Problems of Engineering Seismology: article

Аnnotation: When compiling historical earthquake catalogues the main issue is to justify reliability of the information to exclude false reports. Detailed descriptions from reliable sources contribute to more precise intensity assessment. Additionally, in low-active territories very important task of identification of the event nature has to be solved. Similar descriptions may have earthquakes generated by tectonic or by other activities (such as landslides or karst holes). Recently, cryoseisms are considered as source of shaking on the ground surface. Seismic events based on non-instrumental data on the territory of Belorussia are studied. They have principally different interpretations in different publications. Analysis is based on the original information from primary sources. It is shown that two out of four seismic events are cryoseisms, two others are not related to the territory of Belorussia.