Chile Earthquake: Topographic Map

Topographic Map of Chilean Coast Showing the Location of the M8.8 Earthquake and Most of the Aftershocks

The above topographic map shows the epicenter of the M8.8 megaquake and the area between the cities Santiago and Concepcion, the Chilean capital  and its 2nd largest city respectively, where most of the aftershocks occurred. The red line marks the boundary line between the Nazca and South America Plates. Nazca plate subducts South America Plate at a rate of 80 mm/year.  Black circles also show the magnitude of the shocks. Image Credit: NASA.

The area has experienced at least 13 events of magnitude 7.0 or greater since 1973. The M8.8 shock on February 27 struck about 230 km north of the epicenter of the M9.5 earthquake that occurred in May, 1960 – world’s largest instrumentally recorded quake which killed 1,655 people in southern Chile.

Related Links:

• Chile quake Update 3 (March 2)
• Chile Earthquake Update 2 (Mar 1)
• Santiago, Chile: Satellite Images
• Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Update 1 (28 Feb)
• Destructive Tsunami Generated by Chile Quake

• Chile 8.8 Megaquake Strikes Offshore Maule
• Earth undergoing significant geophysical disturbances
• Recent Earthquakes ≥ 6.0 Mw
• Powerful Quake Strikes Chile [November 13, 2009]
• The Largest Earthquake

Magnitude MW 5.7 Quake Hits Southern Alaska

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:

• Earthquakes [Links Page]
  

Magnitude 6.1 Quake Strikes N Coast of Papua

Another strong quake struck north coast of Papua, Indonesia

Eearthquake Location                                                               Source: USGS

This Earthquake
Magnitude: 6.1
Date-Time:

• Tuesday, January 06, 2009 at 22:48:30 UTC
• Wednesday, January 07, 2009 at 07:48:30 AM at epicenter

Location: 0.667°S, 133.426°E
Depth: 35 km (21.7 miles) set by location program
Region: NEAR THE NORTH COAST OF PAPUA, INDONESIA
Distances:

• 75 km (50 miles) WNW of Manokwari, Papua, Indonesia
• 240 km (150 miles) E of Sorong, Papua, Indonesia
• 1335 km (830 miles) NNE of DARWIN, Northern Territory, Australia
• 3015 km (1880 miles) E of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia

Location Uncertainty:  horizontal +/- 7.8 km (4.8 miles); depth fixed by location program
Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID: us2009bmbu

Related Links:

• Powerful Quake Cluster Strikes Papua, Indonesia
• Papua Quakes Damge Report
• Earthquakes [Index page]

Earthquake Cluster Hits Yellowstone National Park

More than two dozen earthquakes magnitude 2.5 and larger strike Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

FEWW Forecast: There could be as much as 37 percent more earthquakes in the United States in 2009;  some may occur in areas not prone to quakes, e.g., north, northeast, south and central U.S.

Magnitude 3.5 quake strikes  YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING

Source: USGS

This Earthquake
Magnitude: 3.5

Date-Time:

• Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 09:02:28 UTC
• Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 02:02:28 AM at epicenter

Location: 44.523°N, 110.362°W
Depth: 0.4 km (~0.2 mile) (poorly constrained)
Region: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
Distances:

• 61 km (38 miles) ESE (104°) from West Yellowstone, MT
• 64 km (40 miles) SSE (154°) from Gardiner, MT
• 64 km (40 miles) SSW (211°) from Cooke City-Silver Gate, MT
• 437 km (272 miles) NNE (16°) from Salt Lake City, UT

Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 0.5 km (0.3 miles); depth +/- 7.9 km (4.9 miles)
Source: University of Utah Seismograph Stations [via USGS]
Event ID: uu00002649

FEWW Team will provide a more definitive earthquake forecast for the US in 2009 once it’s had a chance to re-examine the data to confirm the preliminary analysis.

Magnitude 6.8 Quake strikes Kermadec Isls Region

An earthquake with preliminary magnitude 6.8 struck  in the Kermadec Islands region, north of New Zealand

For background information and earlier FEWW forecast see:

• Magnitude 7 Earthquake Hits Kermadec Islands
• Earthquake Cluster Zone Closing in on New Zealand

Earthquake Details (USGS)

Original Images: USGS.

