Alaska Keeps on Shaking!

SEISMIC HAZARD
HEIGHTENED GLOBAL SEISMICITY
SCENARIOS 08, 07
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Shaking Alaska: Hundreds of quakes small, medium and ‘large’…

It looks like Alaska suffering from brittle bone disease, or you have blurred vision!

Some 32.3 percent of all earthquakes worldwide that have occurred in the past 7 days struck in or near Alaska. Well, that’s one way of looking at it!

EQ Location Map

7 Days, All Magnitudes Worldwide: 1694 earthquakes. Updated: 2014-06-09 15:31:00UTC.  547 earthquakes in map area. Source: USGS/EHP

1 Day All Magnitudes Worldwide: 153 earthquakes. Updated: 2014-06-09 15:50:03 UTC. 135 earthquakes in map area!

 Related Links

• Alaska Rattled by Earthquake Cluster June 8, 2014

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: FIRE-EARTH EQ Forecast

The next detailed FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast will be released together with Bulletin NO. 105  on June 10, 2014.

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Alaska Rattled by Earthquake Cluster

SEISMIC HAZARD
HEIGHTENED GLOBAL SEISMICITY
SCENARIOS 08, 07
.

M5.5 strikes near Noatak, AK followed by dozens of aftershocks

Centered at 67.719°N, 162.385°W, the event occurred at a depth of 16.4km (10.2mi), followed by at least two dozen aftershocks.

EQ Details [USGS/EHP]

Magnitude: 5.5Mw
Event Time: 2014-06-07 at 04:43:33 UTC
Location: 67.719°N 162.385°W depth=16.4km (10.2mi)
Nearby Cities:

• 35km (22mi) NE of Noatak, Alaska
• 728km (452mi) WNW of Fairbanks, Alaska

EQ Location Map

1 Day, All Magnitudes Worldwide: 171 earthquakes – DownloadUpdated: 2014-06-08 2014-06-08 04:47:29 UTC– 56 earthquakes in the larger Alaska map area. Source: USGS/EHP

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: FIRE-EARTH EQ Forecast

The next detailed FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast will be released together with Bulletin NO. 104 later today (June 8, 2014).

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 Volcanic Activity in Alaska

PAVLOF VOLCANO (VNUM #312030)
55°25’2″ N 161°53’37” W, Summit Elevation 8261 ft (2518 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

The eruption of Pavlof Volcano continues. Seismicity remains steady and unchanged in the past 24 hours. No thermal or ash signals were visible in cloudy satellite and web camera images.

• Shishaldin: Color Code: ORANGE/ Alert Level WATCH
• Cleveland: Color Code YELLOW / Alert Level ADVISORY
• Veniaminof: Color Code YELLOW / Alert Level ADVISORY

Related Links

• Alaska Flights Grounded amid Continued Activity at Pavlof June 5, 2014
• Eruption of Pavlof Continues June 4, 2014

Sakurajima Ejects Massive Column of Ash

VOLCANIC HAZARD
SCENARIOS 07, 070
.

Volcanic Activity Continues at Japan’s Sakurajima

Sakurajima’s eruption on Friday was the most powerful one at the volcano since last month when the volcano spewed large columns of ash with rivers of lava flowing in the direction of nearby Ibusiki City.

Ash clouds from Mt. Sakurajima explosion reached a height of 4,500 meters,  the second-highest since 1955. A record of 5,000 meters was set in 2013.

Ash fall was reported late Friday evening in areas southeast of the volcano.

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, Sakurajima is located in Kagoshima Bay, southern Kyushu, Japan (about 1,100km WSW of Tokyo). The composite volcano has three peaks: Kitadake, Nakadake and Minamidake (southern peak).

Mt. Sakurajima Eruption on June 6, 2014. Photo credit: Kagoshima Meteorological Observatory

Ongoing Eruptions

Since 1955 the Minamidake crater has been continually active. The ongoing activity includes strong strombolian to ash explosions at least once and as many as 8 times a day.

The volcano was placed under a Level 3 (orange) alert by the Japan Meteorological Agency on March 21, 2012.

Level 3 (orange) alert means the volcano is active (do not approach crater).

A major lava flow in 1914 connected the volcano island  to the Osumi Peninsula on the Kyushu Island.

