A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Croatia yesterday, a day after a magnitude 5.2 quake shook the same region; aftershocks are sure to follow. Indeed, the Balkans are highly prone to earthquakes due to the regional geology and natural history.
As the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean continue to open, the African Plate has been moving to the NNE, colliding with the Eurasian Plate. In addition, the Red Sea (the northern section of the East African Rift) is opening as well, shoving the Arabian Plate to the northeast. Between the African, Arabian and Eurasian Plates, several microplanes (including the Adriatic and Anatolian Plates) complicate the tectonics from Italy to the Middle East. Slow motion collisions create rising pressure within and along these plates; intermittent earthquakes release that pressure.
Unfortunately, building codes throughout most of the region have not kept pace with that threat and even minor quakes can cause significant destruction and loss of life. The geology and tectonics of the Balkans cannot be altered; the political will to protect the populace will offer their only means of defense.
