“The rate of earthquakes in Oklahoma has increased remarkably since October 2013 – by about 50 percent – significantly increasing the chance for a damaging magnitude 5.5 or greater quake in central Oklahoma.
A new U.S. Geological Survey and Oklahoma Geological Survey analysis found that 145 earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater occurred in Oklahoma from January 2014 (through May 2; see accompanying graphic). The previous annual record, set in 2013, was 109 earthquakes, while the long-term average earthquake rate, from 1978 to 2008, was just two magnitude 3.0 or larger earthquakes per year. Important to people living in central and north-central Oklahoma is that the likelihood of future, damaging earthquakes has increased as a result of the increased number of small and moderate shocks.
Oklahoma’s heightened earthquake activity since 2009 includes 20 magnitude 4.0 to 4.8 quakes, plus the largest earthquake in Oklahoma’s history – a magnitude 5.6 earthquake that occurred near Prague on Nov. 5, 2011. The 2011 Prague earthquake damaged a number of homes and the historic Benedictine Hall at St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee. Prior to the 2011 Prague earthquake, the largest earthquake of Oklahoma’s history was a magnitude 5.5 earthquake that occurred in 1952 near El Reno and damaged state buildings in Oklahoma City.
“While it’s been known for decades that Oklahoma is ‘earthquake country’, we hope that this new advisory of increased hazard will become a crucial consideration in earthquake preparedness for residents, schools and businesses in the area,” said Dr. Bill Leith, Senior Science Advisor for Earthquakes and Geologic Hazards at USGS. “Building owners and government officials should have a special concern for older, unreinforced brick structures, which are vulnerable to serious damage during sufficient shaking.”
USGS statistically analyzed the recent earthquake rate changes and found that they do not seem to be due to typical, random fluctuations in natural seismicity rates. Significant changes in both the background rate of events and earthquake triggers needed to have occurred in order to explain the increases in seismicity, which is not typically observed when modeling natural earthquakes.
The analysis suggests that a likely contributing factor to the increase in earthquakes is triggering by wastewater injected into deep geologic formations. This phenomenon is known as injection-induced seismicity, which has been documented for nearly half a century, with new cases identified recently in Arkansas, Ohio, Texas and Colorado. A recent publication by the USGS suggests that a magnitude 5.0 foreshock to the 2011 Prague, Okla., earthquake was human-induced by fluid injection; that earthquake may have then triggered the mainshock and its aftershocks. OGS studies also indicate that some of the earthquakes in Oklahoma are due to fluid injection. The OGS and USGS continue to study the Prague earthquake sequence in relation to nearby injection activities.
Collaborative USGS and OGS research to understand earthquake rate increase in the central Oklahoma area includes quantifying the changes in earthquake rate, assessing the implications of the increased small and moderate earthquake activity for large earthquake hazards, and evaluating possible links between these earthquakes and wastewater disposal from oil and gas production activities. The OGS is also focused on seismicity in north-central Oklahoma.
To more accurately determine the locations and magnitudes of earthquakes in Oklahoma, the OGS has increased the number of monitoring stations and now operates a seismograph network of 15 permanent stations and 17 temporary stations, many of which are on loan from the USGS. There are also three permanent seismic stations operated by the USGS and the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology. Data from this network are shared in real-time with the USGS National Earthquake Information Center, which provides 24×7 reporting on earthquakes worldwide.”
Last summer, 6-year-old Nathan Woessner was walking across the sands of Mount Baldy in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore when he suddenly disappeared into a deep hole.
It took a team of rescuers about three hours to pull Woessner to safety from beneath 11 feet (3.4 meters) of sand and sediment, according to the Chicago Tribune.
More holes have appeared in Mount Baldy, forcing officials with the National Park Service (NPS) to close part of the park, located 55 miles southeast of Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan. But why are these dangerous holes suddenly appearing in the sand dunes?
