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Tag: Earthquake

  • The Smartphone’s Next Frontier: Earthquake Early Warning System

    The Smartphone’s Next Frontier: Earthquake Early Warning System

    A new study has shown that smartphones can be used to create an earthquake early warning system, providing an inexpensive option for many countries.

    Early warnings can mean the difference between life and death when an earthquake strikes. Many wealthier nations have invested in expensive early warning system. For many developing countries, however, such systems are out of reach.

    Ben Brooks, of the U.S. Geological Survey, presented the results of a study before the Seismological Society of America (SSA)’s 2021 Annual Meeting. According to the study, a network of 80 cellphones were used to detect earthquakes, and the results compared against a scientific-grade system.

    According to ScienceDaily, the ASTUTI (Alerta Sismica Temprana Utilizando Teléfonos Inteligentes) network detected and alerted on 5 of 13 noticeable earthquakes in Costa Rica. The smartphones were attached to baseboards, with their accelerometers detecting the earthquake-induced shaking.

    “The performance level over the six months is encouraging,” Brooks said. “Cascadia events in the Pacific Northwest are similar to the Costa Rican subduction zone, and latencies for ShakeAlert in Cascadia are about 10 seconds, so it’s comparable.”

    Brooks believes ASTUTI could be valuable to countries across the wealth spectrum.

    “I would imagine that would be attractive for countries with less resources to dedicate to earthquake early warning” Brooks said, “but the performance is also at a level that I imagine would interest even wealthier countries.”

    The entire report is well-worth a read, and demonstrates another innovative way smartphones can be put to use.

  • Android Phones Will Now Provide Earthquake Detection

    Android Phones Will Now Provide Earthquake Detection

    Google has just announced a major upgrade to Android: The Android Earthquake Alerts System.

    Google’s new feature is made up of two different parts. For users in California, Android users will receive notifications from the ShakeAlert detection system. The goal is to give people as much notice as possible of an impending quake.

    At the same time, however, Google realized that not all parts of the world have a system like ShakeAlert. Therefore, Google has worked to make every Android phone a mini seismometer.

    “All smartphones come with tiny accelerometers that can sense signals that indicate an earthquake might be happening,” writers Marc Stogaitis, Principal Software Engineer, Android. “If the phone detects something that it thinks may be an earthquake, it sends a signal to our earthquake detection server, along with a coarse location of where the shaking occurred. The server then combines information from many phones to figure out if an earthquake is happening. We’re essentially racing the speed of light (which is roughly the speed at which signals from a phone travel) against the speed of an earthquake. And lucky for us, the speed of light is much faster!”

    Google’s new feature is an innovative way to use modern cell phones and will likely help save lives.

  • N.J. Earthquake Rocks Several Areas on Friday Morning

    A N.J. earthquake rocked several areas about 35 miles outside of New York City on Friday morning. It was about 3:41 a.m. when the 2.7 magnitude earthquake struck approximately two miles north of Bernardsville, N.J.

    USGS geophysicist Zachery Reeves said the initial report came in from 78 people.

    Stuart Heiser was in N.J. visiting family in Morris Plains when the earthquake rattled the house in which he was staying. He said he thought perhaps a tree had fallen.

    “It lasted one second, but it was definitely loud enough and physically violent enough to wake everyone up,” he said.

    Won-Young-Kim heads the seismic network for Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. He said quakes like this N.J. earthquake happen in that area every few years, however “we can’t rule out bigger ones because a magnitude 5 hit around New York Harbor in the 1870s.”

    The last time an earthquake rattled parts of N.J. was December 13, 2014 when a 1.9 magnitude earthquake struck about 17 miles east-southeast of Trenton.

    Do you live in New Jersey? Are you near the location that was shaken by the early morning earthquake on Friday?

    Were you completely aware that it was an earthquake you were experiencing?

    It’s likely that most N.J. residents either didn’t realize an earthquake was shaking their region or their didn’t realize what the sensation they were experiencing really was.

    It’s not unusual for people to think a very mild earthquake is something else entirely–a passing train or sometimes even the furnace in their very own homes.

