Mega Quake Strikes Off the Coast of Sumatra

M8.7 Earthquake strikes off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia

The earthquake was epicentered at  2.348°N, 93.073°E and occurred at a depth of 32km, according to USGS.

Distances:

• 435 km (270 miles) SW (215°) from Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
• 964 km (599 miles) W (265°) from KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia

Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH

[NOTE: USGS has since revised quake magnitude to 8.6Mw]

Internet Intensity Map.  (Source USGS).

Tsunami Alert

TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 002
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 0945Z 11 APR 2012
THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.

... AN INDIAN-OCEAN-WIDE TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT ...

A TSUNAMI WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR

 INDONESIA / INDIA / AUSTRALIA / SRI LANKA / MYANMAR / THAILAND /
 MALDIVES / UNITED KINGDOM / MALAYSIA / MAURITIUS / REUNION /
 SEYCHELLES / OMAN / PAKISTAN / SOMALIA / MADAGASCAR / IRAN /
 UAE / YEMEN / COMORES / MOZAMBIQUE / KENYA / TANZANIA /
 CROZET ISLANDS / BANGLADESH / KERGUELEN ISLANDS / SOUTH AFRICA /
 SINGAPORE
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS ORIGIN TIME - 0839Z 11 APR 2012 COORDINATES - 2.3 NORTH 93.1 EAST LOCATION - OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA MAGNITUDE - 8.7

EVALUATION

 EARTHQUAKES OF THIS SIZE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A
 WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THAT CAN AFFECT COASTLINES ACROSS
 THE ENTIRE INDIAN OCEAN BASIN.

 HOWEVER - IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED.  THIS
 WATCH IS BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION. AUTHORITIES IN
 THE REGION SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE
 POSSIBILITY OF A WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI. WE ARE STILL
 WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION OF TSUNAMI FROM NEAREST SEA-LEVEL
 STATIONS.

