Strong Earthquake Strikes Solomon Islands Region

KMPH – 090902

M6.5 quake occurs 66km NW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands

EQ Details:

Magnitude: 6.5 mww

Location: 10.040°S, 161.485°E
Depth: 83.2 km
Time: 2018-09-09 at 19:31:36.750 (UTC)

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

Powerful Aftershocks Plague Makira, Solomon Islands

51 Significant aftershocks rattle the island of Makira (San Cristobal)

A 6.9Mw aftershock, the largest so far, followed the M7.8 earthquake that struck the region on December 8, according to USGS/EHP.

EQ Details

• M 6.9 – 94km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands
• Location: 10.730°S 161.107°E
• Depth: 20.6 km
• Time: 2016-12-09 19:10:07 (UTC)

Solomon Islands. Earthquake Location Map. 52 Earthquakes on the map. Source: USGS/EHP.

M7.8 Quake Strikes Solomon Islands

M7.8 earthquake strikes 69km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands

The quake struck at a depth of 41km, according to USGS/EHP.

NO threat of Pacific-wide tsunami as a result of this earthquake.

EQ Details

• Magnitude: 7.8Mw
• Location: 10.676°S, 161.330°E; depth of 41km;  69km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands
• Time: 2016-12-08 17:38:46 UTC

Aftershocks: At least 20 significant aftershocks, measuring up to M6.5, struck the region as of posting.

M6.5 earthquake strikes 160km W of Ferndale, California

EQ Details

• Magnitude: 6.5Mwb
• Location: 40.475°N, 126.153°W; depth of 12.1km; 160km W of Ferndale, California
• Time: 2016-12-08 14:49:46 UTC

Powerful Earthquake Strikes Santa Cruz Islands

3rd Revision by yet another seismologist (!)
M7.0; 10.38S, 165.20E ; depth=10km 

M7.2 Strikes WNW of Lata, Solomon Islands

Centered at 10.38ºS, 165.19ºE the quake occurred at a depth of about 2km, reported emsc-csem.org

Pacific Tsunami center has issued the following statement:

TSUNAMI EVALUATION

BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS… HAZARDOUS
TSUNAMI WAVES ARE POSSIBLE FOR COASTS LOCATED WITHIN 300 KM OF
THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER.

TSUNAMI THREAT FORECAST

* HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI WAVES FROM THIS EARTHQUAKE ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN 300 KM OF THE EPICENTER ALONG THE COASTS OF SOLOMON ISLANDS

EQ Details

Magnitude: 7.2Mw
Region: SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
Date/time: 2015-07-18 at 02:27:31.9 UTC
Location: 10.38ºS ; 165.19ºE
Depth 2 km
Distances 584 km E of Honiara, Solomon Islands / pop: 56,298 / local time: 13:27:31.9 2015-07-18
358 km E of Kirakira, Solomon Islands / pop: 1,122 / local time: 13:27:31.9 2015-07-18

Aftershocks

M5.1, 10.31S,164.96E 2015-07-18 at 04:30:04.3; depth=2km
M4.9, 10.31S,165.08E 2015-07-18 at 03:32:34.9; depth=2km

Another Powerful Quake Strikes Solomon Islands

SEISMIC HAZARD
INTENSE SEISMICITY
.

M7.4 Strikes 111km S of Kirakira, Solomon Islands

The quake was the second powerful quake occurring along the South Solomon Trench since 20:14UTC on Saturday, and the latest event in the ongoing episode of intense seismicity on or near the boundary between the Australia and Pacific plates.

FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast

MEGA EARTHQUAKE COULD STRIKE SOLOMON ISLANDS

A  detailed FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast appeared in the Bulletin NO. 84, which was released on April 12.

The next FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast will be issued together with the April 13 Bulletin, later today.

EQ Details
Magnitude: 7.4Mw
Event Time:  12:36:18 UTC on 2014-04-13
Location:11.451°S 162.069°E depth=35.0km (21.7mi)
Nearby Cities

• 111km (69mi) S of Kirakira, Solomon Islands
• 321km (199mi) SE of Honiara, Solomon Islands

Source: USGS/EHP

 