  • Michigan Earthquake on Tuesday Registers 3.3 Magnitude

    A Michigan earthquake that rattled the state on Tuesday registered 3.3 on the richter scale.The United States Geological Survey, or USGS, has confirmed that the earthquake struck Michigan about seven miles NE of Union City in Calhoun County, at about 11:42 a.m.

    Local station WNEM in Michigan reports that the earthquake is believed to be an aftershock from one that rattled the region back on May 2nd, according to Don Blakeman, a geophysicist with the USGS.

    The May earthquake registered 4.2 on the richter scale. It was felt all over the state of Michigan.

    Blakeman believes Tuesday’s earthquake was an aftershock because it was so close to the location of the earthquake that struck in May. May’s Michigan earthquake was the second strongest in the state’s history. The strongest came in 1947 and registered 4.6 on the richter scale. He added that Tuesday’s earthquake could be felt all over Michigan, but wasn’t a strong enough earthquake to cause any damage. Damage is rare in earthquakes registering less than 4.0 on the richter scale.

    No damage or injuries have been reported as a result of this Michigan earthquake.

    Michigan Governor Rick Snyder issued a statement in the aftermath of the earthquake.

    “Even though they don’t happen often in Michigan, earthquakes are a threat our emergency management officials are prepared and trained to handle,” he said. “Today’s event should serve as another reminder for Michiganders of the importance of personal preparedness for all kinds of emergencies and disasters.”

    Even though there was no damage and no one was hurt, earthquakes like the one that rattled Michigan on Tuesday can still make for very frightening experiences.

  • Tsunami Warning For Japan Downgraded

    A tsunami warning that was issued for Japan was downgraded to a watch at about 10 am local time.

    A 6.7 magnitude earthquake, for which the epicenter was at a depth of about 14 miles, shook much of northeast Japan.

    It was reported that the quake could be felt all the way in Tokyo, which is about 330 miles away.

    Luckily, the estimated time that a wave would strike the coast with devastating effects came and went without event.

    Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant in Miyagi Prefecture said there haven’t been any disruptions or damage from the quake and bullet trains were running on regular schedules.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5HLPncxnyI

    The area that would have been affected by a tsunami is the same area that was wiped out and devastated in 2011.

    That tsunami killed more than 18,000 people and triggered a near-catastrophic nuclear accident in Fukushima.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldsWIf2OSYQ

    “Because the 3/11 earthquake had such a strong impact, and because it’s an area where it was affected by the 3/11 Earthquake, we are describing this as an ‘aftershock,’” said agency seismologist, Yasuhiro Yoshida

    After the quake came and went, and the tsunami warning was issued, a reported 10,000 people had been urged to get to high ground.

    However, the result was non-threatening. Small tsunamis were recorded along the coast of Iwate prefecture in Japan, but none that would have caused any damage.

    It was a pretty seismically active day for Japan, despite the downgrading of the tsunami warning.

    Thankfully, no one was injured in the earthquake that triggered Japan’s tsunami warning.

  • Tsunami Warning After Indonesia Quake Cancelled

    A magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit at 10:31 am Saturday morning, local time, off the coast of the Maluku Islands in eastern Indonesia, prompting the issue of a tsunami warning, which was later called off.

    The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of 29 miles, with the epicenter being roughly 83 miles northwest of Kota Ternate.

    The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said significant tsunamis were possible within a 185 mile radius of the quake’s epicenter. The center added that there is no danger of a Pacific-wide tsunami, and minimal damage and no fatalities were reported in Indonesia.

    Still, citizens along the coast of the Sitaro Islands began to flee from their homes before authorities called off the warning. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman at an Indonesian emergency agency, said that people were warned to stay clear of beaches and riverbanks.

    Toni Supit, head of the islands’ Sitaro district, commented, “people in coastal areas felt the strong quake, which lasted for quite some time, and they immediately went to the sea to see if the water was receding abnormally, which is a sign of an incoming tsunami.”

    On December 26, 2004, the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake created a tsunami that killed an estimated 220,000 in Indonesia. The quake involved in that disaster was magnitude 9.2.

