BANJA LUKA’S SEISMIC ZONE COVERS 10,000 SQUARE KILOMETERS

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 25 /SRNA/ - The Banja Luka seismic zone covers around 10,000 square kilometers, and the maximum expected earthquake intensity is seven, eight or nine on the Mercalli scale, according to data from the Seismology Department of the Republika Srpska Hydrometeorological Institute.

The basic seismic characteristics of this area have been established based on data on earthquakes that have occurred in the Banja Luka area, as well as those originating from seismic sources surrounding the region and having significant seismic effects on it.

The first series of earthquakes in this area occurred in 1888, with the strongest reaching a magnitude of 5.7 on the Richter scale.

According to the Seismology Department, a second series of earthquakes occurred in 1935.

The strongest of the seven earthquakes struck on October 11 and measured 5.1 on the Richter scale.

Four powerful earthquakes struck on October 26 and 27, 1969, killing 15 people.

The main shock occurred on October 27 at 8:10 a.m., with a magnitude of 6.6 on the Richter scale, followed by an earthquake measuring 4.7. These were preceded by tremors measuring 5.6 and 4.8.

Several municipalities in Bosanska Krajina suffered catastrophic consequences, including Banja Luka, Čelinac, Laktaši, Gradiška, Prnjavor, Kotor Varoš, Kneževo, Srbac, Ključ, Jajce, Prijedor, Sanski Most, Kozarska Dubica and Novi Grad.

The earthquake had the most severe human impact in the Banja Luka area, where 1,117 people were injured, and 15 lost their lives.

Thirteen people died in the “Titanik” building, which suffered severe structural damage.

In Brothers and Sisters Kapor Street, a young girl was killed when part of a house collapsed on her as she played in the yard, and a man was killed outside the then “Kozara” restaurant.

A greater loss of life was avoided thanks to the fortunate circumstance that October 26, 1969, fell on a Sunday, a non-working day, preventing large numbers of workers from being at their workplaces and students from being in school and university buildings.

Since the earthquake had damaged buildings, the Civil Defense Headquarters declared October 27, 1969, a non-working day to allow damage assessments to be carried out. As a result, there were no large numbers of students in schools that day either, when the main shock struck.

In the Banja Luka municipality, school buildings suffered the most severe damage.

Damage of varying degrees was reported at 131 school buildings, with more significant damage recorded at 23 elementary school buildings, nine secondary schools, three higher education facilities, one student dormitory and one school dormitory.