Tsunami Evaluation

PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 13:18UTC 13 APR 2014

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 continue to 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
 --------------------------------    ------------    ------------
 SOLOMON ISLANDS  KIRAKIRA           10.4S 161.9E    1258Z 13 APR
                  SANTA_CRUZ_ISLA    10.9S 165.9E    1314Z 13 APR
                  AUKI                8.8S 160.6E    1318Z 13 APR
                  HONIARA             9.3S 160.0E    1324Z 13 APR
                  MUNDA               8.4S 157.2E    1336Z 13 APR
                  GHATERE             7.8S 159.2E    1341Z 13 APR
                  FALAMAE             7.4S 155.6E    1355Z 13 APR
                  PANGGOE             6.9S 157.2E    1359Z 13 APR
 VANUATU          ESPERITU_SANTO     15.1S 167.3E    1341Z 13 APR
 PAPUA NEW GUINE  WOODLARK_ISLAND     9.0S 152.9E    1408Z 13 APR
                  AMUN                6.0S 154.7E    1409Z 13 APR
                  KIETA               6.1S 155.6E    1418Z 13 APR

Related Links

• Powerful Earthquake Strikes Solomon Islands April 13, 2014
• FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 84 April 12, 2014
• M7.1 EQ Strikes Near Panguna, PNG April 11, 2014
• M6.5 Quake Strikes PNG April 12, 2014

Powerful Earthquake Strikes Solomon Islands

SEISMIC HAZARD
.

M7.6 – 100km SSE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands

Centered at 11.315°S, 162.211°E the quake struck at a depth of about 29.3km (18.2mi), said USGS/EHP.

The powerful shock occurred along the South Solomon Trench and was the latest event in an episode of intense seismicity on or near the boundary between the Australia and Pacific plates.

The earthquake was downgraded from an initial magnitude 7.8 to 7.6Mw

The quake was followed by about a dozen significant aftershocks, as of posting.

Tsunami Evaluation

Initially, the PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER (PTWC) issued an expanding tsunami warning and watch for parts of the pacific located close to the earthquake.

In a latest bulletin, ISSUED AT 21:36UTC on 12 APR 2014, PTWC said:

SEA LEVEL READINGS INDICATE A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. IT MAY HAVE BEEN DESTRUCTIVE ALONG COASTS NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. FOR THOSE AREAS – WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES ARE OBSERVED FOR TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL OR DAMAGING WAVES HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS. AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

Earthquake Details
Magnitude: 7.6Mw
Event Time: 20:14:39 UTC on 2014-04-12
Location:11.315°S 162.211°E depth=29.3km (18.2mi)
Nearby Cities:

• 100km (62mi) SSE of Kirakira, Solomon Islands
• 323km (201mi) SE of Honiara, Solomon Islands

Earthquake Location Maps

Source: USGS/EHP

Source: USGS/EHP

FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast

A  FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast appeared in the April 12 Bulletin, which was released on April 12.

The next FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast will be issued together with the April 13 Bulletin, later today.

Related Links

• FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 84 April 12, 2014
• M7.1 EQ Strikes Near Panguna, PNG April 11, 2014
• M6.5 Quake Strikes PNG April 12, 2014

‘This is the worst disaster the nation has seen’

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY FLASH FLOODS
NATIONAL DISASTER
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Dozens Dead or Missing, Thousands Homeless in Solomons Flooding

Flash flooding has claimed at least 6 lives, left dozens missing and more than 10,000 homeless in the Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara (population: ∼ 70,000), prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency.

“This is the worst disaster the nation has seen,”  said the  Solomon Star newspaper.

Extreme Rain Events lasting for about a week  caused the main Matanikau River to burst its banks, sweeping away entire communities. The rain and flooding continue.

A spokesperson from the National Disaster Management Office said the office will assess the damage to map out the cost but said it will be costly.

“Homes were swept away by flash floods, lives were lost, properties damaged but the real extent of the damage is still sketchy,” the spokesman said.

“Matanikau River caused significant damage and there are other reports from other parts of Guadalcanal that were hard hit on Thursday.”

He said the Guadalcanal plains were also affected.

“Reports from those areas were that homes were flooded and food gardens wiped out.

“Lunga River also unleashed her might yesterday affecting a lot of residents in Lunga.”

The old one-lane Mataniko bridge is gone. On the Guadalcanal plains, hundreds of villagers headed for the hills last night as flooding took away  homes. This is the worst disaster the nation has seen.  Solomon Star News

Strong Quake Strike Solomon Islands

Meanwhile a magnitude 6Mw quake struck about 28km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands.

Magnitude: 6.0Mw
Event Time: 2014-04-04 11:40:32 UTC
Location: 10.530°S 161.672°E
Depth: 63.8km (39.6mi)
Nearby Cities: 28km (17mi) WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands
224km (139mi) ESE of Honiara, Solomon Islands
Source: USGS/EHP