8 aftershocks registered in Almaty oblast

8 aftershocks hit Almaty oblast after the 5.7-magnitude quake registered at 03:20 a.m. (Astana time) on May 31. They posed no threat to Almaty residents, Tengrinews.kz reports from the urgent briefing in Almaty administration. According to Director of the Seismology Institute Tanatkan Abakanov, special groups were dispatched 25 minutes after the first shock. “Our experts urgently packed up and left for the quake’s epicenter 150 km from Almaty, in Kokpek village. The depth of the epicenter was 15 km. Bartogaiskoe water reservoir and Moinak hydro power station are located next to the epicenter. According to Abakanov, the quake was of regular tectonic nature. The quake caused a failure of nearby electric power stations and several streets in Kokpeke village in Almaty oblast experienced electricity blackouts, but this problem was quickly resolved. No casualties were reported. Tanatkan Abakanov warned that there would be more quakes by the end of the year, but no destructive shocks are expected. According to the head of department on mobilization preparation of Almaty Yuriy Ilyin, the quake was felt like a 4-magnitude one in Almaty. “Necessary measures were urgently taken and all the Emergency Situations Department’s services were made ready and the epicenter was examined.” The experts reminded that no alerts via SMS or by other ways would be sent out in case of the earthquakes of less than 4-5 in magnitude. Earlier Tengrinews.kz English reported that 5.7-magnitute earthquake was registered 148 km east of Almaty. The epicenter was located at the depth of 25 km and 186 km south of Taldykorgan and 54 km north-west of Kegen village. According to Kazakhstan Center for Collection and Processing of Special Seismic Information, the earthquake was felt like a 4-magnitude one in Almaty. By Roza Yessenkulova