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 [Z, UTC, GMT]
 --------------------------------    ------------    ------------
 INDONESIA        SIMEULUE            2.5N  96.0E    0912Z 11 APR
                  BANDA_ACEH          5.5N  95.1E    0933Z 11 APR
                  SIBERUT             1.5S  98.7E    0944Z 11 APR
                  PADANG              0.9S 100.1E    1025Z 11 APR
                  BENGKULU            3.9S 102.0E    1037Z 11 APR
                  CILACAP             7.8S 108.9E    1150Z 11 APR
                  BANDAR_LAMPUNG      5.7S 105.3E    1200Z 11 APR
                  BALI                8.7S 115.3E    1234Z 11 APR
                  BELAWAN             3.8N  98.8E    1326Z 11 APR
                  KUPANG             10.0S 123.4E    1333Z 11 APR
                  BALI                8.7S 115.3E    1234Z 11 APR
 INDIA            GREAT_NICOBAR       7.1N  93.6E    0937Z 11 APR
                  LITTLE_ANDAMAN     10.7N  92.3E    1015Z 11 APR
                  NORTH_ANDAMAN      13.3N  92.6E    1045Z 11 APR
                  PORT_BLAIR         11.9N  92.7E    1050Z 11 APR
                  CHENNAI            13.4N  80.4E    1134Z 11 APR
                  TRIVANDRUM          8.3N  76.9E    1204Z 11 APR
                  KAKINADA           17.2N  82.7E    1204Z 11 APR
                  MANGALORE          13.3N  74.4E    1339Z 11 APR
                  BOMBAY             18.8N  72.6E    1605Z 11 APR
                  GULF_OF_KUTCH      22.7N  68.9E    1636Z 11 APR
 AUSTRALIA        COCOS_ISLAND       12.1S  96.7E    1046Z 11 APR
                  NORTH_WEST_CAPE    21.5S 113.9E    1312Z 11 APR
                  CAPE_INSPIRATIO    25.9S 113.0E    1413Z 11 APR
                  PERTH              32.0S 115.3E    1421Z 11 APR
                  AUGUSTA            34.3S 114.7E    1440Z 11 APR
                  GERALDTOWN         28.6S 114.3E    1456Z 11 APR
                  CAPE_LEVEQUE       16.1S 122.6E    1500Z 11 APR
                  ESPERANCE          34.0S 121.8E    1614Z 11 APR
                  KINGSTON_SOUTH_    37.0S 139.4E    1747Z 11 APR
                  HEARD_ISLAND       54.0S  73.5E    1803Z 11 APR
                  EUCLA_MOTEL        31.8S 128.9E    1824Z 11 APR
                  HOBART             43.3S 147.6E    1858Z 11 APR
                  DARWIN             12.1S 130.7E    1921Z 11 APR
 SRI LANKA        TRINCOMALEE         8.7N  81.3E    1049Z 11 APR
                  DONDRA_HEAD         5.9N  80.6E    1054Z 11 APR
                  COLOMBO             6.9N  79.8E    1121Z 11 APR
                  JAFFNA              9.9N  80.0E    1235Z 11 APR
 MYANMAR          CHEDUBA_ISLAND     18.9N  93.4E    1142Z 11 APR
                  CHEDUBA_ISLAND     18.9N  93.4E    1142Z 11 APR
                  PYINKAYAING        15.9N  94.3E    1152Z 11 APR
                  SITTWE             20.0N  92.9E    1220Z 11 APR
                  MERGUI             12.8N  98.4E    1328Z 11 APR
                  YANGON             16.5N  96.4E    1720Z 11 APR
 THAILAND         PHUKET              8.0N  98.2E    1113Z 11 APR
                  KO_PHRA_THONG       9.1N  98.2E    1203Z 11 APR
                  KO_TARUTAO          6.6N  99.6E    1233Z 11 APR
 MALDIVES         GAN                 0.6S  73.2E    1144Z 11 APR
                  MALE                4.2N  73.6E    1149Z 11 APR
                  MINICOV             8.3N  73.0E    1214Z 11 APR
 UNITED KINGDOM   DIEGO_GARCIA        7.3S  72.4E    1202Z 11 APR
 MALAYSIA         GEORGETOWN          5.4N 100.1E    1303Z 11 APR
                  PORT_DICKSON        2.5N 101.7E    1743Z 11 APR
 MAURITIUS        PORT_LOUIS         20.0S  57.3E    1500Z 11 APR
 REUNION          ST_DENIS           20.8S  55.2E    1514Z 11 APR
 SEYCHELLES       VICTORIA            4.5S  55.6E    1525Z 11 APR
 OMAN             SALALAH            16.9N  54.1E    1537Z 11 APR
                  MUSCAT             23.9N  58.6E    1544Z 11 APR
                  DUQM               19.7N  57.8E    1553Z 11 APR
 PAKISTAN         GWADAR             25.1N  62.4E    1546Z 11 APR
                  KARACHI            24.7N  66.9E    1638Z 11 APR
 SOMALIA          HILALAYA            6.4N  49.1E    1546Z 11 APR
                  CAPE_GUARO         11.9N  51.4E    1547Z 11 APR
                  MOGADISHU           2.0N  45.5E    1602Z 11 APR
                  KAAMBOONI           1.5S  41.9E    1629Z 11 APR
 MADAGASCAR       ANTSIRANANA        12.1S  49.5E    1548Z 11 APR
                  TOAMASINA          17.8S  49.6E    1601Z 11 APR
                  MANAKARA           22.2S  48.2E    1616Z 11 APR
                  MAHAJANGA          15.4S  46.2E    1652Z 11 APR
                  CAP_STE_MARIE      25.8S  45.2E    1716Z 11 APR
                  TOLIARA            23.4S  43.6E    1741Z 11 APR
 IRAN             GAVATER            25.0N  61.3E    1552Z 11 APR
 UAE              FUJAIRAH           25.1N  56.4E    1630Z 11 APR
 YEMEN            AL_MUKALLA         14.5N  49.2E    1637Z 11 APR
                  ADEN               13.0N  45.2E    1722Z 11 APR
 COMORES          MORONI             11.6S  43.3E    1649Z 11 APR
 MOZAMBIQUE       CABO_DELGADO       10.7S  40.7E    1706Z 11 APR
                  ANGOCHE            15.5S  40.6E    1738Z 11 APR
                  QUELIMANE          18.0S  37.1E    1905Z 11 APR
                  MAPUTO             25.9S  32.8E    1955Z 11 APR
                  BEIRA              19.9S  35.1E    2017Z 11 APR
 KENYA            MOMBASA             4.0S  39.7E    1706Z 11 APR
 TANZANIA         LINDI               9.8S  39.9E    1707Z 11 APR
                  DAR_ES_SALAAM       6.7S  39.4E    1710Z 11 APR
 CROZET ISLANDS   CROZET_ISLANDS     46.4S  51.8E    1734Z 11 APR
 BANGLADESH       CHITTAGONG         22.7N  91.2E    1735Z 11 APR
 KERGUELEN ISLAN  PORT_AUX_FRANCA    49.0S  69.1E    1816Z 11 APR
 SOUTH AFRICA     PRINCE_EDWARD_I    46.6S  37.6E    1907Z 11 APR
                  DURBAN             29.8S  31.2E    1910Z 11 APR
                  PORT_ELIZABETH     33.9S  25.8E    2011Z 11 APR
                  CAPE_TOWN          34.1S  18.0E    2111Z 11 APR
 SINGAPORE        SINGAPORE           1.2N 103.8E    2330Z 11 APR