    Here is a clip of the 2004 tsunami:

    Indonesia is situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” fault line, which is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity. The Ring of Fire encompasses 452 volcanoes and sees roughly 90% of the world’s seismic events.

  • Tsunami In Japan Is Not Happening After 5.6 Earthquake

    Even though buildings in Tokyo were shaking because of the latest 5.6 earthquake that hit Japan yesterday, no Tsunami warning was sounded. That’s because experts in Japan were positive a tsunami was not going to happen. And it didn’t happen.

    “There was no abnormality in our monitoring at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant following the earthquake. Also, we have not received any reports of damage from the latest quake,” Spokesman for the the Fukushima nuclear plant Keisuke Murakami told AFP. Nothing unusual was noted.

    The Japan Times reported that most of the injuries involved people falling or items falling on people. In Maebashi, a car was buried by a mudslide, and the bullet train was stopped for a moment, but most damage was nominal.

    Still, experts are wary about the dangers of aftershocks.

    One of the unexpected aftershocks wasn’t geological, but financial. In the currency market, the Australian dollar dipped below 90 American cents, according to AAP. Sue Trinh, senior currency strategist for RBC, said the news caused investors to abandon the risky Australian dollar and seek refuge in the steady American dollar.

    Meanwhile, according to the Associated Press, the Japanese government is encouraging its citizenry to stock up on toilet paper. 40% of the nation’s supply comes from high risk earthquake areas. The government has its own minister in charge of paper products. He has been warning the country to be prepared for earthquakes by having an emergency supply stocked at home. His name is Toshiyuki Hashimoto. And he has not forgotten the lessons of the 2011 quake that caused a major tsunami.

    Even though there was no tsunami with this quake, it may have served as a reminder for those in Japan to stock up on essentials such as toilet paper.

  • Alaska Earthquake Reaches 5.1 Near Fairbanks

    Earthquakes in Alaska are giving locals a good shaking. This weekend, the biggest one reached a 5.1 magnitude, and even landed its own Associated Press report. The event happened Saturday night, 7:06 P.M. Alaska Daylight Time, 43 miles northwest of Fairbanks, and there was no damage.

    This earthquake wasn’t the only one to hit Alaska this weekend. The Alaska Earthquake Information Center recorded 545 other Earthquakes since the 5.1 to 1:20 A.M. Monday morning. Although most were minor, a few, according to the Fairbanks News-Miner, were noteworthy. Three others—a 3.49 quake at 12:10 A.M., a 4.19 quake at 4:25 A.M., and a 4.08 quake at 1:58 P.M.—also made the news yesterday. State Seismologist Michael West said theses were part of the 200 plus aftershocks of the larger 5.1 quake.

    However, 5.1 is probably as big as it’s going to get. “At this time there’s no evidence to suggest that this is part of a larger sequence or there’s something larger to come,” West said. “That said, it always remains a slim possibility following an earthquake like this.”

    Locals on Twitter are already posting the usual memes about the subject:

    According to the Alaska Earthquake Information Center, the state experiences about 22,000 earthquakes each year. Alaska was also the site of the second largest earthquake ever recorded, a 9.2 in 1964 that killed 132 people. For this reason, Alaska takes the threat of earthquakes seriously.

    In June, a 7.9 earthquake in Alaska off the coast of the Aleutian Islands prompted a tsunami warning. When the aftershocks did not escalate, officials called off the warning, assuming the threat had passed.

    For the moment it had, but it looks like the ground will always be shaking in Alaska.

  • Hawaii: Earthquakes And Hurricanes, Oh My!

    As Hawaii braces for a hurricane, it is also recovering from an earthquake that struck Thursday. The quake measured a 4.5 on the Richter scale and struck near Waimea on the eastern shore of the Big Island.

    The earthquake was strong enough to cause shaking in some parts of the state, but not strong enough to cause a tsunami.

    Although the earthquake scared many of the residents, most of them remained focused on preparing for the hurricanes that are headed their way. One hurricane was expected to hit by Friday evening and another will make its way to the islands over the weekend.

