Archive for the ‘seismic activity’ Category
Posted by feww on March 8, 2010
UPDATE: Turkey Quake Death Toll Reaches 41: Local Sources
Strong Earthquake Measuring 6.0Mw Strikes Eastern Turkey
The quake struck at a depth of about 2 km with the epicenter located at 38.82°N, 40.50°E, on March 8, 2010 at 02:32:34UTC European Mediterranean Seismological Center reported.
The mainshock was followed by at least a dozen aftershocks, as of posting, the largest of which measured 4.4Mw.
Up to several dozen people have been killed, as of posting. The victims were from the small village of Okcular, where dozens of houses collapse in the earthquake various sources reported a local official as saying.
- Magnitude: 5.9 [Max Mag Estimated at 6.0Mw by Fire-Earth]
- Region: EASTERN TURKEY
- Date time: 2010-03-08 at 02:32:33.5 UTC
- Location: 38.82 N ; 40.05 E
- Depth: 2 km
- Distances:
- 74 km E Elazig (pop 298,004 ; local time 04:32 2010-03-08)
- 16 km S Karakoçan (pop 29,735 ; local time 04:32 2010-03-08)
- 105 km (65 miles) SSE of Erzincan
- 625 km (390 miles) E of ANKARA (Capital of Turkish Capital)
10-degree Map Centered at 40°N,40°E
EQ Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP. Image Edited and Enhanced by FEWW.
Seismic Hazard Map of Turkey
Other Maps
Tectonic Summary
The tectonic map of Turkey includes the North Anatolian fault, East Anatolian fault, and Hellenic and Florence trenches. The westward movement of the Anatolian block results from (1) differences in rates of motion between the Arabian and African plates, (2) different directions of motion between the Anatolian block and Eurasian plate to the north, and (3) subduction of the African plate beneath the Anatolian block at the Hellenic and Florence trenches. The Arabian plate is moving to the north faster than the African plate, both relative to a stable Eurasian plate. The result is a westward moving wedge incorporating most of Turkey. (Source: USGS)
Seismicity Map of Turkey
Seismicity Map of Turkey shows the location of a M6.4 earthquake which struck on May 1, 2003, close to the epicenter of today’s earthquake.
Seismic Hazard Setting
Tectonic Map of Turkey
Historic Earthquakes and Fatalities (Turkey)
- 1668 08 17 – Anatolia, Turkey – M 8.0 Fatalities 8,000
- 1899 09 20 – Menderes Valley, Turkey – M 6.9 Fatalities 1,100
- 1901 12 18 – Ayvalik, Turkey (Ottoman Empire) – M 5.9
- 1903 04 28 – Turkey – M 7.0 Fatalities 3,500
- 1903 05 28 – Gole, Turkey (Ottomon Empire) – M 5.8 Fatalities 1,000
- 1912 08 09 – Murefte, Turkey (Ottoman Empire) – M 7.8 Fatalities 2,800
- 1914 10 03 – Burdur, Turkey (Ottoman Empire) – M 7.0 Fatalities 4,000
- 1939 12 26 – Erzincan, Turkey – M 7.8 Fatalities 32,700
- 1942 11 26 – Turkey – M 7.6 Fatalities 4,000
- 1942 12 20 – Erbaa, Turkey – M 7.3 Fatalities 1,100
- 1943 11 26 – Ladik, Turkey – M 7.6 Fatalities 4,000
- 1944 02 01 – Gerede, Turkey – M 7.4 Fatalities 2,790
- 1946 05 31 – Ustukran, Turkey – M 5.9 Fatalities 1,300
- 1949 08 17 – Erzurum, Turkey – M 6.8 Fatalities 320
- 1951 08 13 – Kursunlu, Turkey – M 6.7 Fatalities 50
- 1953 03 18 – Yenice-Gonen, Turkey – M 7.3 Fatalities 1,073
- 1957 04 25 – Fethiye, Turkey – M 7.1 Fatalities 15
- 1957 05 26 – Bolu Province, Turkey – M 7.1 Fatalities 66
- 1964 10 06 – Western Turkey – M 7.0 Fatalities 36
- 1965 06 13 – Denizli, Turkey – M 5.4 Fatalities 2
- 1966 08 19 – Varto, Turkey – M 6.8 Fatalities 2,529
- 1967 07 22 – Mudurnu Valley, Turkey – M 7.3 Fatalities 173
