Powerful 7.6Mw Quake Strikes Near Isangel, Vanuatu
The earthquake struck at a depth of 20 km, possibly creating a local tsunami
This earthquake was preceded by at least 3 significant foreshocks in the past 48 hours, the largest of which measured 5.7Mw.
FIRE-EARTH Forecast: A megaquake could strike Vanuatu Region/ Kermadec Islands Region/New Zealand with a probability of 68%.
10-degree Map Centered at 20°S,170°E
EQ Location Map. Source: USGS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH
Tsunami Warning/Advisory
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has just issued the following Bulletin
WEPA40 PHEB 251326
TSUPAC
TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 001
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 1326Z 25 DEC 2010
THIS BULLETIN APPLIES TO AREAS WITHIN AND BORDERING THE PACIFIC
OCEAN AND ADJACENT SEAS…EXCEPT ALASKA…BRITISH COLUMBIA…
WASHINGTON…OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.
… A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT …
A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
VANUATU / NEW CALEDONIA / FIJI
FOR ALL OTHER AREAS COVERED BY THIS BULLETIN… IT IS FOR
INFORMATION ONLY AT THIS TIME.
THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME – 1317Z 25 DEC 2010
COORDINATES – 19.7 SOUTH 168.0 EAST
DEPTH – 33 KM
LOCATION – VANUATU ISLANDS REGION
MAGNITUDE – 7.6
EVALUATION
IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS WARNING IS
BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION. AN EARTHQUAKE OF THIS
SIZE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THAT CAN
STRIKE COASTLINES IN THE REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER WITHIN MINUTES
TO HOURS. AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE
ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS POSSIBILITY. THIS CENTER WILL MONITOR
SEA LEVEL GAUGES NEAREST THE REGION AND REPORT IF ANY TSUNAMI
WAVE ACTIVITY IS OBSERVED. THE WARNING WILL NOT EXPAND TO OTHER
AREAS OF THE PACIFIC UNLESS ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED TO
WARRANT SUCH AN EXPANSION.
ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES AT FORECAST POINTS
WITHIN THE WARNING AND WATCH AREAS ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL
ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE
LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN
SUCCESSIVE WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.
LOCATION FORECAST POINT COORDINATES ARRIVAL TIME
——————————– ———— ————
VANUATU ANATOM IS. 20.2S 169.9E 1338Z 25 DEC
ESPERITU SANTO 15.1S 167.3E 1404Z 25 DEC
NEW CALEDONIA NOUMEA 22.3S 166.5E 1359Z 25 DEC
FIJI SUVA 18.5S 178.5E 1512Z 25 DEC
BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.
THE TSUNAMI WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER WILL ISSUE PRODUCTS
FOR ALASKA…BRITISH COLUMBIA…WASHINGTON…OREGON…CALIFORNIA.
Earthquake Details
GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin
Region: Vanuatu Islands Region
Time: 2010-12-25 13:16:38.7 UTC
Magnitude: 7.7
Epicenter: 167.96°E, 19.76°S
Depth: 20 km
Status: manually revised
USGS/EHP
- Magnitude: 7.6
- Date-Time: Saturday, December 25, 2010 at 13:16:38 UTC
- Location: 19.759°S, 167.974°E
- Depth: 24.4 km (15.2 miles)
- Region: VANUATU REGION
- Distances
- 138 km (86 miles) W (259°) from Isangel, Vanuatu
- 196 km (122 miles) N (3°) from Tadine, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
- 226 km (140 miles) S (189°) from PORT-VILA, Vanuatu
- 1,749 km (1087 miles) ENE (64°) from Brisbane, Australia
- Location Uncertainty:
- horizontal +/- 16.3 km (10.1 miles);
- depth +/- 1.4 km (0.9 miles)
- Source: U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center: World Data Center for Seismology, Denver
- Event ID usc0000usf
Aftershocks
Hundreds of aftershocks should be expected to strike the area in the coming days and weeks.
Fire Earth 