Magnitude: 6.8
Date-Time:

• Tuesday, December 09, 2008 at 06:23:59 UTC
• Tuesday, December 09, 2008 at 06:23:59 PM at epicenter

Location: 31.092°S, 176.965°W
Depth: 13.6 km (8.5 miles) (poorly constrained)
Region: Kermadec Islands region

Distances:

• 190 km (115 miles) E of L’Esperance Rock, Kermadec Islands
• 220 km (140 miles) SSE of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
• 990 km (620 miles) NE of Auckland, New Zealand
• 1350 km (840 miles) NE of WELLINGTON, New Zealand

Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 6.1 km (3.8 miles); depth +/- 22.4 km (13.9 miles)

Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

[UPDATE: December 12, 2008]

The above mainshock was followed by two strong aftershocks measuring 5.1 Mw:

Aftershock #1
Magnitude: 5.1
Date-Time:  Friday, December 12, 2008 at 10:46:18 UTC
Location:  31.101°S, 176.838°W
Depth:  10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
Region: KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
Distances:

• 200 km (125 miles) E of L’Esperance Rock, Kermadec Islands
• 230 km (140 miles) SSE of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
• 1005 km (620 miles) NE of Auckland, New Zealand
• 1350 km (840 miles) NE of WELLINGTON, New Zealand

Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 13.3 km (8.3 miles); depth fixed by location program
Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID: us2008amai

Aftershock #2
Magnitude: 5.1
Date-Time:  Friday, December 12, 2008 at 11:55:29 UTC
Location: 31.096°S, 176.870°W
Depth: 10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
Region: KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
Distances:

• 195 km (120 miles) E of L’Esperance Rock, Kermadec Islands
• 225 km (140 miles) SSE of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
• 1005 km (620 miles) NE of Auckland, New Zealand
• 1350 km (840 miles) NE of WELLINGTON, New Zealand

Location Uncertainty:  horizontal +/- 11.9 km (7.4 miles); depth fixed by location program
Source:  USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID:  us2008amam

Related Links:

• Magnitude 7 Earthquake Hits Kermadec Islands
• Earthquake Cluster Zone Closing in on New Zealand
• Mt Ruapehu Eruption Alert
• Another large quake strikes NZ

Earthquake Cluster Zone Closing in on New Zealand

Another Powerful Quake Hits Kermadec Isles Region

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake followed by two strong aftershocks hit the Kermadec Islands region in line with FEWW forecast.

10-degree Map Centered at 30°S,175°W

Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands, Global Reference Map. USGS

FEWW Comments:

• The center of earthquake cluster incidence within the epicentral region of the  Kermadec Trench appears to be shifting south-southwest of its historical position, and closer to New Zealand North Island.

• According to FEWW analysis a magnitude 8+ earthquake would likely strike the Kermadec Isles epicentral region centered in an area about 285km SSE of Raoul Island [~900km NE of Auckland, New Zealand] before the New Year. Since 1900 only one other earthquake with a magnitude of 8 has struck the region. [1917 May 1 18:26 UTC, Depth: 60 km – USGS data]

Tectonic Setting

Kermadec Trench – Epicentral Region. Image Credit: USGS

Related Links:

• Magnitude 7 Earthquake Hits Kermadec Islands
• Mt Ruapehu Eruption Alert

Main Shock

Magnitude: 6.5
Date-Time: Sunday, October 05, 2008 at 09:12:40 PM at epicenter
Location: 30.327°S, 177.195°W
Depth: 35 km (21.7 miles) set by location program
Region: KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
Distances:

• 135 km (85 miles) SSE of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
  205 km (125 miles) NE of L’Esperance Rock, Kermadec Islands
  1035 km (650 miles) NE of Auckland, New Zealand
  1410 km (880 miles) NNE of WELLINGTON, New Zealand

Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 11.3 km (7.0 miles); depth fixed by location program
Source: USGS NEIC
Event ID    us2008xuan

Aftershocks

1. Magnitude:    5.2
Date-Time: Sunday, October 05, 2008 at 10:45:00 UTC [ October 05, 2008 at 10:45:00 PM at epicenter]
Location:    30.856°S, 176.659°W
Source:    USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID: us2008xuas

2. Magnitude:    5.2
Date-Time:  Sunday, October 05, 2008 at 14:09:50 UTC [October 06, 2008 at 02:09:50 AM at epicenter]
Location: 31.156°S, 177.721°W
Source: USGS NEIC
Event ID:  us2008xua8