- 1968 09 03 – Bartin, Turkey – M 6.6 Fatalities 24
- 1969 03 28 – Alasehir, Turkey – M 6.4 Fatalities 11
- 1970 03 28 – Gediz, Turkey – M 6.9 Fatalities 1,086
- 1971 05 12 – Western Turkey – M 6.3
- 1971 05 22 – Eastern Turkey – M 6.9 Fatalities 1,000
- 1975 09 06 – Turkey – M 6.7 Fatalities 2,000
- 1983 10 30 – Turkey – M 6.9 Fatalities 1,342
- 1999 08 17 – Izmit, Turkey – M 7.6 Fatalities 17,118
- 1999 11 12 – Duzce, Turkey – M 7.2 Fatalities 894
- 2002 02 03 – Turkey – M 6.5 Fatalities 44
- 2003 01 27 – Turkey – M 6.1
- 2003 05 01 – Eastern Turkey – M 6.4 Fatalities 177
- 2004 07 01 – Eastern Turkey – M 5.1 Fatalities 18
Related Links:
Other Links:
Posted in ankara, earthquake, seismic activity, seismic event report, Turkish death toll | Tagged: Bingol quake, Elazig quake, Erzincan, Karakoçan quake, North Anatolian Fault zone, Turkey quake | 3 Comments »
Posted by feww on December 12, 2009
Nicaragua’s Volcán Concepción spewed smoke and ash into the air
Nicaragua’s Concepcion volcano erupted Saturday spewing smoke into the air and showering ash on nearby villages. Nicaragua’s Ineter geophysics agency has alerted the authorities about the possibility of further eruptions.
Dozens of mud structures in the area were damaged and a dozen people injured in 2005 episode of seismic activity at Volcán Concepción.
Volcán Concepción is one of Nicaragua’s highest and most active volcanoes. The symmetrical basaltic-to-dacitic stratovolcano forms the NW half of the dumbbell-shaped island of Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua and is connected to neighboring Madera volcano by a narrow isthmus. A steep-walled summit crater is 250 m deep and has a higher western rim. N-S-trending fractures on the flanks of the volcano have produced chains of spatter cones, cinder cones, lava domes, and maars located on the NW, NE, SE, and southern sides extending in some cases down to Lake Nicaragua. Concepción was constructed above a basement of lake sediments, and the modern cone grew above a largely buried caldera, a small remnant of which forms a break in slope about halfway up the north flank. Frequent explosive eruptions during the past half century have increased the height of the summit significantly above that shown on current topographic maps and have kept the upper part of the volcano unvegetated. Photo by Jaime Incer. Caption by GVP
Volcán Concepción Details
Last Known Eruption: 2007
Summit Elevation: 1,700? m (5,577 feet)
Latitude: 11.538°N (11°32’16″N)
Longitude: 85.622°W (85°37’21″W)
Source: GVP
Meanwhile
Soufrière Hills Volcano spewed pyroclastic debris, forcing evacuations of Zone C
MVO raised the Hazard Level to 4 on 10 December, making Zone C off limit, and allowing only daytime access to Zone B.
Soufrière Hills Volcano in Montserrat spews ash into the air.
MVO had previously reported high level of activity at the Soufrière Hills Volcano citing ” nine hundred and fifty seven rockfall signals, two hundred and seven long period events, three volcano tectonic and one hundred and six hybrid earthquakes recorded. Activity has continued in cycles although these cycles have become more irregular in time in the last few days.”
“Pyroclastic flow and rockfall activity has been concentrated on the northern side of the volcano.” It also reported large pyroclastic flows from Tuitt’s Ghaut, onto Farrell’s plain and into Tyers Ghaut, with many runout distances reaching 2 km from the lava dome.