We don’t know exactly what’s going on out there,” Ken Mehne, law enforcement specialist for the park, told the Tribune. “We can’t let folks out onto the area until we know it’s safe.”
Deep holes appear and disappear
The incident deeply affected geologist Erin Argyilan, a professor of geosciences at Indiana University Northwest. She was doing research at the base of Mount Baldy when she heard the screams of Woessner’s parents.
“I cried for three days,” Argyilan, who was pregnant at the time and was unable to assist in the boy’s rescue, told the Tribune. “I couldn’t help in the moment. So now I have to do what I can to learn why this is happening.”
Other experts are also interested in the strange holes in Mount Baldy, several of which have appeared since last year, only to collapse and be filled in with sand a day later. Some of the holes were so deep they could not be measured with the researchers’ measuring tapes.
Is it quicksand?
According to scientists, quicksand — that old trope of jungle-adventure movies — actually does exist, though it’s not as deadly as it appears in Tarzan films.
Quicksand is a sloshy mix of sand and water that looks solid when viewed from above, but will collapse into a more liquid form if a heavy object, like a human or animal, disturbs it. After liquefying, the mix tends to solidify, trapping the legs of an animal in wet, heavy sand.
There are also dry forms of quicksand, according to researchers. Experiments under controlled laboratory conditions have shown that manmade sand can suck an object under its surface, but this type of deep, dry quicksand has never been observed in nature, and it’s not been established that Mount Baldy is an example of dry quicksand.
Using ground-penetrating radar
NPS crews have teamed with the Environmental Protection Agency researchers to get to the bottom of the mysterious holes in Mount Baldy. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been used to get a better understanding of the large sand dune.
The GPR surveys revealed a layer of soil buried beneath the shifting sands that now cover Mount Baldy. That layer of soil was exposed to the surface during part of the 20th century, according to an NPS statement.
“This particular dune has a complicated history,” Argyilan said, referring to Mount Baldy. The site was once mined for sand used in the manufacture of glass Mason jars. There are also manmade structures like an old wooden staircase buried beneath the surface of the dune.
Old photos reveal what’s buried
Argyilan has examined historical photographs of the area to determine what has changed since the 1930s. Trees and grass that once covered Mount Baldy are now also buried.
These discoveries have led researchers to what they consider their leading hypothesis: Some items buried beneath the sandy surface — trees, brush or manmade structures or debris — “were buried by the rapid landward movement of the dune during the late 1900s,” according to an NPS statement.
“The age of the materials and the wet conditions during the spring of 2013 may have forced these materials to become unstable, collapsing and creating openings to the surface,” according to the statement.
The National Park Service is continuing to use GPR and core samples to determine what lies beneath Mount Baldy, and how that may contribute to the appearance of deep holes in the dune. For the time being, the area remains off-limits to park visitors.
Update 15:37 UTC : A 4.7 aftershock has been reported a little while ago – This will go on for several weeks although the Magnitude will radually decrease BUT some big ones cannot be excluded ! This came in now : Chiang Rai Earthquake felt 20min ago. Desk was shaking & my drinks swapped forwards & backwards in the glass #Thailand #bangkok #earthquake
Update 14:57 UTC : @NickOlsen reports : 28 hours after the quake in Chiang Rai, the aftershocks are still going strong
Update 09:55 UTC : The Bangkok Post wrote a little earlier : Seven districts of Chiang Rai have been declared disaster-stricken areas to facilitate quick assistance for people affected by the earthquake that rocked the northern province on Monday evening. The declaration in the wake of the quake of the 6.3 magnitude quake covers Phan, Mae Lao, Mae Suai, Wiang Chai, Muang Chiang Rai, Pa Daet and Phaya Mengrai districts. More than 3,500 houses, 10 temples, three schools, three hospitals, a hotel and a road were damaged there.
