Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 27 / Trend H. Valiyev /
Azerbaijan is located in a zone of seismic activity which causes small but regular earthquakes, director of the Institute of Geology under the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences Akif Alizade told media today.
"A good example is the seismic activity in the Zagatala zone," he said. "These seismic activities from the geological point of view are being regularly triggered. The geodynamic situation is being changed. Today, research is being conducted by using global positioning systems (GPS). It clearly shows that the African-Arabian continent moving in a north and north-west direction is squeezing the Caucasus Mountains. This leads to some disastrous consequences."
As an example, Alizadeh mentioned the earthquake measuring five points that occurred recently on the Crimean peninsula and in Krasnodar. This testifies to the fact that there is a compression from the Black Sea area.
"These seismic processes occur regularly in Azerbaijan," he said. "Azerbaijani scholar seismologists are examining them. The state sponsored Institute of Geology increased the number of fixed seismic, temporary and GPS stations. Currently we are planning to use three deep seismographs in the sea. The equipment, planned to be installed has been already bought."