Damaging earthquake with Tsunami risk off the coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea
Last update: March 31, 2015 at 10:57 am by By Armand Vervaeck
Update March 31 : The article below comes from the Papua New Guinean newspaper “The National“
Update 09:16 UTC : The tsunami threat was inflicted by the type of earthquake, a mainly thrust mechanism who is responsible for an upwards movement of the water column on top of the epicenter ( “Understanding Beach Balls” article)
Update 03:30 UTC : TSUNAMI THREAT LARGELY OVER
Update 01:51 UTC : USGS has recalculates its data and now reports a Magnitude of 7.5 at a depth of 40 km
Update 01:40 UTC : Tsunami Message nr. 3 from the PTWC (almost no change)
Update 01:33 UTC : Robert Speta, meteorologist at NHK Tokyo did send the following tweet, which is in part hopeful but at the downside we do not like to see the word damage.
Update 01:25 UTC : Dr. James Daniell from CEDIM, Karlsruhe, Germany has put all data in his model and is getting a chance of 0 to 2 fatalities and 0 to 10 injuries.
Update 01:20 UTC : 3 buoys (the biggest yellow diamonds) are currently blinking which means that they have detected a change in level (tide omitted)
Update 01:15 UTC : New version of the GDACS Tsunami waves expectation list (the full list can be consulted here) :
Update 01:01 UTC : Professor Max Wyss, specialized in computing human impact has published his report and he expects 0 to 20 fatalities and 20 to 200 injured. We at Earthquake-report.com do expect, based on the current parameters, that there is only a small chance for injuries. PNG is however a nation who has not a good reputation in listing the exact number of injured as most of the country is not accessible by road.
Update 00:59 UTC : PNG is used to strong swaying and massive earthquakes. The biggest treat is however tsunamis but people living in coastal areas are also used to auto-evacuate immediately after they feel strong shaking. Tsunami waves can however inflict serious damage along the coasts.
Update 00:50 UTC : GDACS has issued a list of theoretical tsunami heights. The main treat area are the closest coasts of New Britain and New Ireland. The depth of the hypocenter is an important factor for the calculation of the wave height.
IMPORTANT UPDATE 00:37 UTC : PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE CAREFULLY IF YOU LIVE ON THE COASTS OF THE FOLLOWING ISLANDS
Update 00:31 UTC : Damage is possible but as people are used to very strong earthquakes on PNG and as the epicenter if below the ocean we expect only limited damage. We are more concerned about the tsunami treat.
Update 00:17 UTC : Official Tsunami message from the PWTC : HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI WAVES FROM THIS EARTHQUAKE ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN 1000 KM OF THE EPICENTER ALONG THE COASTS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND SOLOMON ISLANDS
Update 00:14 UTC : Very strong shaking expected in a wide radius. Due to the hypocenter at intermediate depth the shaking will have been weakened but will be still very strong.
54km (34mi) SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
282km (175mi) ENE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea
309km (192mi) SE of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea
367km (228mi) WNW of Arawa, Papua New Guinea
789km (490mi) NE of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 7.4
Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2015-03-30 09:48:28
Last update: February 13, 2015 at 11:06 pm by By Armand Vervaeck
Update : A very special and massive Ridge Earthquake generated by a transform part in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Certainly no shaking will be felt at the nearest islands (Greenland, Iceland and Ireland.
1165km (724mi) SE of Nanortalik, Greenland
1393km (866mi) SSW of Hafnarfjordur, Iceland
1398km (869mi) SSW of Kopavogur, Iceland
1401km (871mi) SSW of Reykjavik, Iceland
1504km (935mi) W of Tralee, Ireland
Massive earthquake in the Solomon Islands – Tsunami hit Makira Island
Last update: April 13, 2014 at 7:57 am by By Armand Vervaeck
Update April 13, 07:50 UTC: At least 3 tsunami waves have hit the coasts of Makira Island. The highest tides measured 1 – 3 meters in different parts of the island. A wave of two meters heigh is confirmed in the eastern part of Makira. Only minor damage caused by the tsunami is reported so far.
A little wave of about 3 cm heigh was also confirmed on Lata Islands, which suffered severe damage by a tsunami last year.
The quake itself damaged many houses, esspecially in Kirakira, the biggest town on Makira.