    Residents of Hawaii have been advised to stock up on food and water and to prepare their home for the hurricanes. Many residents have spent the last few days securing outside belongings, finding shelter for pets and of course, stocking up on the necessities.

    Several of the stores and customers reported that bottled water was scarce, as were many food items.

    Hawaii has not been hit by a hurricane in over 20 years. Many hotels and businesses plan to close over the weekend and most visitors have rescheduled trips to the islands. Some tourists had to end their vacations early so they could catch their flights before the storm hit.

    “We’re very worried,” said one resident and hotel owner. “We are prepared to evacuate if we have to.”

    Officials have warned those who are close to the water to evacuate the area and head for higher ground or to find shelter at a location closer to the center of the islands.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Earthquake Kills at Least 398 People in China

    At 4:30 pm local time (4:30 am EST), a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Chinese province of Yunnan. The epicenter of the quake was recorded some 230 miles northeast of Kunming, the capital of the Yunnan province. Current estimates state that at least 398 people have died and another 1,801 have suffered injuries of some degree.

    Thus far, 7,000 emergency personnel – including 5,000 firefighters, police, and soldiers, have been mobilized by the Chinese government to respond to the disaster. The emergency personnel are taking 2,000 tents, 3,000 folding beds, 3,000 quilts and 3,000 coats with them to the affected area in hopes of alleviating any and all suffering.

    Along with aid from firefighters, police, and soldiers, Beijing has allocated 600 million yuan ($97 million) to help rebuild the affected province.

    Investigators state that the devastation from the earthquake was compounded by multiple factors, including the poor quality of the housing and the higher-than-average population density of the impacted region. Those factors, added with the persistent rainfall over the past few days, has slowed and hampered all rescue efforts.

    There has been so much precipitation, in fact, that the water has been trapped by landslides, creating dammed barrier-lakes which threaten even more residents and power stations downstream. If the lakes break or flood, many more people could be without power in the coming days.

    Early estimates state that nearly 210,000 households and over one million residents have been affected by the earthquake, whether it be directly or indirectly through loss of power, communications, or road blockages preventing food and supplies from reaching the villages.

    On Sunday, the White House released a statement pledging assistance if need be: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those that lost their lives, those injured or displaced, and all the people of China on this difficult day. U.S. disaster response officials are in contact with their Chinese counterparts. The United States stands ready to assist.”

    The UN also expressed its sympathy for those affected by the earthquake, stating, “(The Secretary General) offers his condolences to the Chinese Government and the families of those killed, and his deepest sympathies to those who were injured or otherwise affected in this disaster.” Secretary General Ban Ki Moon’s spokesperson also stated that the UN was ready to mobilize aid if called for.

    With more rainfall and further landslides expected in the next few days, along with the remote nature of the affected region, death tolls are only expected to rise as rescuers and relief workers continue in their efforts.

    Image via Youtube

  • Tsunami Warning Issued After Earthquake In Alaska

    A tsunami warning has been issued for parts of the Aleutian Islands after a strong earthquake struck Alaska on Monday afternoon.

    The earthquake occurred at 12:38 p.m. and measured an 8.0 on the Richter scale.

    The earthquake was centered about 13 miles southeast of Little Sitkin Island.

    The tsunami warning was issued shortly after the earthquake was reported and within an hour of the quake, the National Tsunami Warning Center reported that a small tsunami of around 6 inches was recorded.

    Although the tsunami warning has been issued, experts believe that the chances of a tsunami are small and if one does occur, it will not be very large or carry very high walls of water.

    Officials at the center said that “it’s not looking like it’s a significant height in the wave.”

    But Scott Langley, an electronics technician at the center, said “it doesn’t take a lot of height in waves to do damage.”

    Authorities in Alaska are still out inspecting the damage done by the quake, but so far, no injuries have been reported.

    Many of the areas that were likely to have suffered the most damage were also under a tsunami warning and could not yet be surveyed safely.

    Tsunamis can be deadly and dangerous, but warning systems allow people in tsunami risk zones time to get to higher ground before the tsunami hits. Some tsunamis can move extremely fast and hit within minutes of an earthquake.

    Tsunami warning systems have saved millions of lives and are continuing to improve.