“At around 6:40 am on 10 December there was a notably large seismic signal recorded associated with a relatively large pyroclastic flow down Tyers Ghaut. This flow had a runout distance of 3.5 km, stopping just beyond the west end of Lee’s village.” MVO said.
Ash and Steam Plume, Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat. Gray deposits including pyroclastic flows and lahars are visible extending from the volcano toward the coastline. Credit NASA. Astronaut photograph ISS021-E-5555 was acquired on October 11, 2009.
Soufrière Hills became active in 1995 and has since continued to erupt rendering more than half of Montserrat island uninhabitable, burying the capital city, Plymouth, and prompting widespread evacuations. On June 25, 1997 the volcano erupted, killing 19 people and prompting about 60 percent of the population (about 8,000 refugees) to leave the island.
Related Links:
Posted in Pyroclastic flow, seismic activity, volcanic activity, volcanism, volcano | Tagged: Farrell's plain, Plymouth, Soufriere Hills Volcano, Tar River Valley, Tuitt's Ghaut, Tyers Ghaut, Volcán Concepción | 1 Comment »
Posted by feww on November 5, 2009
Arabian Plate Jolted by Quake Cluster at Boundaries in Gulf of Aden
As of posting 4 events had occurred in the region, the largest of which is estimated at 5.8 Mw. The events occurred at a depth of about 10 km.
A Wave of Intense Seismicity May Break up Arabian Plate!
In your lifetime you could see large earthquakes and volcanic explosions breaking up the Arabian plate, creating one or more islands from its southern half.
Arabian Plate. Image Credit: Saudi Arabian Geological Survey
The western boundary of the Arabian plate is a transform fault zone — the Dead Sea and East Anatolian faults —where the adjacent plates grind past each other. Rifts of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden constitute the southern boundary, where Arabia and Africa are pulling apart. The Zagros and Makran mountain ranges mark the present collision zone. Blocks north and east of the collision zone (the Lut and Helmand blocks) arrived on the shores of Eurasia much earlier and are being jostled about during the current event … — Tectonics of the Arabian Plate/ Johnson Space Center/NASA
FEWW Arabia Earthquake and Volcanic Activity Forecast
The GFZ Potsdam Earthquake Bulletin reported the events as follows
Event No. 1
Region: Western Gulf of Aden
Time: 2009-11-05 06:23:05.2 UTC
Magnitude: 4.4
Epicenter: 45.70°E 12.21°N
Depth: 10 km
Status: manually revised
Earthquake Location Map. © Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum – GFZ
Event No. 2
Region: Western Gulf of Aden
Time: 2009-11-05 07:12:35.7 UTC
Magnitude: 5.6
Epicenter: 46.07°E 12.10°N
Depth: 20 km
Status: manually revised
Tectonics of the Arabian Plate
The African, Arabian and Indian crustal plates have been marching northward to collide with Eurasia — for about 20 million years in the case of Arabia, and for 50 million years in the case of India. The result has been a collage of plate pieces and mountain ranges that extend from the Pyrenees in the west, across southern Europe and the Middle East, through the Himalayas and the ranges of southeast Asia. Incorporated within that broad band are continental fragments that moved across the ocean and separately crashed into Eurasia; structures of some of those fragments have been reactivated during the present collision. Image and Caption: Johnson Space Center/NASA
10-degree Map Centered at 10°N,45°E
Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP. Enhanced by FEWW
Seismic Hazard Map
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green
Seismic Hazard Map
Event No. 3
Region: Western Gulf of Aden
Time: 2009-11-05 07:57:30.1 UTC
Magnitude: 4.8
Epicenter: 46.11°E 11.96°N
Depth: 10 km
Status: manually revised
Event No. 4
Region: Western Gulf of Aden
Time: 2009-11-05 08:05:52.6 UTC
Magnitude: 5.1
Epicenter: 45.95°E 12.13°N
Depth: 17 km
Status: manually revised
Related Links:
Posted in earthquake forecast, feww earthquake forecast, seismic activity, seismic activity report, seismic event report | Tagged: Aden, Arabian Plate, berbera, Dabbahu fissure, Eurasian Plate, Gulf of Aden, makran thrust, Owen fracture zone, read sea uplift, saudi arabia, Somalian plate, Turkish plate, Yemen, Yemen quake | 3 Comments »
Posted by feww on August 28, 2009
Powerful Earthquake measuring 6.8Mw strikes Banda Sea
Magnitude 6.8 underwater earthquake struck Banda Sea about 200km SSE of Baubau, Sulawesi, Indonesia, at a depth of 633.2 km, on Friday, August 28, 2009 at 01:51 UTC, USGS/EHP reported.
