Siberia 8.5
on Oct 1, 2003

Agence France-Presse Oct 01, 2003

A series of violent tremors rocked Russia´s southwest Siberia region early Wednesday, reaching up to 8.0 on the Richter scale, seismologists quoted by the Interfax news agency said. The strongest shock struck the Altai territory, its epicentre in a mountainous region 350 kilometres (220 miles) south of the regional capital Barnaul, experts said. Some houses were damaged, there was no report of casualties, but a group of rescuers of the emergency situations ministry were dispatched to the site. The earthquake, which followed violent tremors that hit the same region on the weekend, was also felt in many cities of Western Siberia including Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk and Belokurikha.

RIA Novosti

A powerful earthquake took place again this morning in the Russian Republic of Altai in the south of West Siberia, near the borders with Kazakhstan and China. According to the local seismologists, the earthquake had an 8.5 magnitude on the Richter scale. ... An earthquake that was the strongest one ever registered in the republic took place on Saturday [Sep 27]. It had a 10 magnitude. Its epicenter was also in the Kosh-Agach district. According to the data of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, the echo of the underground shocks was felt in the majority of Siberia´s big cities.