    Were you surprised that the large earthquake that struck Alaska on Monday did not generate a large tsunami and how do you think tsunami warning systems can be improved?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • San Andreas Fault Stressed By Irrigation

    On Wednesday, the journal of Nature released their most recent findings regarding the San Andreas Fault.

    According to the study, excessive irrigation could be aggravating the fault, causing more frequent earthquakes. GPS readings have shown that parts of the floor of the San Joaquin Valley have been diminishing while the nearby mountains are being lifted higher. These motions are causing stress on the nearby faults, including the San Andreas.

    Colin Amos, the lead researcher and a geologist at Western Washington University, wrote an email about their findings. “The magnitude of these stress changes is exceedingly small compared to the stresses relieved during a large earthquake,” he said.

    Paul Lundgren of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who did not take part in the research, explained that human activities “can cause significant unclamping of the nearby San Andreas Fault system.”

    Shockingly, in the past 100 years, the amount of groundwater that has been lost through irrigation in the Central Valley is equivalent to the amount of water in Lake Tahoe. The current drought that has bombarded California has also contributed to the loss of groundwater, as the community is having to tap into their supply.

    The San Andreas Fault is one of the largest in California, running approximately 800 miles from just north of San Francisco to the Salton Sea near the United States/Mexico border.

    Scientists have revealed that if a magnitude 7.8 earthquake were to occur near the southern part of the fault, it could cause the deaths of nearly 1,800 people and $200 billion in damages.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mexico Earthquake Hits Coast And Capital City

    Mexico Earthquake Hits Coast And Capital City

    An earthquake hit the pacific coast of Mexico at 1:00 PM EST on Thursday, leaving residents of Mexico City startled but unharmed.

    The earthquake registered a 6.4 on the Richter scale with an epicenter located in the state of Guerrero, 117 miles north of Mexico City — but city residents still felt the impact.

    Mayor Crisoforo Otero Heredia of Tecpan de Galeana, only 9 miles north of the epicenter, said the quake caused “a wave of panic” and damaged roads and houses in Tecpan.

    According to the U.S. Geological Survey, this quake was an aftershock of another that hit Mexico in April.
    “The earthquake is indeed within the Guerrero Seismic Gap,” said USGS research geophysicist William Barnhart, “but since it is consistent with being an aftershock of the magnitude-7.2, it is neither an abnormal event, nor does it significantly reduce the remaining stored stress in the seismic gap.”

    While there have been no reports of casualties, Tecpan has seen the most damage. A 30-yard section of highway bridge that had been under repair from April’s earthquake collapsed, and the federal highway between Acapulco and Zihuatanejo was closed due to flooding. 20 homes have been reported damaged in Zijuatanejo according to Guerrero Governor Angel Aguirre, in addition to the dozens of adobe homes Guerrero officials say have collapsed. There have also been reports of several mudslides on major highways.

    While there was no structural damage in Mexico City, residents were evacuated from buildings and homes by the thousands to designated safe areas. Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera of Mexico City stated that all city services were up and running after the quake.

    Mexico City is built on unstable drained lake beds, which makes the area prone to damage from surrounding earthquakes. According to the USGS, there is potential for earthquakes of even bigger magnitudes in Guerrero Gap that could cause more damage than that of the April earthquake or the 1985 earthquake that killed 9,500 in Mexico City.

    Image via Instagram

  • Thailand Earthquake A Magnitude 6.0

    Thailand Earthquake A Magnitude 6.0

    The earthquake that shook northern Thailand and parts of Myanmar early on Monday is now reported as a magnitude 6.0. The quake was centered 6 miles south of Mae Lao, Thailand, and 17 miles southwest of Chiang Rai.

    Only light damage has been reported so far. For example, some signs fell inside the main airport in Chiang Rai and some cracks were visible in a few walls, but no major damage. It is not yet known how the runway or flights were affected.

    Window curtains reportedly swayed in the county’s capitol of Bangkok, and people were said to be running out of office buildings in a panic all around Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon. Shaking was felt in Chiang Mai, as well as other parts of the country.