10-degree Map Centered at 5°S,125°E
Earthquake Location Map. Original map: USGS EHP. Image upgraded by FEWW.
Details of this Earthquake
- Magnitude: 6.8
- Date-Time:
- Friday, August 28, 2009 at 01:51:19 UTC
- Location: 7.117°S, 123.444°E
- Depth: 633.2 km
- Region: BANDA SEA
- Distances
- 200 km (125 miles) SSE of Baubau, Sulawesi, Indonesia
- 275 km (170 miles) NE of Ende, Flores, Indonesia
- 1005 km (620 miles) NW of DARWIN, Northern Territory, Australia
- 1845 km (1150 miles) E of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
- Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 7.3 km (4.5 miles); depth +/- 13.1 km (8.1 miles)
- Parameters: NST= 69, Nph= 69, Dmin=470.3 km, Rmss=0.97 sec, Gp= 40°, M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=7
- Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
- Event ID: us2009kwae
The earthquake occurred about 76km north of Batu Tara Volcano, located on the tiny Island of Pulau Komba in the Banda Sea.
Historic Seismicity (Mag 7+ since 1900)
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green
Tsunami Report:
There was NO tsunami reported, possibly because the quake occurred at a depth of more than 633km.
Related Links:
Posted in Batu Tara, earthquake forecast, Earthquakes, Pulau Komba, seismic activity, seismic event report | Tagged: BANDA SEA, BANDA SEA earthquake, BANDA SEA EQ, BANDA SEA quake, Baubau, Ende, Indonesia quake | 2 Comments »
Posted by feww on August 16, 2009
A powerful earthquake measuring 6.7Mw strikes off the coast of western Indonesia
The powerful earthquake, originally reported as measuring 7.0Mw, struck in the Kepulauan Mentawai Region, Indonesia, about 110 km WSW of Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia, at a depth of 44.8km on Sunday August 16, 2009, USGS reported.
The earthquake, which was later downgraded by USGS EQ Hazard Program was followed by a cluster of aftershocks at the time of writing, the largest of which measured 5.9Mw.
[ Note: FEWW Moderators have noted that at least a dozen or so earthquakes which were initially reported as measuring 6.0 or greater, have been subsequently downgraded by USGS without any explanation. Moderators also noted an earthquake reported in Alaska, which measured greater than 5.0, was withdrawn from the USGS report last week, again without any explanation.]
See also FEWW comments:
https://feww.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/magnitude-6-9-quake-strikes-gulf-of-california/#comment-3772
https://feww.wordpress.com/2009/08/03/magnitude-6-9-quake-strikes-gulf-of-california/#comment-3797
According to Indonesia’s Meteorological and Geophysics Agency there was NO tsunami warning.
Several people received minor injuries as they fled building in Padang, where a small number of buildings were damage, according to reports.