Update 20:54 UTC: NOAA statement:
A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
SOLOMON ISLANDS / VANUATU / PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Update 20:52 UTC: The earthquake has been downgraded to 7.6 by the USGS.
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 8.3
Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2014-04-13 07:14:37
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Underwater Avalanche! Melting Ice Caps Could Trigger Tsunamis
Charles Q. Choi, OurAmazingPlanet Contributor | August 16, 2013
Example of a submarine landslide complex along the southern New England continental margin, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) south of Cape Cod, Mass. The 3D perspective includes the seafloor seismic imaging. The image highlights the relationships between the seafloor structure along the continental slope, such as shallow faults (black lines), and underwater landslides. Data used to construct this image were collected by the USGS and NOAA.
Credit: Daniel Brothers
If melting ice caps trigger rapid sea level rise, the strain that the edges of continents could experience might set off underwater landslides, new research suggests.
Submarine landslides happen on every continental margin, the underwater parts of continental plates bordering oceanic plates. These underwater avalanches, which can happen when underwater slopes get hit by earthquakes or otherwise have too much weight loaded onto them, can generate dangerous tsunamis.
A staggering half of all the Earth moved by submarine landslides over the past 125,000 years apparently happened between 8,000 and 15,000 years ago. “This time period coincides with the period of most rapid sea level rise following the end of the last ice age,” said study co-author Daniel Brothers, a geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Coastal and Marine Science Center in Woods Hole, Mass.
Since these prehistoric disasters coincided with changes in climate, previous research suggested natural global warming might have been their cause, but what exactly the link might be was unclear. To learn more, Brothers and his colleagues generated 3D computer models of the effects of 395 feet (120 meters) of sea level rise on the continental margins off North Carolina and Brazil’s Amazon coast
The rapid sea level rise that happened between 8,000 and 15,000 years ago was due to melting ice caps, which were originally hundreds to thousands of feet high. These glaciers placed weight on the planet’s rocky surface, building stress on faults in the Earth for millennia. The later thinning and retreat of these glaciers raised sea levels by about 395 feet, increasing the amount of pressure these critically stressed faults experienced across their entire length by an amount similar to that of the average human bite. This would be enough pressure to set off the faults, triggering underwater landslides, the models showed.
The scientists added that such underwater landslides could have helped release vast quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas, from the seabed. This could have, in turn, driven profound changes in the oceans and the atmosphere, such as the warming of the climate.
Brothers and his colleagues Karen Luttrell and Jason Chaytor detailed their findings online July 22 in the journal Geology.
Last update: February 8, 2013 at 4:25 pm by By Ashish Khanal
Massive earthquake and Tsunami Santa Cruz Islands (Solomon Islands) – 13 people killed, many missing + horrifying aftershocks
Last update: February 8, 2013 at 5:25 pm by By Ashish Khanal
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 6.1
Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2013-02-06 11:07:25
GMT/UTC Time : 2013-02-06 00:07:25
Depth (Hypocenter) : 10 km
FOR ALL OTHER AREAS COVERED BY THIS BULLETIN… IT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AT THIS TIME.
Since the devastating Tsunami in 2004, people take no risk and move to higher ground, some even auto-evacuating. Honaria, the capital of the Solomon Islands, far outside the shaking area, people are currently moving to higher ground.
Update 03:24 UTC : The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has corrected its recent update. Australia is NOT in the warning area.
04:23 but is still on watch
During a Tsunami the first wave is not always the biggest one – stay on high ground until the authorities are calling the alert off
Update 03:12 UTC :The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation cited a witness who said water was covering an airstrip in Lata
Update 03:11 UTC : The Solomon Islands Visitor Centre has spoken to ABC News 24, confirming the 90cm sea level rise in the Santa Cruz Islands. In Lata, the provincial capital of the worst-hit area, there are no reports of damage so far.
Typical house in Nendo, the closest island to the epicenter – Image courtesy Mariwatmo
Update 03:05 UTC : A New bulletin from PWTC has just arrived. We bring it to you in a minute
– Evacuations are being ordered by many, many Pacific countries. Authorities are taking NO risk and are evacuating even islands and coastal areas which are not on the dangerous NOAA list !
TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 004
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 0252Z 06 FEB 2013
THIS BULLETIN APPLIES TO AREAS WITHIN AND BORDERING THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND ADJACENT SEAS…EXCEPT ALASKA…BRITISH COLUMBIA…WASHINGTON…OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.