Update 09:40 UTC : CHIANGRAI, 6 May 2914 (NNT) – Chiang Rai province is urging all sectors to assist victims from the earthquake especially in Mae Lao district and Phan district. So far it’s known that four houses totally collapsed in Mae Lao district. Reports to date say no one was wounded nor died (this is in conflict with reports we have seen in the Thai press).
Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpipat who built Wat Rong Khun has surveyed the damage that resulted from the earthquake and this morning’s aftershocks. Wat Rong Khun cannot be opened for visitors. The top of the Stupa at Wat Rong Khun fell off. Wall paintings were torn away and roof tiles fell off. Ajarn Chalermchai said there won’t be any reconstruction of this temple since he is far too old.
Meanwhile, the Chiang Rai Governor asks all sectors to assist as a matter of urgency and give aid to the victims. Moreover, Phan district has been declared a disaster area since it is situated at the quake’s epicenter.
Update 07:00 UTC : The map below shows the distribution of the strongest aftershocks. The last M5 was at an equal distance from the epicenter than Chiang Rai, but in the opposite direction. Our warning from yesterday is becoming reality. A shallow M5 can further damage houses and infrastructure!
– The number of wounded has in the meantime increased to 32
Important Update May 6, 04:30 UTC : Officials confirmed the death of at least one woman (83) from Mae Lao district, which was hit by a collapsing wall. At least 30 other people were injured.
Update 21:44 UTC : Below a recent aftershock measuring M4.4 at a depth of 13 km which sparked a readers peak. The colors are the shaking intensities. Red square is the 4.4 aftershock. The biggest blue square the mainshock and the smallest blue another 4.4 aftershock Warning for Chiang Rai and for Mae Lao : The image below is also very good to see the distribution of the epicenters. Aftershocks can hit in a 0 to 50 km radius or even more. Both cities are within this radius and in case of a strong to very strong one, people should at all times be prepared.
Update 21:20 UTC : A new aftershock has just been reported from the epicenter area
Update 20:41 UTC : A security video from a Buddhist temple shows a) the serenity of the young monks and b) what happens when the shaking starts
Update 18:35 UTC : This evening, many families in Chiang Rai are sleeping outdoors due to many aftershocks
A reader wrote : Heard loud noises like construction piling and thunder which got louder, followed by severe to violent shaking of the building, glass doors and curtains, lasting over 60 secs. Several aftershocks felt for the next 5 hours.
Update 17:10 UTC : Hard to believe that nobody got hurt during this earthquake when we look at the dame – Only 1 stone on somebody’s head can be fatal. May we be a little unsure about this NO injuries ! We will continue to look around the following hours to see whether we can keep the No injuries / No fatalities situation which we have now.
Update 16:49 UTC : We are happy that we have still no reports about injured people. Damage is hard to accept but can be repaired. Injured people or loss of live on the other hand is much harder to deal with. We had to delete the video because it restarted automatically after the refresh of the page. Click here to view it.
Update 15:01 UTC : The Thai Press is talking about the biggest Earthquake with an epicenter in Thailand since 100 years. We think they are wrong. Except for a very cruel one in 460 we could not find any other in the NOAA catalog since then, this makes the M6.0 to be the BIGGEST EARTHQUAKE SINCE 1554 YEARS ! (see also NOAA table with historic earthquakes below. Neighboring Myanmar had some bigger ones, but these epicenters were all across the border. Especially the Tashileik earthquake (Yellow encircled on the map) who occurred in 2011 was just across the border and maybe part of the same fault lines (has to be confirmed by scientists). That 2011 earthquake had sadly enough 75 fatalities. Many houses collapsed in Myanmar and more than 10,000 houses were damaged! Update = After writing this update we found the following in the local press which we were not aware off as this quake wasn’t listed in the international NOAA catalog : Penneung (Asian Institute of Technology seismological expert Dr Penneung Wanitchai) said the quake, which damaged several properties, was the largest in Thailand since 1935, when a 6.5-magnitude quake hit Nan province and an area near the Lao border.