Earthquake Details
- Magnitude: 6.7
- Date-Time
- Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 07:38:25 UTC
- Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 02:38:25 PM at epicenter
- Location: 1.397°S, 99.473°E
- Depth: 44.8 km (27.8 miles)
- Region: KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI REGION, INDONESIA
- Distances
- 110 km (70 miles) WSW of Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia
- 305 km (190 miles) SW of Pekanbaru, Sumatra, Indonesia
- 560 km (345 miles) SSW of KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia
- 960 km (600 miles) WNW of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
- Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 5.8 km (3.6 miles); depth +/- 10.2 km (6.3 miles)
- Parameters: NST=240, Nph=240, Dmin=683.1 km, Rmss=1.04 sec, Gp= 22°, M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=8
- Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
- Event ID: us2009kjak
10-degree Map Centered at 0°N,100°E
Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS
Historic Seismicity [USGS]
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green
Seismic Hazard Map [USGS]
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green
Related Links:
Posted in aftershocks, Kepulauan Mentawai, Pekanbaru, seismic activity, seismic hazard report | Tagged: earthquake forecast, Earthquakes, Indonesia quake, Padang, Sumatra | 4 Comments »
Posted by feww on August 6, 2009
A powerful earthquake could strike Alaska anytime
Based on the FEWW ‘EarthModel’ simulations, Moderators believe a powerful earthquake may strike Alaska anytime [probability of 0.8]
Previous FEWW Forecast
FEWW Forecast: An area within approximately 300-km radius of Anchorage would be one of the seismic zones in Alaska to experience continued intense seismic activity this year possibly including a magnitude MW 7.9 or larger quake close to Anchorage (south of the city, north of Rugged Island).
FEWW Alaska Earthquake Forecast. Approximate location. Source of original map: Google Earth. Map may be subject to copyright.
Related Links:
Posted in Anchorage, anchorage quake forecast, Rugged Island quake forecast, seismic activity, seismic hazard warning | Tagged: Alaska Earthquake forecast, Alaska Earthquake Warning, Earthquake forecasts | 2 Comments »
Posted by feww on July 1, 2009
Is Redoubt going back to sleep?
After Redoubt’s last explosive eruption about three month ago, the researchers at the Alaska Volcano Observatory say the volcano may be settling down. The aviation alert level has been lowered to code yellow (advisory), however, constant monitoring continues.
Redoubt has been oozing magma and ejecting steam since the last eruption on April 4, 2009.
“The last couple of months at Redoubt, we have been building a mountain,” said one of the researchers, referring to the colossal lava dome.
As of June 9, the giant dome had grown to approximately 67.5 million m3 in volume. the dome is unstable and can collapse at any time, causing explosions, and flooding the Drift River valley.
Redoubt from the east. Picture Date: July 01, 2009. Image Creator: Cyrus Read. Image courtesy of AVO/USGS.
Redoubt photo taken by DFR Webcam. AVO. Camera is co-located with seismic station DFR, approximately 12.2 km NE of Redoubt.
ALASKA VOLCANO OBSERVATORY INFORMATION STATEMENT
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 4:38 PM AKDT (Wednesday, July 1, 2009 0038 UTC)
Redoubt Volcano
60°29’7″ N 152°44’38” W, Summit Elevation 10197 ft (3,108 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: ADVISORY
Current Aviation Color Code: YELLOW
Extended Information Statement
The 2009 eruption of Redoubt volcano began March 15th, 2009 with a steam explosion. Between March 22nd and April 4th, Redoubt produced multiple significant explosions that sent ash and gas clouds to as high as 65,000 feet (19.8 km) above sea level. After April 4th, the eruption continued with extrusion of a lava dome within the summit crater, eventually producing a blocky lava flow that currently extends ~0.6 miles (1 km) down the north flank of the volcano. Redoubt entered its 14th week of eruptive activity the week of June 22nd. More …
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Posted in Drift River, lava dome, magma, seismic activity | Tagged: alaska volcano, Redoubt Volcano, volcanic eruption, volcanic unrest | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on June 1, 2009
FEWW Earthquake Forecast: Al-Ais, Saudi Arabia
FEWW forecasts another swarm of earthquakes occurring in the Al-Ais volcanic region this week, with the largest shock measuring up to 4.6 Mw. [Probability of occurrence: 0.8]
Riyadh city, the Saudi capital, could also be jolted by a similar size shock. [Probability of occurrence: 0.6]
For earlier forecasts and other seismic related posts see:
Posted in Al-Ais volcanoes, earthquake forecast, Harrat Lunayyir, oil drilling earthquakes, seismic activity | Tagged: Al-Ais, Al-Ais volcanoes, Arabia Earthquakes, saudi arabia, Yanbu | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on April 22, 2009
Satellite image of Earth movement during Italy quake
An Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) interferogram interpretation by Italy’s Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV). The large green square represents the Mw 6.3 main shock, the smaller green squares represent the Mw > 5 aftershocks and the black triangles represent GPS stations used for SAR validation. The yellow line east of L’Aquila shows the location of a ~4 km–long alignment of co-seismic surface breaks observed in the field by INGV researchers. This alignment corresponds to a northwest – southeast strip where the spatial fringe rate seems to exceed the limit for interferometric correlation. This may indicate that the fault dislocation reached, or was very close to, the surface along this line. The observed pattern of ground displacement is in very good agreement with the earthquake source mechanism (the ‘beach ball’), confirming that the earthquake source is a normal fault striking 144 degrees (clockwise from north), and dipping to the southwest.
