Prediction of strong earthquake within the southwestern shelf of Sakhalin Island and its realization during the August 2, 2007, Nevelsk earthquake

Materials of the long- and short-term predictions of the destructive earthquake with the magnitude M _LH = 6.6 ± 0.6 within the southwestern shelf of Sakhalin Island are described. The long-term prediction was issued in December 2005 and was affirmed by the Russian Council of Experts on Earthquake Forecasting and Seismic Hazard Assessment in August 2006. The August 17(18), 2006, Gornozavodsk earthquake with a magnitude of M _w = 5.6 was the beginning of the realization of this prediction. Six days after its occurrence, the short-term prediction of a much more serious seismic event in the alarm region was prepared. One year later, the prediction of the August 2, 2007, Nevelsk earthquake with a magnitude of M _w = 6.2 (M _LH = 6.2) proved to be correct.