Earthquake in Achaia: 4.3 Richter hits unidentified fault – what seismologists say

An unspecified fault by seismologists “triggered” the 4.3-magnitude earthquake the night before last night in the artificial lake area of ​​the Peiro-Parapeiro Dam in Achaia.

Director of the Seismological Laboratory of the University of Patras, Professor of Geology Efthymios Sokos said. “Peloponnese” The earthquake struck at a depth of 20 km. From the surface and the seismic sequence appears to be nothing to worry about.

It does not appear to be related to the fault that caused the devastating earthquake on the border between Achaia and Ilia in 2008.

The earthquake was located at the SE end of the artificial lake Asterio, between the dam Erimandia. Mr. According to Sokos, there does not appear to be any connection to the fault that caused the devastating earthquake on the border between Achaia and Ilia in 2008 and caused 2 deaths, dozens of injuries and extensive damage to homes and infrastructure.

Also, Mr. According to Sokos, the earthquake does not appear to be related to the dam’s artificial lake because the earthquake was located at a greater depth. In any case, the director of the seismological laboratory emphasized that the dam has been “belted” with a network of seismograms since the first day it began to fill with water.

Artificial lakes are linked to seismic events, but the Pieros-Parapieros dam is small, although the wider area is always under surveillance, Mr. Sokos insisted.

The mayor of Erimanthos, Theodoros Paris, sent teams of workers early yesterday to check possible damage to houses and apartments near the epicenter, but said “no problems were recorded”. However, he is in touch with civil defense authorities and everything will be done if necessary. “We don’t have any information, so residents have to worry about something,” he said.

Administrators of the Intrakat-Goliopoulos ATE joint venture, which manages the Pero-Parapiro Dam, yesterday morning together with officials from the EYDE Dams Supervision Service went to the post-mortem of the project, where sensors and visuals were installed. Control, there is absolutely no problem with the structural safety of the project. After all, the tremor was not so strong (4.3) but the epicenter was located at the southern end of the artificial lake Asterio, which is why this mobilization occurred.

Experts have insisted that the artificial lake of Asterio is not linked to the cause of the earthquake. The designation was created because in the past large earthquakes were caused by enormous loads caused by man-made dam lakes.

The following examples are official:

• Marathon: 1938-5.7 points
• Lake Cremaston, Etolocarnania-Uritania: 1966-6.2 degrees
• Etolokarnania-Lake Castraki of Achelov: 1969-4.6 degrees
• Purnario Artas-Arakthos Lake: 1981-5.6 degrees
• Asomata Veria Lake: 1984-5.4 degrees
• Lake: Polyfytou Kozani-Aliakmona: 1995-6.5 degrees.

Officials at EYDE Dams assured that the 50-million-cubic-meter artificial lake of Asterio could not be responsible for causing the earthquake, and that it filled up within an 18-month period, i.e. very slowly.

Finally, yesterday’s earthquake does not appear to be related to the 2008 magnitude 6.5 earthquake centered in the NW Peloponnese that caused two deaths, dozens of injuries and extensive damage to buildings in Achaia and Ilia.