"The Caucasus region, including Azerbaijan as part of the Alp-Himalayan belt, is characterized by high seismic activity. The Shamakhi-Ismayilli, Talysh zone, Zaqatala-Balakan, Lesser Caucasus, and Caspian Sea are considered seismically active regions."
This was stated to AZERTAC by Saida Ismayilova, Head of the Earthquake Research Bureau of the Republican Seismological Service Center under the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, PhD in Earth Sciences.
"In 2025, a total of 15,434 underground tremors were recorded in our country. Last year, the earthquake with the highest magnitude occurred in the central part of the Caspian and had a magnitude of 5. Additionally, a tremor of magnitude 5.4 in the territory of Dagestan was felt within Azerbaijan at about 4-3 points. Last year, the highest magnitude (ml-4) earthquake on land was recorded in Sheki. The earthquake was felt at 4 points at the epicenter and 4-3 points in surrounding districts.
In the first period of 2026, approximately 6,000 tremors were recorded in total. During this period, 9 tremors with a magnitude greater than 3 were recorded within Azerbaijan, of which 3 were felt.
Currently, seismically active zones include the Shamakhi-Agsu border, Talysh zone, and there is an observed increase in seismic activity in the Zaqatala area.
Last month, the highest magnitude earthquake recorded at the Shamakhi-Agsu border was 3.8, felt at up to 4 points at the epicenter and 4-3 points in surrounding villages. Earthquakes with a magnitude above 3 were also recorded in Bilasuvar and Siyazan. Currently, seismic activity levels in Azerbaijan are at background levels. No strong tremors have been registered in the Caspian Sea's aquatory," noted S. Ismayilova.