… A TSUNAMI WARNING AND WATCH ARE IN EFFECT …
A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SOLOMON ISLANDS / VANUATU / NAURU / PAPUA NEW GUINEA / TUVALU / NEW CALEDONIA / KOSRAE / FIJI / KIRIBATI / WALLIS AND FUTUNA / MARSHALL ISLANDS / HOWLAND AND BAKER / POHNPEI / TOKELAU / SAMOA / KERMADEC ISLANDS / NEW ZEALAND / AMERICAN SAMOA / TONGA / AUSTRALIA / NIUE / COOK ISLANDS / INDONESIA / WAKE ISLAND
A TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MARSHALL ISLANDS / HOWLAND AND BAKER / POHNPEI / TOKELAU / SAMOA / KERMADEC ISLANDS / NEW ZEALAND / AMERICAN SAMOA / TONGA / AUSTRALIA / NIUE / COOK ISLANDS / INDONESIA / WAKE ISLAND / CHUUK / JARVIS ISLAND / GUAM / NORTHERN MARIANAS / PALMYRA ISLAND / YAP / JOHNSTON ISLAND / MINAMITORISHIMA / BELAU
FOR ALL OTHER AREAS COVERED BY THIS BULLETIN… IT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AT THIS TIME.
Update 02:57 UTC : AustraliaNetworkNews / @an_news, a very well informed news agency reports vuia Twitter that : Emergency authorities on Santa Cruz island have confirmed the tsunami has destroyed three villages on the island @ABCNews24
Update 02:57 UTC : Map 2 below is showing 3 very big balloons. These are the same earthquake of course, but they show the locations of the epicenter as reported by Geofon, USGS and EMSC. Epicenter calculation is extremely difficult. Our map shows it very good.
Update 02:51 UTC : A very interesting graph is from the Sea Level gauge at the Lata Wharf, relatively close to the epicenter. The gauge confirms the after all limited height of the tsunami. We have to say however that the currents with a tsunami of 1 meter can also be very powerful and even damage a lot of things.
Update 02:48 UTC : Robert Speta, one of the people collaborating with Earthquake-Report.com and meteorologist at NHK Japan made the following video. Of course this video was made shortly after the earthquake.
Update 02:44 UTC : ONE News has spoken to Charles Ngali who is in Lata Hospital in the Solomon Islands. He says he felt a series of strong earthquakes. The hospital is on high ground but he has heard that a wave passed through the airport, which is on lower ground. Most of the patients at Lata Hospital have been taken to higher ground.
Update 02:41 UTC : Tsunami travel time map as compiled by NOAA
Update 02:38 UTC : And like the M8.0 was not yet enough, the M6+ aftershocks are raging further.
Update 02:36 UTC : AFP reports that : “The information we are getting is that some villages west and south of Lata along the coast have been destroyed, although we cannot confirm this yet,” the director at Lata Hospital on the main Santa Cruz island of Ndende, told AFP.
There is much more information, maps, and updates, here http://earthquake-report.com/2013/02/08/earthquakes-in-the-world-on-february-8-2013-m4-5-or-more/
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Earthquake overview : A major earthquake has struck off the Alaskan coast with the potential for a tsunami. Finally, no dangerous tsunami was generated but during a couple of hours people had to evacuate to higher grounds in many locations
7.4
First update – Massive earthquake in Alaska
We have just received the report that a massive 7.8 Magnitude quake struck Alaska
More details in a moment
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : M7.7
UTC Time : 5th January 2013, 08:58:19 UTC
Local time at epicenter : 4th January 2013, 23:58:19 UTC-09:00
Depth (Hypocenter) : 9.9km
Geo-location(s) : 101 km (63 miles) SW (221 degrees) of Edna Bay, AK
102 km (64 miles) W (259 degrees) of Craig, AK
106 km (66 miles) S (182 degrees) of Port Alexander, AK
314km (195mi) WNW of Prince Rupert, Canada
335km (208mi) S of Juneau, Alaska
1032 km (641 miles) NW (315 degrees) of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
ectonic Summary
The January 5, 2013 M 7.5 earthquake off the west coast of southeastern Alaska occurred as a result of shallow strike-slip faulting on or near the plate boundary between the Pacific and North America plates. At the location of this earthquake, the Pacific plate is moving approximately northwestward with respect to the North America plate at a velocity of 51 mm/yr.