Update 15:01 UTC : The 2 YouTube videos below are telling us a lot about what happened.
* The supermarket video shows total chaos to get out of the building while the shaking was going on. With 0.5 Magnitude more you won’t be able to run away (to be compared with Beaufort 7 on a ship = running impossible) – This running away may lead to even more chaos + a lot of injuries.
* The parking lot video shows us in essence that the shaking lasted only a very short time and this is the main reason what we call until now a “lucky escape (no injuries or fatalities yet)” – Long strong shaking (30 seconds or more) makes many more houses and buildings to collapse !
Update 14:35 UTC : The earthquake occurred close to the border of Myanmar and we have some preliminary reports that damage was also recorded in Myanmar. Tashileik is a city closest to the epicenter in Myanmar. Doi Pha Hom Pok and Haui Nam Dang National Park are National Parks in Thaland to the west of the epicenter but still within what we see as a potential damaging area. The tallest peak is Doi Pha Hom Pok at 2,285 meters the third highest in Thailand. This indicates at the same time that the risk for damaging/injuring landslides in the area is a reality. The Park has some thermal spring confirming the activity in the underground.
Update 14:25 UTC : Thai sources are reporting that this earthquake was the strongest they had during the last 100 years!
Update 14:08 UTC : The Airport of Chiang Rai is functioning again like nothing happened. What with an eventual strong aftershock while a plane is lifting or landing? Has anyone looked into this risk ? This was a major earthquake at very close distance from an important airport! A very strong aftershock is a real possibility as the ground layers have to find a new balance !
Update 13:52 UTC : It is currently 20:52 in Thailand. The evening and night will be an additional backlash for SAR (Search and Rescue) teams and Civil Defense personnel.
Update 13:47 UTC : It was in the north part though .. in Chiang Rai, Thailand .. but lots of roads damaged and houses/buildings fallen – This does not look comforting at all – we are still looking for news of eventual injuries. When we get it (hope we dont find it) we will write it in an update
Update 13:30 UTC : A reader of wiangpapao just wrote : 2 hours later still have some aftershocks
Update 13:19 UTC : We have found out that the Chiang Rai hospital has been damaged also (mainly cracks in walls). Useless to say that there where widespread blackouts
Update 12:53 UTC : People in the epicenter area are reporting a lot of aftershocks
Update 12:45 UTC : Reports which we received from our own readers and from close to the epicenter. Mixed reports which are due to the house or office they are living in and also the underground of their houses. We truly thank our readers for sharing their experiences with our readers.
Update 12:45 UTC : reports of fallen ceilings in Chiang Rai Airport and in residential houses
Update 12:26 UTC : So far only images and reports of a lot of damage (will run into the millions of $). No word of any injuries or even worse fatalities so far.
Update 12:19 UTC : On some places the ground has been ruptured totally as can be seen here on the Facebook photo from https://www.facebook.com/stephendarby77?fref=photo (the way to his house !)
Important Update 12:08 UTC : Based on the USGS data, Max Wyss who is specialized in the theoretical calculation of possible fatalities / injured, he reports that ESTIMATE OF HUMAN LOSSES = Injured Exp. min/max: 300/2000 and Fatalities Exp. min/max: 100/600.
Update 12:04 UTC : The picture below (courtesy Twitter account @Mtjunerr) shows what we mentioned a little earlier. It will certainly be the first one in a series of many.
Update 12:02 UTC : Some experience reports are being send in from Myanmar, but we believe (100% sure) that it will have been felt also in neighboring China (Yunnan) and Laos.
Update 11:57 UTC : The historic earthquake list for Thailand is giving us hope.