    At the Udomwaree Temple in Chiang Rai, the head of a giant Buddha and many surrounding homes and buildings were damaged. According to NPR, a popular temple, Wat Rongkhun, was closed due to safety concerns after the earthquake. The damage to it seemed a little more serious.

    “The spire of the main building came off and the tiles on the roof fell off,” Chalermchai Kositpiphat, the artist who built the temple, said. “I still don’t know how we can sleep tonight. … It was shaking the whole time and then aftershocks followed four to five times. It will bring more damages each time an aftershock happens, I’m afraid.”

    “The murals are also damaged because the pillars were shaken badly,” Chalermchai said. “I don’t know how many years it will take me to fix it. … It was tumbling like the Earth was going to explode.”

    Thankfully, no casualties or major damage has been reported at this time.

    Thailand is a very active area as far as earthquakes and other seismic activity and has many active fault lines. However, in recent years, Thailand has not seen as much activity and damage as other surrounding countries in southern Asia.

    A 5.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Thailand on Dec. 13, 2006, was the last serious quake that was close to the size of Monday’s. That quake occured in the northern province of Chiang Mai.

    Hopefully the people of Thailand can work together to recover from the damage that was done.

    Image Via YouTube

  • Thailand Earthquake Causes Minimal Damage

    Thailand Earthquake Causes Minimal Damage

    Just hours after a 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Tokyo, a strong earthquake hit northern Thailand and Myanmar. The Thailand earthquake damaged several homes, businesses and temples, but so far, no casualties have been reported.

    The earthquake measured 6.0 on the Richter scales and its epicenter was located near Chiang Rai. After the quake, many buildings and temples were closed down out of concern for the safety of visitors, including the well-known temple, Wat Rongkhun.

    “The spire of the main building came off and the tiles on the roof fell off,” Chalermchai Kositpiphat, the artist who built the temple, said. “I still don’t know how we can sleep tonight. … It was shaking the whole time and then aftershocks followed four to five times. It will bring more damages each time an aftershock happens, I’m afraid.”

    “The murals are also damaged because the pillars were shaken badly,” Chalermchai continued. “I don’t know how many years it will take me to fix it. … It was tumbling like the Earth was going to explode.”

    According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter was 9 kilometers (6 miles) south of Mae Lao, Thailand, and 27 kilometers (17 miles) southwest of Chiang Rai. Its depth was a relatively shallow 7.4 kilometers (4.6 miles).

    Shallow quakes are often felt within a larger area. Earthquakes are common in Thailand, as it is located on top of several fault lines. Most of the quakes that occur in Thailand are small and do not cause any damage.

    In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Sumatra island and triggered an Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 8,000 people in Thailand’s coastal areas.

    In 2006, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit Thailand but did not cause any damage.

    Authorities throughout Thailand are still checking to make sure nobody was harmed and securing buildings and monuments until it can be determined if they are safe.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Tokyo Earthquake Shakes Things Up

    Earthquakes are common in Tokyo, but most of them are not too strong. A level 5 earthquake struck Tokyo early Monday morning, and woke many people from their sleep.

    The earthquake is the strongest one recorded since the magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami that occurred in March 2011 off the northeastern coast that left more than 18,500 people dead or missing.

    Monday’s earthquake measured 6.2 magnitude on the Richter scale and had an epicenter 160 km below the ocean. There was no damage or injuries reported, but almost everyone in Tokyo felt the trimmer.

    A lot of people tweeted about the earthquake and how it scared and shocked them.

    Others joked about it.

    Although this quake was not a strong one, it was much stronger than the last recoded Tokyo earthquake which occurred in Decemeber 2013 and measured 5.5 on the Richter scale.

    It seems like the earthquakes may be growing stronger and many fear they could be leading up to a mega earthquake like the one that struck in 2011.

    Tokyo is still trying to rebuild and recover after the 2011 earthquake, so even smaller quakes can make people nervous.

    Did you feel the Monday morning earthquake in Tokyo?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Tokyo Earthquake Doesn’t Cause Much Trouble, Rattles John Mayer

    Tokyo earthquakes aren’t all that uncommon. In fact, the entire region is somewhat unstable thanks to the geological makeup of the islands. It’s still unsettling to feel the earth rumble, especially since the wounds from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake still haven’t healed.