Indian Ocean Tsunami Travel Time Map

A magnitude 9.1 Mw earthquake occurred off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, on December 26, 2004. It was the fourth largest earthquake in the world since 1900 and the largest since the 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska, earthquake. The earthquake generated a tsunami that caused more casualties than any other in recorded history. The tsunami was recorded nearly world-wide on tide gauges in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. In total, more than 227,8980 people were killed or missing and 1,126,900 were displaced by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 14 countries in South Asia and East Africa. Source:  NGDC

Related Links

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• Volcanoes
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Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar: Collapse has already Begun

M6.7 Quake Strikes South of Java

Strong Earthquake Measuring 6.7Mw Strikes South of Java, ENE of Christmas Island

The quake struck at an estimated depth of 24 km about 241 km (149 miles) ENE of Christmas Island, USGS/EHP said.

Earthquake Location Map

Source: USGS/EHP. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH

Earthquake Details

• Magnitude: 6.7
• Date-Time: Sunday, April 03, 2011 at 20:06:42 UTC
• Location: 9.786°S, 107.749°E
• Depth: 24 km (14.9 miles)
• Region: SOUTH OF JAVA, INDONESIA
• Distances:
  • 241 km (149 miles) ENE of Christmas Island
  • 277 km (172 miles) S of Tasikmalaya, Java, Indonesia
  • 318 km (197 miles) S of Bandung, Java, Indonesia
  • 412 km (256 miles) SSE of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
• Location Uncertainty:
  • horizontal +/- 12 km (7.5 miles)
  • depth +/- 7 km (4.3 miles)
• Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

Tsunami Evaluation

A DESTRUCTIVE WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI THREAT DOES NOT EXIST BASED ON HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DATA. HOWEVER, THERE IS A VERY SMALL POSSIBILITY OF A LOCAL TSUNAMI THAT COULD AFFECT COASTS LOCATED USUALLY NO MORE THAN A HUNDRED KILOMETERS FROM THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBILITY:  PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER

Damage Report

There was no report of damage or casualties as of posting; however, news agencies quoted a spokesman for Indonesia’s earthquake agency as saying: “In Cilacap people were panicking—most of them are evacuating to higher ground.”