The technique is a sophisticated version of ‘spot the difference’. InSAR involves combining two or more radar images of the same ground location in such a way that very precise measurements – down to a scale of a few millimeters – can be made of any ground motion taking place between image acquisitions.
Each rainbow band represents about 28 millimeters of ground movements. Credits: INGV. Caption: ESA.
Posted in earthquake, interferogram, seismic activity, seismic event forecast, Seismic Hazard | Tagged: ASAR, Ghost of L'Aquila, ground motion, L'Aquila quake, Seismicity | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on March 22, 2009
Another reminder that volcanic eruptions can destroy everything around them
Hunga Ha’apai eruption “has destroyed rich birdlife and vegetation, leaving a wasteland of black ash and tree stumps,” eyewitness reports say.
Groups of people who have traveled to the volcanic site described frequent explosions that ejected rocks and ash and spewed smoke hundreds of meters into the air, AFP reported.
Ash rises several hundred meters into the air from Hunga Ha’apai, 62km north-northwest of the Tongan capital Nuku’alofa. [Undated photo, possibly taken on Mar 20 or 21, 2009.] Photograph: AFP. Image may be subject to copyright.
The volcano, which is located on the small islet of Hunga Ha’apai, about 62km km north- northwest of the Tongan capital Island of Nuku’alofa, began erupting on March 16, 2009, and continued to ash, volcanic gasses and rocks into the air.
A journalist visiting the Island said: “The island itself is totally destroyed … there is no living thing left there, it’s all covered in black ash.”
“There are only black stumps where the coconut trees were,” he added. “We saw dead birds and fish in the water.”
According to Tonga’s chief geologist, Kelepi Mafi, who reportedly inspected the area on Thursday, the volcanic debris ejected from the volcano filled the 100 m gap between the offshore vent and the main vent on Hunga Ha’apai, adding hundreds of square meters to the islet’s land mass.
Mafi reiterated that the government has warned sightseers to stay away from the area, which is very dangerous.
“It’s very interesting, but it’s very risky also,” he said, adding that he expected the eruption to continue for another couple of days.
However, given the renewed seismic activity in the area, and other factors not discussed here, FEWW believes one or more of the following scenarios may likely occur:
1. Eruption could continue for many days (up to several weeks).
2. Hunga Ha’apai’s activity could become sporadic, with extended ‘off’ and ‘on’ periods, lasting for several months (up to a year or so).
3. One or more of volcanoes in the region’s volcanic cluster could erupt.
Related Links:
An earthquake forecast for California will be published here by Tuesday March 24, 2009.