    Reuters is reporting that Tokyo and surrounding regions was hit by an earthquake early Monday morning. The quake was said to have hit 6.2 magnitude on the Richter scale and had an epicenter 160 km below the ocean. Thankfully, no damage has been reported and everything, including nuclear power plants, are operating smoothly.

    Even if it caused no damage, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake is nothing to scoff at. It’s still easily felt and those living in and visiting Tokyo certainly felt it. It’s not uncommon to see celebrities in Japan and singer John Mayer was tweeting about it today. He said it was the biggest he’s ever felt while staying in the country.

    A more somber note came from Nintendo of America’s Bill Trinen who says today’s earthquake shared an epicenter with the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923.

    For those unaware, the Great Kanto Earthquake was the worst earthquake in Japanese history up until 2011. A total of 105,385 people died with many perishing in the fires that erupted in the aftermath. While Monday’s earthquake was nowhere even close to the one that struck the Kanto region in 1923, it still rattles the nerves to think that something like that could happen again so soon after the events of 2011. After all, Japan is still hurting after an earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands and crippled the nuclear reactor in Fukushima.

    While some were worried or reflecting on the past, others found humor:

    The last time Tokyo was hit by an earthquake was in December of last year. The earthquake was recorded at 5.5 magnitude so one could surmise that they’re only getting stronger. We can only hope that Tokyo and Japan as a whole gets a break. After what happened in 2011 and the years since, they’ve earned it.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Nicaragua Earthquake Leaves 23 Injured

    Nicaragua Earthquake Leaves 23 Injured

    An earthquake with a 6.1 magnitude hit western Nicaragua on Thursday evening, leaving at least 23 people injured in one town, and an aftershock 20 miles to the south followed.

    The earthquake shook houses and at least 23 people were injured from falling walls, ceilings, and other objects in Nagarote, located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of the capital, Managua. The town and areas around it were apparently the hardest hit, with more than 100 houses damaged, said Guillermo Gonzalez, director of the disaster prevention agency.

    Three of the injured people were taken to a hospital in Managua. Health official Enrique Beteta said their injuries are not life threatening.

    “One has trauma in an ankle, the other in a leg and a 16-year-old boy in his lower back after a portion of a wall fell on him,” Beteta told the radio station Radio Ya.

    The US Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 5:27 p.m. local time (23:27 GMT), and was centered on the northern shore of Lake Managua, about 6 miles west of Valle San Francisco. The earthquake originated 6 miles below the surface of the Earth.

    Nicaraguans reported feeling a strong aftershock minutes later that the USGS said was a 5.1-magnitude quake centered 3 miles (5 kilometers) west of Ciudad Sandino.

    “There are no injuries, no loss of life so far, nor even any significant material losses,” Nicaraguan government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo reported on local radio.

    Authorities reportedly suspended classes on Friday in the cities of Leon and Managua.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chile Aftershock Registers Magnitude 7.6

    Chile Aftershock Registers Magnitude 7.6

    The U.S. Geological Survey reports that a magnitude 7.6 aftershock rattled Chile’s northern coast late Wednesday night, triggering a tsunami warning for regions of that country and Peru.

    The significant tremor came after an April 1st magnitude 8.2 quake generated a tsunami which produced 6.9 foot waves. The initial quake hit at 23:46 UTC off the coast of Chile, and the epicenter was approximately 59 miles northwest of the city of Iquique. The epicenter of last night’s aftershock was 12 miles south of Iquique at a depth of 25 miles, according to the USGS.

    The aftershock was felt along the border in southern Peru, where people in the cities of Tacna and Arequipa followed suit with the residents of Iquique, and fled into the streets, avoiding buildings in fear. Citizens of low-lying areas were reevacuated, though the tsunami warning issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for the region was cancelled late Wednesday.