Update 11:45 UTC : What we expected has been confirmed. This earthquake is a dangerous strike/slip earthquake where the main movement of the ground is horizontal. Houses who are not build with an earthquake resistance have a hard time to survive in the epicenter area. The movement can either be from the North-West to the South-East or or from the South-West to the North-East (white plane to the orange planes)
Update 11:38 UTC : At ER we think that the shaking values in the (theoretical) USGS tables below are a little exaggerated based on the testimonies we receive from Chiang Rai (about 1 point)
Update 11:34 UTC : Earthquake-report.com reader messages are giving us hope that the damage will not be widespread as a number of people living in Chiang Rai are telling us that they had NO damage + the MMI values they are telling us are confirming this hope : Max. strong shaking
Update 11:29 UTC : Earthquake-report.com does expect certainly a lot of damage and even injuries based on the current seismological data.
Update 11:28 UTC : Good News AND Very bad news : The preliminary Magnitude has been decreased by USGS to M6.0 BUT the depth has now been set at only 7 km. That is exstremely shallow and makes this earthquake much more dangerous !
Update 11:20 UTC : Following EMSC is the epicenter at only 11 km from Chiang Rai !
356 km NW of Vientiane, Laos / pop: 196,731 / local time: 18:08:47.0 2014-05-05
11 km S of Chiang Rai, Thailand / pop: 78,756 / local time: 18:08:47.0 2014-05-05
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 6
Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2014-05-05 18:08:47
Update May 3 : Local newspaper kabartimur reports : In Ulima dozens of homes + the Nur Hamza Mosque (Ambalau Island) were damaged to various extend (some severely). One person got injured by a collapsed wall. Most of the houses in the village are showing cracks in the walls. People spend the night outside out of fear for aftershocks.
Update May 3 : Our first estimate was unfortunately the good one. At least 20 houses were damaged to various extend in the village of Uilima (District Ambalau) a tiny island near Buru Island (Palau Buru). The quakes epicenter (preliminary location of the epicenters has always a serious error margin) was closest to Ambelau Island. The regency has not yet asked for help from the regional BPBD.
Update 09:31 UTC : we decrease our damage estimate based on the reports of local BMKG who is predicting a max. weak shaking at Ambon vs a light shaking as predicted by USGS
Update 09:19 UTC : The theoretical injuries/fatalities engine from Max Wyss expects neither injuries nor fatalities as a result of this earthquake. ER maintains his slight damage expectation
Update 09:11 UTC : The below data are showing a max. shaking of MMI V (and not MMI III as said earlier) = Moderate shaking may have been felt by 21000 people
Update 09:07 UTC : The picture below is the Geofon seismogram at the Indonesia station of Bandaneira (Banda Sea area)
Update 09:05 UTC : USGS reports a Magnitude of Mw6.0 at a depth of 54 km. Max. expected shaking MMI III (weak shaking).
Update : the earthquake occurred at intermediate depth of 45 km. We maintain however our moderately dangerous outlook precisely because of the depth. The epicenter is located in the sea in between both islands, but the intermediate depth will bring the shaking in a wider area and thus also on the islands.
572 km N of Dili, East Timor / pop: 150,000 / local time: 17:43:37.0 2014-05-02
75 km W of Ambon, Indonesia / pop: 355,596 / local time: 17:43:37.0 2014-05-02
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Update 06:51 UTC : A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI WAS NOT GENERATED BECAUSE THIS EARTHQUAKE IS LOCATED TOO DEEP INSIDE THE EARTH.
Update : The distance to the closest islands is big enough to call this earthquake “harmless” (no damage expected)
206km (128mi) WNW of Ile Hunter, New Caledonia
321km (199mi) ESE of We, New Caledonia
393km (244mi) ENE of Mont-Dore, New Caledonia
404km (251mi) E of Dumbea, New Caledonia
406km (252mi) ENE of Noumea, New Caledonia
Update 15:16 UTC : The focal mechanism as portrayed below shows a compression type of mechanism
Update 15:12 UTC : The epicenter was following local agency BMKG at in the sea 67 km far southwest Kab.ACEH Singkil. Depth 12 km. Max. MI intensity Sibolga III, III Mount Sitoli, III Naidoo, Mulberry III (thats after all weaker than we previously were expecting).
