Busy Day at the Pacific Rim of Fire

M6.5 quake strikes near Atka, Alaska

Strong quake measuring 6.5Mw struck about 77km (48mi) SSW of Atka, Alaska at 02:32 UTC, Wednesday, September 4, 2013.

The quake was centered at 51.592°N 174.760°W, and struck about 39.9km (24.8mi) deep, USGS/EHP reported.

NO tsunami reported.

Two significant aftershocks followed the mainshock, as of posting.

• 5.5Mw + 78km SSW of Atka, Alaska 2013-09-04 13:16:31 UTC+09:00 D=34.6 km
• 5.2Mw + 80km SW of Atka, Alaska 2013-09-04 14:15:56 UTC+09:00 D=44.8 km

The quake followed similar size shocks that struck Izu Islands, Japan Region and Bella Bella, Canada since late Tuesday.

Pacific Ring of Fire – Earthquake Location Map No. 2, Sept. 4, 2013. at 06:10UTC. Image source: USGS/EHP.

Pacific Ring of Fire – Earthquake Location Map No.1, Sept. 4, 2013 at 01:20UTC. Image source: USGS/EHP.

Related Links

• Strong Quakes Strike Japan, Canada Regions September 4, 2013
• https://feww.wordpress.com/earthquake/#comment-55956

Strong Quakes Strike Japan, Canada Regions

M6.9 Strikes Izu Islands, Japan Region

The quake, measuring 6.9MW and centered at 29.8°N, 139°E, struck at a depth of about 400km, according to Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). NO tsunami expected.

The event occurred at about 00:18UTC on Wednesday September 4, 2013.

Pacific Ring of Fire – Earthquake Location Map, Sept. 4, 2013. Image source: USGS/EHP.

M6.0  quake strikes 191km WSW of Bella Bella, Canada

A magnitude 6.0 quake struck offshore about 191km (119mi) WSW of Bella Bella, Canada, USGS/EHP reported.

The shallow quake occurred at a depth of about 1km, centered at 51.2°N 130.4°W, said USGS.

The mainshock was followed by several significant aftershocks, the largest of which measured 5.9Mw as of posting.

1. 5.9Mw + 163km SW of Bella Bella, Canada 2013-09-04 09:23:12 UTC+09:00 Depth of 9.9 km
2. 5.0Mw + 188km SW of Bella Bella, Canada 2013-09-04 07:29:32 UTC+09:00 9.8 km

Powerful Quake Strikes Queen Charlotte Islands Region

Earthquake Measuring up to 6.8 Mw followed by a Strong Aftershock Strikes Queen Charlotte Islands Region

A powerful earthquake measuring up to magnitude 6.8 followed by a cluster of aftershocks, the largest of which measured up to M 6.0, struck Queen Charlotte Islands Region on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at about 15:31 UTC, at a shallow depth of about 5 km.

Tsunami Information

The West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer AK, said there was no threat of a damaging tsunami caused by the earthquake. However some neighboring regions could experience non-damaging sea level changes. “In coastal areas of intense shaking locally generated tsunamis can be triggered by underwater landslides.”

Earthquake location Map. Source: USGS/EHP. Enhanced by FEWW

Earthquake Details:

• Magnitude: 6.6 [Maximum quake magnitude estimated by FEWW at 6.8 Mw]
• Date-Time:
  • Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 15:30:46 UTC
  • Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 07:30:46 AM at epicenter
• Location: 52.151°N, 131.378°W
• Depth: 11.6 km (7.2 miles)
• Region: QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS REGION
• Distances:
  • 250 km (155 miles) SSW (197°) from Prince Rupert, BC, Canada
  • 315 km (195 miles) WNW (303°) from Port Hardy, BC, Canada
  • 331 km (206 miles) S (178°) from Metlakatla, AK
  • 662 km (411 miles) WNW (302°) from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
• Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 5.5 km (3.4 miles); depth +/- 10.5 km (6.5 miles)
• Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
• Event ID:  us2009pcaq

Historic Seismicity. USGS/EHP. Enhanced by FEWW

The Largest Earthquake in Canada

Canada’s largest earthquake (magnitude 8.1) since 1700, occurred on August 22, 1949 off the coast of BC. It occurred on the Queen Charlotte Fault (Canada’s equivalent of the San Andreas Fault) – the boundary between the Pacific and North American plates that runs underwater along the west coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands off the west coast of British Columbia. The shaking was so severe on the Queen Charlotte Islands that cows were knocked off their feet, and a geologist with the Geological Survey of Canada working on the north end of Graham Island could not stand up. Chimneys toppled, and an oil tank at Cumshewa Inlet collapsed. In Terrace, on the adjacent mainland, cars were bounced around, and standing on the street was described as “like being on the heaving deck of a ship at sea”. In Prince Rupert, windows were shattered and buildings swayed. —Natural resources of Canada

Related Links:

• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes [Main Index Page]
• FEWW Volcano Links

• California Earthquake Forecast – Update 3
• Alaska Earthquake Forecast: Update 3