    Roughly 2,500 houses were damaged during the initial temblor in Alto Hospicio, a poor neighborhood situated in the hills above Iquique, a city with a population of nearly 200,000 people. The death toll so far due to the quake is six, and Chilean president Michelle Bachelet declared parts of the country’s North as a disaster zone, and military and troops and police reinforcements were dispatched to maintain order, prevent looting and to corral escaped convicts.

    Here are some images of the damage, via Twitter:

    The main April 1st tremor was preceded by a number of mid-sized quakes that hit in the same region in the preceding weeks. These events are associated with the boundary of the Nazca Plate and the South America Plate. The USGS stated that the main earthquake was shallow at 12.5 miles below the seabed, and struck roughly 950 miles from capital Santiago.

    Earthquake-prone Chile has established an excellent infrastructure to deal with seismic activity, but the system has its flaws. Tsunami warning sirens are lacking in areas of Arica, and authorities were giving orders to evacuate by megaphone, as well as using Twitter to relay instructions. Though, fewer than 15 percent of Chileans use the tsunami warning app on their smartphones.

    Image via Twitter

  • Chile Earthquake Evacuees Return Home

    Citizens of the Chilean city of Iquique were permitted to return home Wednesday morning, after an April 1st magnitude 8.2 earthquake generated a tsunami which produced 6.9 foot waves. Similar sized waves were also reported in the coastal towns Pisagua and Arica.

    The death toll so far due to the quake is six. According to officials, one firefighter and one woman were killed by collapsing walls, and four men died of heart attacks. Minimal damage was reported, as Chile, a country prone to massive earthquakes has developed an infrastructure that is resistant to seismic activity.

    The quake hit at 23:46 UTC off the coast of Chile, and the epicenter was approximately 59 miles northwest of Iquique. The main tremor was preceded by a number of mid-sized quakes that hit in the same region in the preceding weeks. These events are associated with the boundary of the Nazca Plate and the South America Plate. The U.S. Geological Survey stated that the earthquake was shallow at 12.5 miles below the seabed, and struck roughly 950 miles from capital Santiago.

    Here’ a clip from a restaurant in Chile shot during the time of the quake:

    Chilean president Michelle Bachelet declared parts of the country’s north as a disaster zone, and military and troops and police reinforcements were dispatched to maintain order while landslide-blocked roads are cleared and damage was repaired. Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the destruction.

    Steven Godby, an expert in disaster management at Nottingham Trent University in Nottingham, England, commented, “The government of Chile has been working hard to improve the awareness of people living along the coast to the threat from tsunamis and on what to do if one is approaching. Several tsunami drills have taken place since the (earthquake and) tsunami that killed an estimated 500 plus Chileans in February 2010, and recent earthquakes in the region have helped to keep the threat firmly in people’s minds.”

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  • Chile Earthquake Causes Tsunami And Landslides

    A magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Chile on Tuesday and caused a large Tsunami and several landslides. Five people have died as a result of the earthquake, either from heart attacks or fallen walls. The landslides washed away homes and roads, making it hard for many people to evacuate the area or find help.

    No significant damage has been reported in coastal areas in Chile, but power outages have occurred in many areas near where the quake, tsunami and landslides occurred. A prison break also occurred around the time of the tsunami and over 300 women escaped from a nearby prison. Many of them have already been captured and searches are underway for the rest of them.

    The quake struck 61 miles northwest of the Chilean city of Iquique at 8:46 p.m. The first tsunami wave was reported by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center 45 minutes later. Coastal areas were evacuated as soon as the quake was reported.

    Chile is the world’s No. 1 copper producer and there are numerous mines in the area. Mine owners confirmed that no workers were injured as a result of the earthquake and that no mines were damaged.

    At least 10 strong aftershocks followed in the first quake, including a 6.2 tremor. Seismologists warn that aftershocks could continue for several hours and even days and that another massive earthquake could possibly occur as well.

    Chile is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries and is often hit by strong quakes. Tsunami alert centers have been successful in helping people evacuate dangerous areas in time and saving lives. In 2010, an 8.8-magnitude quake triggered a tsunami that caused massive damage to several coastal towns in central-south Chile and killed 526 people.

    Although some cleanup and repairs will be necessary, Chile is fortunate to have only suffered minor damage.

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