Related Links

• Sakurajima Volcano Erupts Explosively  May 11, 2014

Eruption of Pavlof Continues

VOLCANIC HAZARD
SCENARIO 07
.

Pavlof Eruption Ongoing, Conditions Could Worsen Rapidly: AVO

Intense activity at Pavlov Volcano prompted the authorities to issue a red alert on Monday, the first in five years. The alert level has since been changed to “ORANGE.”

Plume of smoke and ash reached as high as 7,500 meters on Tuesday; however, seismic activity has decreased over the past 12 hours to much lower levels than that of Monday, Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported.

“Recent satellite data and web camera views of the eruption plume indicate that there are now two distinct parts of the plume. The part of the plume that reaches high above the volcano appears to be mainly steam and gas with minor ash present, extending south of the volcano. Additionally, pyroclastic flow activity on the north flank is producing diffuse ash emissions that result in areas of hazy air, with variable concentrations of ash below 10,000 ft.”

Ongoing pyroclastic and lahar activity have created hazardous conditions on the north flank and north side drainages heading on the volcano, said AVO, adding that large, more ash-rich plumes could develop with little or no warning.

Lava fountaining from the summit vent on Pavlof. View is from the southwest. Ash and steam clouds rise up to about 20,000 ft. ASL. Date: June 2, 2014 11:36 AM. Photo credit: AVO/ R. Kremer

Volcano: Pavlof (VNUM #312030)

Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Previous Volcano Alert Level: WARNING

Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Previous Aviation Color Code: RED

Issued: Tuesday, June 3, 2014, 5:54 PM AKDT (20140604/01:54UTC)
Source: Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
Notice Number: 2014/A8
Location: N 55 deg 25 min, W 161 deg 53 min
Elevation: 8261 ft (2,518 m)
Area: Alaska Peninsula, Alaska

Alerts at Other Alaska Volcanoes

• Shishaldin: Color Code: ORANGE/ Alert Level WATCH
• Cleveland: Color Code YELLOW / Alert Level ADVISORY
• Veniaminof: Color Code YELLOW / Alert Level ADVISORY

Index map showing location of Pavlof volcano and other Alaska Peninsula volcanoes.  Credit: Janet Schaefer/AVO

Location of Cleveland volcano and other Aleutian volcanoes with respect to nearby cities and towns.  Credit: Janet Schaefer/AVO

Related Links

• Pavlof Eruption Intensifies June 26, 2013
• Second Alaska Volcano Erupts Posted on May 16, 2013
• Volcanoes in a Dozen Global Regions Erupting  May 19, 2013

Sangeang Api Erupts; Ash Grounds Flights

VOLCANIC HAZARD
SCENARIO 07
.

Volcanic ash forces hundreds of flight cancellations over Australia, Indonesia, East Timore, Singapore…

Sangeang Api [“Mountain of Spirits”] began erupting on Friday, after 15 years sending massive plumes of ash into the air, and forcing airport authorities to cancel dozens of lights between Australia and Singapore, East Timore and Bali.

The 20-km high ash cloud is moving in a southeasterly direction, affecting several towns, however there are concerns that the cloud could drift west causing travel chaos in and out of Perth, said the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.

“Depending on wind and other weather conditions, the ash has the potential to affect flights to and from other airports, including Brisbane, during coming days. This is currently being fully assessed,” said a senior official.

Sangeang Api [“Mountain of Spirits”] began erupting on Friday ejecting 20-km high columns of ash into the air and forcing hundreds of flight cancellations.

“The volcano is undergoing a sustained, rather significant eruption at the moment, so for the last 10 hours we’ve been observing large masses of volcanic ash being generated,” the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center told Reuters.

Approximate location of Sangeang Api is marked on the map by FEWW. Mount Sangeang Api is one of Indonesia’s 130 active volcanoes.

“Scores of farmers cultivating the land in the island, 7 km from the crater, have been told to leave the area since this morning. And they have been warned not to reenter the island during the eruption period,” Xinhua quoted an Indonesian official as saying.

Sangeang Api, located off the northeast coast of the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, continues to eject huge volumes of volcanic matter into the air.

M6.8 Strikes Offshore Panama

SEISMIC HAZARD
HEIGHTENED GLOBAL SEISMICITY
SCENARIOS 07, 08
.