Update 15:00 UTC :
Update 14:56 UTC : Theoretically a Maximum MMI V (moderate) shaking is expected to have been felt. The earthquake was felt until Malaysia. The stronger Sumatran earthquakes are often felt in nearby Malaysia
Update 14:49 UTC : BMKG reports a Magnitude of 5.7 at a depth of only 12 km. Slight damage cannot be excluded in the coastal areas nearest to the epicenter (also based on our experience with another similar earthquake in the same region).
200 km SW of Medan, Indonesia / pop: 1,750,971 / local time: 21:35:37.8 2014-05-01
104 km W of Sibolga, Indonesia / pop: 79,714 / local time: 21:35:37.8 2014-05-01
Moderate earthquake in the France Pyrenees (below Lourdes and close to Tarbes)
Last update: April 29, 2014 at 12:55 pm by By Armand Vervaeck
Update : For the people living in France, take a look at the Historic earthquake list below this link. France has hundreds of years ago been struck by a couple of devastating earthquakes!
Update 08:34 UTC : The French press is treating this earthquake as a “faits divers” . Hardly any updates are given in the local press. We will continue searching for additional information however as we think that besides power cuts people may report some slight damage.
Update 08:07 UTC : Argelès-Gazost until Val d’Azun have lost power this morning. The earthquake was felt until Toulouse (as we mentioned earlier).
Nos excuses pour la qualité du moteur de traduction automatique de Google – On sait que ca semble a rien, mais on pense que c’est mieux que rien du tout.
Update 07:59 UTC : The strongest earthquake in the greater epicenter area was a M5.7 earthquake to the south of the current epicenter and just across the Spain border. It happened in 1904! (see bottom map)
Update 07:55 UTC : No news so far from Lourdes, the sanctuary where thousands of people gather daily to pray for the holy Mary. We do not expect anything serious but slight damage is always possible. We have to add however that this area has relar earthquakes like today’s (mostly they are not exceeding M4 however).
Update : Power was down in some areas. The map below shows the shaking intensity. We expect at least some slight damage in a radius of 20 km around the epicenter, which includes Lourdes
Update : Magnitude est augmenté a M4.7! (Increase in Magnitude to M4.7 n- slight damage like cracks in walls, fallen tiles etc is likely)
Update : Premieres informations : epicentre aux Pyrenées Magnitude 4.0 Profondeur 2 km – Des légères dégats sont possible
Close to Tarbes and Lourdes
Basé sur un nombre croissant de visiteurs qui nous rejoignent de Tarbes et environs, nous croyons qu’un tremblement de terre a été ressenti. Lorsque vous êtes l’une des personnes qui sentaient les secousses, veuillez bien remplir le formulaire ci-dessous “J’ai ressenti une tremblement de terre non rapportée” en haut de la liste. On vous remercie.
144 km NW of Andorra la Vella, Andorra / pop: 20,430 / local time: 09:03:24.0 2014-04-29
17 km SW of Tarbes, France / pop: 52,106 / local time: 09:03:24.0 2014-04-29
1 km NE of Lourdes, France / pop: 15,786 / local time: 09:03:24.0 2014-04-29
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 4.4
Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2014-04-29 09:03:24
Wyoming Landslide: Search for Answers Continues As Slide Creeps Down Hillside
By: By Eric Zerkel
Published: April 21, 2014
Jackson, Wyo. officials are working to construct an emergency path to access an area cut off by a slow moving landslide. For 17 days the landslide has gradually shifted the side of East Gros Ventre Butte, but over a two day span last week the hillside shifted quicker than usual, moving an estimated 4 to 10 feet in places.
The quick movement split a home in two, broke a sewer line and cut off access to the crews working to contain and monitor the slide, reports the Jackson Hole News & Guide. Crews began work on the access road—which won’t be open to the public—Sunday using barriers originally meant to contain the slide.
