Earthquake: understand why the Southeast is one of the most prone areas

An earthquake of magnitude 3.3 was recorded off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, near the municipality of Maricá, at 5:31 am this Thursday (21). The event was confirmed by the Brazilian Seismographic Network (RSBR) and analyzed by the USP Seismology Center.

Although the shock was not felt by the population, it reinforces an important geological characteristic: the southeastern margin of Brazil is one of the areas most prone to this type of phenomenon in the national territory.

The expert also explains that the region is one of the most prone to the phenomenon in the country - Rede Seismografica Brasileira - RSBR

Why does the Southeast record more tremors?
According to the seismologist at the National Observatory, Dr. Gilberto Leite, the recurrence of tremors on the coast of Rio de Janeiro and neighboring states is due to tectonic tensions that constantly act on the Earth's crust.

The southeast margin is technically classified as the main offshore seismic zone in Brazil.

Read also: see what we know about the seismic event on the coast of Rio de Janeiro

In this region, small earthquakes occur relatively frequently. The rapid location of these events has been improved by the work of reactivating transmissions at seismological stations conducted by the National Observatory.

Risks and monitoring
Despite their frequency, experts say that events with a magnitude close to 3.3 are considered low intensity and do not represent a significant risk to the population or coastal infrastructure.

In most cases, these tremors are not even noticed by inhabitants on dry land.

Currently, RSBR monitors seismicity across the country through more than 90 state-of-the-art stations.

Source: CNN