained.
Due to the energy accumulated over the years without a major event being recorded, he stressed that “we are monitoring this area, we believe it is an area where an event out of 8 could happen in the future. Unfortunately we cannot know when.”
On the other hand, he referred to the 8.4 magnitude earthquake that was recorded in Los Vilos in 2015. According to what Barrientos said, this movement released energy between the Talinay peninsula and Los Vilos, but generated the opposite effect to the surrounding areas.
Along these lines, he maintained: “I have no doubt that the 2015 earthquake “It increased tensions and stress in nearby areas.”
According to the seismologist, this event “it charged the extreme areas, from where there was displacement of plates”he concluded.