Geologists plan to use the route to ship in drilling equipment to tunnel up to 200 feet into the hillside to determine the geological composition of East Gross Ventre Butte and the exact location and depth of the slide.
“More Importantly, it will help identify long term solutions and what mitigation efforts will work best,” Jackson incident command spokeswoman Roxanne Robinson told the Associated Press.
The route could also provide access to a neighborhood beneath the slopes of the hill that is cut off by damage to Budge Drive caused by the landslide. Sixty residents of the neighborhood remained evacuated Monday.
Samples taken from the earth could go a long way toward determining exactly what is causing the hillside to shift. Construction efforts over the past few years are thought to have destabilized the hillside, reports the Associated Press.
But 12 days after evacuation orders were first issued for the neighborhood, frustrated resident Tim Sandlin doesn’t much care for placing blame.
Because of its more stable geology, the slope is unlikely to suddenly collapse like the March 22 landslide in Oso, Wash., that killed 39 people, experts said. More likely, large blocks of earth would tumble down piece by piece.
That fact didn’t seem to ease the minds of Jackson officials who continue to search for answers that might help combat the slowly shifting mass of earth.
“We don’t know what Mother Nature wants to do here. She’s shown us quite a bit,” Jackson Fire Chief Willy Watsabaugh told the Associated Press.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
1 / 19
A worker inspects damage to a house at the top of a slow-motion landslide in Jackson, Wyo., on Saturday, April 19, 2014.(AP Photo/Matthew Brown)
Tornado Alley To Be Active This Season With A Number Of Outbreaks
(TheWeatherSpace.com) – Recent trends suggest that the Central United States will be very active this season, whereas some seasons it is not. Numerous tornado outbreak events are likely.
As the upper jet stream starts to react to the closing season, troughs will dig further into California, thus the surface lows should form in Colorado and Kansas, bringing with it the perfect setup for violent tornado outbreaks. This is the seventh year of prediction made here at TheWeatherSpace.com about the tornado season. All predictions have been accurate, including the tornado drought in the plains a couple years back. This year will not feature a death ridge.
A death ridge is when a ridge of high pressure sets up over the Western United States, owning to a northwest flow into the region with no upper divergence or colder air aloft to push supercells off. This has happened a couple times in the seven year prediction period done on this site.
This year, however, is not a death ridge, but one where a trough should set-up end April into May across the Western United States. Impulses riding that into the Great Plains will bring the perfect ingredients for tornadoes … and since the jet may be in perfect orientation for these events, outbreaks are likely …
Very strong earthquake near the coast of Vancouver Island, Canada – NO Tsunami – NO serious damage
Last update: April 24, 2014 at 5:42 pm by By Armand Vervaeck
Update 17:35 UTC : And to complete the story we add a video from CBC where a meteorologist/seismologist explains exactly the same what we have reiterated soon after the earthquake struck :
Update 14:55 UTC : The seismogram from this earthquake as it was registered at a station in Oregon.
Update 14:15 UTC : The aftershocks so far :
Update 13:28 UTC : A video roundup (compilation) which we like a lot
Update 09:33 UTC : Lower Mainland videos as compilated by Gloalnews Canada. Nothing spectacular, but some swaying of chandeliers.
Update 09:25 UTC : Pat Quealey from Emergency Management B.C. said they are hearing there may be some minor damage, but no significant damage. However, they are checking into reports that a First Nations lodge may have shifted on its foundations during the earthquake.
Update 05:03 UTC : A word of “Thank You” to all those people who have felt this earthquake and have reported what they have felt to this site. We (the people behind earthquake-report.com) and our many readers from all over the world are really appreciating your contributions. Together we make the best report in the world!