This earthquake is likely associated with relative motion across the Queen Charlotte fault system offshore of British Columbia, Canada, which forms the major expression of the Pacific:North America plate boundary in this region. The surrounding area of the plate boundary has hosted 8 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater over the past 40 years; In 1949, a M 8.1 earthquake occurred close to the Pacific:North America plate boundary approximately 230 km to the south east of the January 5th earthquake, as a result of strike-slip faulting. In October of 2012, a M 7.8 earthquake occurred approximately 330 km to the south east of the January 5th event, slightly inboard of the plate boundary, and was associated with oblique-thrust faulting. The latter earthquake was likely an expression of the oblique component of deformation along this plate boundary system. The January 5th, 2013 earthquake is related to that Haida Gwai earthquake three months previously, and is an expression of deformation along the same plate boundary system.
Update 16:52 UTC : This earthquake was shallow, strike-slip and possible on Queen Charlotte Fault & few 100 km N of Haida Gwaii thrust quake
– We thank our many readers to send us your experiences almost immediately after the shaking stopped and before we got the official seismological data
Update 13:24 UTC : Most of the Pacific West Coast people (USA, Alaska and Canada) have returned to their beds
– Only few of them will feel the many moderate aftershocks which will continue for many days and even weeks
Update 12:31 UTC : Most recent and normally last Tsunami bulletin for Alaska, British Columbia and the West Coast
PUBLIC TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 4 – NWS WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK
158 AM AKST SAT JAN 5 2013
…THE TSUNAMI WARNING IS CANCELLED…
CANCELLATIONS
————-
* THE TSUNAMI WARNING IS CANCELED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA TO CAPE FAIRWEATHER ALASKA/LOCATED 80 MILES SE OF YAKUTAT/
IMPACTS – UPDATED
—————–
* A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED DURING THIS EVENT BUT NO LONGER POSES A THREAT.
* SOME AREAS MAY CONTINUE TO SEE SMALL SEA LEVEL CHANGES.
* THE DETERMINATION TO RE-OCCUPY HAZARD ZONES MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL OFFICIALS.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS – UPDATED
—————————–
* DO NOT RE-OCCUPY HAZARD ZONES UNTIL LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS INDICATE IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.
OBSERVATIONS OF TSUNAMI ACTIVITY – UPDATED
——————————————
TIME OBSERVED MAX SITE OF MEASUREMENT TSUNAMI HEIGHT
—————————- ————— ————–
PORT ALEXANDER AK 1026 UTC 01-05 – 00.5FT
SITKA AK 1041 UTC 01-05 – 00.3FT
HEIGHT – OBSERVED MAX TSUNAMI HEIGHT IS THE WATER LEVEL ABOVE THE
TIDE LEVEL AT THE TIME OF MEASUREMENT.
DEEP OCEAN PRESSURE SENSORS DID NOT RECORD A TSUNAMI.
Update 11:01 UTC : GREAT NEWS : ALL WARNINGS and ADVISORIES are now CANCELED
Update 10:44 UTC : Nothing really dramatic has happened and will probably not happen also.
Port Alexander, Alaska, sees 6-inch rise in sea level after magnitude 7.5 earthquake Some warnings remain in effect but maybe downgraded soon : THE COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA TO CAPE FAIRWEATHER ALASKA/LOCATED 80 MILES SE OF YAKUTAT/
PARTLY GOOD NEWS
A NUMBER OF ADVISORY and WARNING CANCELLATIONS
-------------
* THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS CANCELED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH COLUMBIA BORDER TO THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA
* THE TSUNAMI WARNING IS CANCELED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF ALASKA FROM CAPE FAIRWEATHER ALASKA/LOCATED 80 MILES SE OF YAKUTAT/ TO CAPE SUCKLING ALASKA/LOCATED 75 MILES SE OF CORDOVA/
* THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS CANCELED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF ALASKA FROM CAPE SUCKLING ALASKA/LOCATED 75 MILES SE OF CORDOVA/ TO KENNEDY ENTRANCE ALASKA/LOCATED 40 MILES SW OF HOMER/
Update 10:18 UTC : Some distances from the epicenter to important locations on land
106km (66mi) WSW of Craig, Alaska
304km (189mi) WNW of Prince Rupert, Canada
341km (212mi) S of Juneau, Alaska
404km (251mi) WNW of Terrace, Canada
610km (379mi) S of Whitehorse, Canada
…THE TSUNAMI WARNINGS REMAINS IN EFFECT… …THE TSUNAMI ADVISORIES REMAINS IN EFFECT…
If you are a twitter user, we advise you to subscribe to our @quake_Tracker4or one of the others. It will not only send earthquake notifications, but also I Have Felt It reports and Tsunami alerts
Update 10:08 UTC : Good news for the broader connected Pacific / Statement for the Pacific Tsunami and weather Center :
NO TSUNAMI THREAT EXISTS FOR OTHER COASTAL AREAS IN THE PACIFIC ALTHOUGH SOME OTHER AREAS MAY EXPERIENCE SMALL NON-DESTRUCTIVE SEA LEVEL CHANGES LASTING UP TO SEVERAL HOURS.