Posted in Metis Shoal, NUKUALOFA, Rumble III, seismic activity, volcanism | Tagged: earthquake, Hunga Ha’apai Volcano, submarine volcanoes, Tonga, volcano cluster | 2 Comments »
Posted by feww on January 26, 2009
Magnitude MW 5.7 Earthquake Strikes West of Nanwalek, Alaska
This Earthquake
Magnitude MW 5.7
Date-Time
- Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 18:09:50 UTC
- Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 09:09:50 AM at epicenter
Location: 59.389°N, 152.811°W
Depth: 100 km (62.1 miles) set by location program
Region: SOUTHERN ALASKA
Distances
- 51 km (32 miles) W (275°) from Nanwalek, AK
- 56 km (34 miles) W (275°) from Port Graham, AK
- 62 km (39 miles) W (265°) from Seldovia, AK
- 262 km (162 miles) SW (221°) from Anchorage, AK
Location Uncertainty Error: estimate not available
Source: Alaska Earthquake Information Center
Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Event ID: ak00088513
Seismic Hazard Map
Source of all images on this page: USGS
FEWW Forecast: An area within approximately 300-km radius of Anchorage would be one of the seismic zones in Alaska to experience continued intense seismic activity this year possibly including a magnitude MW 7.9 or larger quake close to Anchorage (south of the city, north of Rugged Island).
Related Links:
Posted in Rugged Island, seismic activity, seismic area, subduction zone, Tectonic Boundaries | Tagged: Anchorage, earthquake, Nanwalek, Port Graham, Southern Alaska | 4 Comments »
Posted by feww on January 16, 2009
Magnitude 7.4 Quake Strikes EAST OF THE KURIL ISLANDS
Earthquake Details
Magnitude: 7.4
Date-Time:
- Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 17:49:39 UTC
- Friday, January 16, 2009 at 03:49:39 AM at epicenter
20-degree Quake Map Centered at 45°N,155°E – Source: USGS
Location: 46.861°N, 155.154°E
Depth: 36 km (22.4 miles) set by location program
Region: EAST OF THE KURIL ISLANDS
Distances:
- 430 km (270 miles) S of Severo-Kuril’sk, Kuril Islands, Russia
- 590 km (365 miles) ENE of Kuril’sk, Kuril Islands
- 1785 km (1110 miles) NE of TOKYO, Japan
- 7245 km (4500 miles) NE of MOSCOW, Russia
Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 3.6 km (2.2 miles); depth fixed by location program
Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID: us2009bwa8
Source: NOAA/NWS
Tectonic Summary:
The Kuril Islands earthquake of January 15th, 2009 occurred as a result of thrust faulting within the Pacific plate. The event occurred near the outer-rise of the Pacific plate about 30 km to the east of where the Pacific plate subducts beneath the Okhotsk plate. In this region, the Pacific plate moves northwest with respect to the Okhotsk plate with a velocity of about 90 mm/yr.
Large and great earthquakes are not uncommon in this region. The location of this event is approximately 90 km to the northeast of the Mw 8.1 outer rise earthquake of January 13th 2007, which occurred as a result of normal faulting near the Pacific plate outer-rise. On November 15th 2006, an Mw 8.3 subduction-related thrust earthquake occurred approximately 160km to the southwest. [Source: USGS]
Tsunami Warning:
NO destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is expected.
Related Links:
Posted in Okhotsk plate, Pacific Plate, seismic activity, subduction thrust, Tectonic | Tagged: earthquake, Japan, KURIL ISLANDS, Russia, tsunami warning | Leave a Comment »
Posted by feww on July 15, 2008
Earthquake History of Alaska
The earth’s most active seismic feature, the circum-Pacific seismic belt, brushes Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, where more earthquakes occur than in the other 49 States combined. More than 80 percent of the planet’s tremors occur in the circum-Pacific belt, and about six percent of the large, shallow earthquakes are in the Alaska area, where as many as 4,000 earthquake at various depths are detected in a year. Excerpt from USGS.
Worldwide Earthquakes 2000 – 2008 [as of July 14, 2008] – Image: USGS
Posted in Ash cloud, Climate Change, energy, environment, food, Global Warming, health, lava, Okmok Volcano, politics, seismic activity, Tourism, Travel, Umnak Island, volcanic eruptions | Tagged: Alaska, Aleutian Island, circum-Pacific belt, Earthquakes, ring of fire | Leave a Comment »
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