Latest update on the earthquake occurred on 23.01.2024
On 23 January 2024 at 00h 9 min Astana time, the seismic stations on the territory of Kazakhstan recorded the largest earthquake. All stations of the monitoring network of the National Nuclear Centre of Kazakhstan recorded this event.
According to the data of the Centre for Acquisition and Processing of Seismic Information IGR NNC RK, the parameters of this earthquake are as follows:
Origin time Тₒ = 18 h 09 min 05 sec (GMT, January 22, 2024)
Latitude 41,23 N
Longitude 78,59ᵒ Е
Focal depth 13 км.
Magnitude Mb = 7,27
Magnitude Mw = 7,0
The origin of this earthquake was located on the territory of China (Southern Xinjiang) in Kok-Shaal-Tau ridge near the border with Kyrgyz Republic.
The distance to Almaty city is 260 km. Figure 1 shows a map of the earthquake epicenter location and historical seismicity of the region since 1900.
Figure 1. The map of earthquakes epicenters by historical data since 1900 (circles) and earthquake epicenter of January 23 (star).
Figure 2 shows the accelerometer record by KNDC seismic station located in Almaty and belonging to the NNC RK monitoring stations network.
According to the acceleration records of KNDC station it is possible to calculate the intensity of shaking by the instrumental data in Almaty. The maximum acceleration on the east-west component was 19.8 cm/s2, that on the MSK-64 (K) scale corresponds to 5 points.
Figure 2. The results of accelerometer data processing recorded by KNDC station (Almaty). Calculated using software [Kashima T. 2002. ViewWave Help, IISEE, BRI].
The earthquake was felt by almost everyone in the city of Almaty, both on the high and ground floors of multi-story buildings and in private houses. Chandeliers swayed, books and objects fell. People were frightened and left their flats, tried to leave the city by car, traffic jams formed on the main streets of the city, panic spread among the population.
Immediately after the main earthquake, a series of aftershocks - subsequent shocks from the same center began to be recorded. By the morning of 23 January (10 hours after the main earthquake), 22 repeated earthquakes of magnitude ≥4.0 had been recorded (Fig. 3). More than 100 smaller aftershocks occurred. The largest aftershock had magnitude 5.7.
Figure 3. The map shows the epicenter of the main shock and aftershocks of magnitude ≥4,0 for ten hours.
Figure 4 shows the aftershock records by “Podgornoye” NNC RK station and the amin shock records.
Figure 4. Aftershocks records by “Podgornoye” station. In the beginning – the main shock record. The total length of the record in the Figure is 8 hours.
The intensity of shaking in the epicenter of the main shock reached 8-9 points. On the southern coast of Issyk-Kul it was 5-6 points, the whole territory of Almaty city and suburbs 5 points, Bishkek city 3-4 points. This earthquake was felt on the territory of China, Central Asian countries (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan), Azerbaijan, India, and Russia.
The historical seismicity of the earthquake origin area is traditionally very high. On the map for events with a magnitude greater than 5, we can see a large number of earthquakes. The strongest according to historical data was the Kashgar earthquake in 1902 with a magnitude ~ 8, the epicenter of which was located 200 km south-west of the origin of the earthquake occurred on 23.01.2024. This region will continue to experience strong earthquakes in the future. But for the city of Almaty their effects will not be destructive.
The update information was prepared by:
Head of Data Center, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Mikhailova N.N.
Deputy of Data Center Director Mukambayev A.S.