Strong quake occurs 105km SE of Punta de Burica, Panama

Centered at 7.249°N, 82.330°W the quake struck close to the Panama Fracture Zone at a depth of about 10.0km (6.2mi), said USGS/EHP.

The quake was followed by at least one aftershock measuring 4.4Mw , as of posting.

EQ Details

Magnitude: 6.8Mw
Event Time: 2014-05-13 06:35:24 UTC
Location: 7.249°N 82.330°W depth=10.0km (6.2mi)
Nearby Cities:

• 105km (65mi) SE of Punta de Burica, Panama
• 124km (77mi) S of Pedregal, Panama
• 128km (80mi) SSE of Puerto Armuelles, Panama
• 130km (81mi) S of David, Panama
• 354km (220mi) SSE of San Jose, Costa Rica

EQ Location Map

Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP.

Tsunami Evaluation

A destructive tsunami is not expected.

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FIRE-EARTH EQ Forecast

The next detailed FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast will be released together with Bulletin NO. 97 on May 14, 2014.

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Related Links

• M6.4 Quake Rattles SW Mexico May 9, 2014
• Latest Significant Seismicity Posted on May 2, 2014
• M7.5 Quake Strikes Near Tecpan de Galeana, Mexico April 18, 2014
• M6.9 Strikes Bouvet Island Region April 15, 2014
• M6.6 Quake Strikes Nicaragua April 12, 2014
• Strong Quakes Strike Nicaragua, Coastal Chile Posted on April 11, 2014

Significant Quakes Strike Alaska, Hawaii, Oklahoma

SEISMIC HAZARD
HEIGHTENED GLOBAL SEISMICITY
SCENARIOS 07, 08
.

M5.5 quake strikes SW of Anchorage Alaska

The quake follows a magnitude 4.7 shock that occurred 65km SSE of Anchorage on May 5, 2014.

EQ Details

Magnitude: 5.5Mw
Event Time: 2014-05-10 14:16:10 UTC
Location: 60.011°N 152.131°W depth=86.6km (53.8mi)
Nearby Cities

• 35km (22mi) NW of Anchor Point, Alaska
• 182km (113mi) SW of Anchorage, Alaska
• 217km (135mi) SW of Knik-Fairview, Alaska
• 582km (362mi) SSW of Fairbanks, Alaska

 Hawaii Earthquake

Magnitude 3.5 EQ Strikes 66km WSW of Hilo, Hawaii

The earthquake, which struck at a depth of 3.8km, was one of at least 20 volcanic tremors that have rattled the Big Island since April 13, 2014.

EQ Details

Magnitude: 3.5Mw
Event Time:2014-05-10 01:02:49UTC
Location: 19.421°N 155.632°W depth=3.8km (2.4mi)
Nearby Cities

• 24km (15mi) E of Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii
• 45km (28mi) ESE of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
• 66km (41mi) WSW of Hilo, Hawaii
• 71km (44mi) WSW of Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hawaii
• 312km (194mi) SE of Honolulu, Hawaii

Oklahoma Earthquake

A magnitude 3.9 earthquake, one of at least 7 shocks to rattle Oklahomans in the past 24 hours, struck about 26km (16mi) SSE of Medford, Oklahoma.

Magnitude: 3.9Mw

Event Time: 2014-05-09 18:52:47 UTC
Location: 36.583°N 97.618°W depth=4.0km (2.5mi)
Nearby Cities

• 26km (16mi) SSE of Medford, Oklahoma
• 31km (19mi) NE of Enid, Oklahoma
• 49km (30mi) WSW of Ponca City, Oklahoma
• 72km (45mi) NW of Stillwater, Oklahoma
• 124km (77mi) N of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Source: USGS/EHP

Related Links

• Another Swarm of Earthquakes Strikes Oklahoma May 9, 2014
• Volcanic Earthquakes Continue to Rattle Hawaiʻi Island May 4, 2014

Recent Global Seismicity

• Strong Aftershock Hits SW Mexico May 10, 2014

FIRE-EARTH EQ Forecast

The next detailed FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecast will be released together with Bulletin NO. 96 on May 11, 2014.

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FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecasts for California and Japan

Due to the reasons explained previously on this blog, FIRE-EARTH Science Team has suspended its research on California and Japan seismicity.

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