Update 04:38 UTC : The graphic below gives an overview of the historic earthquakes in the greater epicenter area (courtesy British Columbia Institute of Technology)
+
On October 28 2012 a Massive (much stronger than today) Magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck along the Queen Charlotte sound. Click here to read our in-depth article of this earthquake.
Update 04:30 UTC : USGS has now decreased the Magnitude by one point to M6.6 (initially M6.7). Recalculations of Magnitudes are a normal aspect of earthquakes (very complicated science). The main movement should have been a North-West to South-East (see beachball below)
Update 04:23 UTC : The map below shows the tectonic plates in the greater epicenter area. The star represents the epicenter below the North American plate. Very strong to even massive earthquakes are not uncommon here due to the strong movement of the plates. Left plate : the Pacific plate – Right plate : North American continental plate – South plate : Explorer plate – The area has really complicated tectonics partly with all kings of faulting along the different tectonic plates.
Update 04:15 UTC : Max Wyss theoretical damage engine does not expect any injuries or fatalities from this earthquake. Always nice to see our expectations confirmed
Update 04:06 UTC : Every experience report we receive from Canadians has also an MMI shaking intensity value as it was perceived by the reporting people. This tels us a maximum average light shaking (MMI IV) which would not lead to any damage. A report from Port Hardy (close to the epicenter) is confirming this.
Update 04:06 UTC : In downtown Vancouver some residents in high rises buildings said they felt their building or chandeliers sway.
Update 04:02 UTC : Historical seismicity map for area around Vancouver Island M6.6 strike-slip quake (courtesy Jascha Polet). The historical Faulting Mechanism map shows mainly a horizontal strike/slip mechanism in the area. Earthquakes are occurring at both sides of the subduction zone.
Update 03:56 UTC : Residents in Port Hardy said the ground shook for about 35 to 40 seconds. The I Have Felt It map below shows only weak to very weak shaking on Vancouver Island.
Update 03:54 UTC : Most reports we are seeing right now are telling fallen objects in houses, nothing seriously. Groceries were knocked off the shelves at the local Overwaitea store. People are saying they felt it as far away as Langley and Kelowna. People are also reporting that the shaking lasted about 20 to 30 seconds.
Update 03:52 UTC : We notice multiple moderate to strong aftershocks in the epicenter area
Update 03:49 UTC : The same area was hit by a M6.9 earthquake in 1918. That earthquake was a little to the South East and below land. The epicenter of this earthquake is on top of the subduction zoner where the Pacific plate subducts the North American plate.
Update : Initial Focal Mechanism of the earthquake as reported by Jascha Polet, seismologist. The beachball shows a strike/slip mechanism (mainly horizontal movement). This was also the case in most historic earthquakes in the area.
Update : The strongest shaking as perceived by people along the Vancouver Island coast should be MMI V or moderate shaking.
OFFICIAL TSUNAMI STATEMENT :
PUBLIC TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT NUMBER 2 NWS NATIONAL TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK
820 PM PDT WED APR 23 2014
UPDATED EVALUATION PROVIDED BELOW.
…THIS IS A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT FOR ALASKA/ BRITISH COLUMBIA/ WASHINGTON/ OREGON AND CALIFORNIA… EVALUATION
* THERE IS NO TSUNAMI DANGER FOR THE AREAS LISTED ABOVE.
* THIS EVALUATION IS BASED ON EARTHQUAKE INFORMATION AND HISTORIC TSUNAMI RECORDS.
Update : Luckily it is evening and winter in Canada right now so that people will be staying away from beaches. Although there is NO tsunami danger, people should not come too close to the shore as strong currents cab always happen.
Update : The earthquake happened in a merely unpopulated part of the island and relatively close to Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, Canada
94km (58mi) S of Port Hardy, Canada
157km (98mi) W of Campbell River, Canada
176km (109mi) W of Courtenay, Canada
201km (125mi) WNW of Port Alberni, Canada
335km (208mi) WNW of Victoria, Canada
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 6.7
Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2014-04-23 20:10:10
