In April 2018, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake in the Richter scale reached Bolivia and its effects were felt in Brazil. Several buildings in São Paulo and Brasília had to be evacuated, causing concern among Brazilians, as we are not used to the tremors.
In Brazil, earthquakes do not occur with intensity, however, contrary to what many people think, the country is not totally exempt from this phenomenon.
The main regions affected by earthquakes are those located near the edges of the tectonic plates where there are convergence zones, that is, where two or more different plates meet.
Although Brazil is located well in the center of the South American Plate, since it reaches up to 200 kilometers in thickness, earthquakes caused by wear on the tectonic plate, which, in turn, cause geological faults, can occur in the country. Furthermore, it is possible to feel the consequences of earthquakes with an epicenter in Latin American countries, especially in Chile.
Among the main earthquakes recorded in Brazil, we can highlight:
- In the state of Mato Grosso, in 1955, an earthquake of 6.6 degrees on the Richter scale was recorded, the biggest in the history of Brazil;
- In 1955, an earthquake of 6.3 degrees hit the state of Espírito Santo;
- In Ceará, an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale was recorded in 1980;
- In 1983, an earthquake of 5.5 degrees hit the state of Amazonas;
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- Border between Acre and Amazonas, in 2007, a 6.1-degree earthquake scared residents, but no damage was registered.
- Minas Gerais, in 2007, registered an earthquake of 4.9 degrees in the municipality of Itacarambi. On that occasion, a child was buried, being, to date, the only fatal victim recorded in Brazil as a result of an earthquake;
- In April 2008, the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná and Santa Catarina were hit by an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale.
According to data released by the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences of the University of São Paulo (USP), they were registered in Brazil over 100 earthquakes in the 20th century. All of them with small magnitudes and intensity, their effects are often imperceptible on the earth's surface. Earthquakes with more than 7 degrees on the Richter scale, causing destruction, have small chances of occurring in the Brazil, as they are more frequent in places close to convergence zones between tectonic plates, which is not the case Brazilian.
Therefore, Brazil is not totally free from the occurrence of earthquakes, however, these tremors occur without much destruction of buildings and infrastructure, as the Brazilian territory is far from the tectonic instability zone, that is, far from the convergence zones between plates.
By Wagner de Cerqueira and Francisco
Graduated in Geography
Brazil School Team