The agency reported the quake as a 7.1 magnitude striking at a depth of 10km with the epicenter located at about 300km from Cilacap, south coast of Java island, Indonesia.

Other Recent Significant Quakes:

• FIJI Region: 6.4Mw; 17.649°S, 178.578°W; depth of 552km;   Sunday, April 03, 2011 at 14:07:09 UTC
• Tarapaca Chile: 5.9Mw; 9.555°S, 69.072°W; depth of 83km;  Saturday, April 02, 2011 at 10:59:37 UTC
• Crete, Greece: 5.9Mw; 35.729°N, 26.455°E; depth of 78km; Friday, April 01, 2011 at 13:29:12 UTC
• E Honshu, Japan: 5.9Mw; 39.353°N, 141.982°E; depth of 38km;  Friday, April 01, 2011 at 11:57:54 UTC

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Tsunami Claims 200 After 7.7Mw Quake Strikes Indonesia

At Least 200 Dead or Missing After Tsunami Created by Powerful Quake Destroys Villages Off Western Indonesia

At least 10 villages were obliterated by a 3-m high tsunami created after a 7.7Mw quake struck off the Mentawai islands, Sumatra, western Indonesia.

A huge white wave which was created by the quake washed away  just about everything in sight, eyewitnesses said.

At least 25 people are confirmed dead with about 170 others [local officials say at least 380 people] reported  as missing.

Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS-EHP. Enhanced by Fire-Earth.

Mount Merapi Erupts

Meanwhile  the volatile Mount Merapi volcano began erupting Tuesday after rumbling for about 24 hours.

State vulcanologists believe that the pressure buildup withing Merapi could lead to powerful explosions.

About 40,000 people living on the slopes of the volcano have been evacuated.

Mount Merapi rumbled for many hours before spewing smoke on Tuesday. Photo shows volcano from Balerante, Central Java, Indonesia. Merapi last erupted in 2006. About 1,400 people have been killed as a result of 3 previous eruptions since 1930. Image Credit: AP. Caption: Fire-Earth.

New Zealand Earthquake Forecast:

Fire-Earth Moderators believe a large earthquake measuring about 8.8Mw could strike New Zealand Region.

Earthquake Details

• Magnitude: 7.7
• Date-Time:
  • Monday, October 25, 2010 at 14:42:22 UTC
  • Monday, October 25, 2010 at 09:42:22 PM at epicenter

• Location: 3.484°S, 100.114°E
• Depth: 20.6 km
• Region: KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI REGION, INDONESIA
• Distances:
  • 240 km (150 miles) W of Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia
  • 280 km (175 miles) S of Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia
  • 305 km (190 miles) W of Lubuklinggau, Sumatra, Indonesia
  • 795 km (500 miles) WNW of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia

• Location Uncertainty:
  • horizontal +/- 5.3 km (3.3 miles)
  • depth +/- 3.4 km (2.1 miles)

• Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
• Event ID: usa00043nx

Related Links:

• 3 Waves of Significant Quakes Strike Our Planet
• Global Earthquakes Tempi Rising [Posted on July 20, 2010]

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Magnitude 7.0ML Quake Strikes Obira Indonesia

Powerful Quake measuring 7.0 ML Strikes off the Coast of Obira, Indonesia.

An earthquake measuring  7.0 ML (Richter Scale) struck off the coast of Obira Island, Obi Islands (Kepulauan Obi) a group of islands in the Indonesian province of Maluku.

ShakeMap of Obira. Source: USGS

The offshore quake occurred at a depth of 56 km on March 14, 2010 at 07:57 am local time (00:57UTC) with the epicenter located at 1.58S  128.20E, about 227 km North of Ambon, Indonesia.

Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency reported.  There were no tsunami warning and, as of posting, no casualties or damage were reported.

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