Tectonic fault near Vilnius

Politicians often use the phrase “a tectonic fault” in their speeches to emphasise the significance of an event. Geologists have written extensively and mapped a fair amount about actual natural tectonic faults. The closest fault to the surface can be seen from the Buivydžiai outcrop. The fault causes the Neris River to bend sharply, and the seismic texture of the Buivydžiai outcrop shows traces of the earthquake, indicating an active tectonic fault. This earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.0-6.5, occurred before the last glacial period. In addition, the Buivydžiai fault was also the cause of a more recent earthquake, i.e.  a seismic event of a magnitude of 3.5-4.0 recorded in Bystrica (12 km east of the Buivydžiai outcrop) on 29 December 1908.

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