Update 10:12 UTC : Tsunami advisory in effect for Prince Rupert. RCMP members going door to door and evacuating residents close to the shore.
Update 10:04 UTC : USGS has now downgraded the Magnitude from 7.7 to 7.5 with a little change in intensities but an important change for an eventual Tsunami potential
Update 09:49 UTC : A visual overview of the Tsunami a warning (red) and Tsunami advisory (orange) locations along the coast. Red means get away from the coast and walk urgently to higher grounds – Orange : be aware of strong waves and potentially higher tides
Update 09:34 UTC : Our main concern goes to the fisheries in case of a widespread tsunami.
for more information, go to: http://earthquake-report.com/2013/01/05/potential-tsunami-from-m7-7-earthquake-off-alaska-warning-in-effect/
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 7,7
UTC Time : 2012-10-28 03:04:08 UTC
Local time at epicenter : 2012-10-27 20:04:08 UTC-07:00 at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 17.5 km
Geo-location(s) :
139km (86mi) S of Masset, Canada
199km (124mi) SSW of Prince Rupert, Canada
288km (179mi) SW of Terrace, Canada
551km (342mi) NW of Campbell River, Canada
636km (395mi) SSE of Juneau, Alaska
2012-10-28 17:00 UTC
– THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS ENDED FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII EFFECTIVE AT 0358 AM HST.
– All the advisories have now been ended
– Luckily, there is NO report of damage from British Columbia
2012-10-28 13:31 UTC
– Tsunami advisory is still in effect in Hawaii. We do not think big changes will occur, but people should at least stay away from the shoreline for at least several hours and until all advisories are cleared (can take many more hours)
2012-10-28 12:05 UTC
THE TSUNAMI WARNING IS NOW CANCELLED FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII. A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS ISSUED FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII EFFECTIVE AT 1254 AM HST.
…THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS CANCELED FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA FROM GUALALA POINT CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80
MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/ TO THE OREGON-CALIFORNIA BORDER…
THE TSUNAMI THREAT HAS DIMINISHED FOR ALASKA/ BRITISH COLUMBIA/WASHINGTON/ OREGON OR CALIFORNIA. HOWEVER… SOME AREAS MAY EXPERIENCE NON-DAMAGING SEA LEVEL CHANGES. AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATIONS MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
2012-10-28 10:53 UTC THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA FROM GUALALA POINT CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/ TO THE OREGON-CALIFORNIA BORDER…
2012-10-28 10:44 UTC
– The max. tsunami waves so far measured at Hawaii are 76 cm high at Kahului (Maui) (still less than expected by the weather channel). These are the most readings so far :
The video below is a very interesting interview with a scientists from NOAA. He is giving a lot of info on the tsunami waves and their behaviour in Hawaii.
2012-10-28 10:27 UTC CBC Canada reports that Dennis Sinnott (Canadian Institute of Ocean Science) said that a 69-centimetre wave was recorded off Langara Island on the northeast tip of Haida Gwaii, formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands. The islands are home to about 5,000 people, many of them members of the Haida aboriginal group.
Another 55-centimetre wave hit Winter Harbour on the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, while a 12-centimetre wave was recorded in Tofino, on Vancouver Island’s west coast.
2012-10-28 09:46 UTC TSUNAMI ADVISORY STATUS IS CANCELLED FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA AND OREGON. TSUNAMI ADVISORY STATUS REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
2012-10-28 09:46 UTC Tsunami waves have reached parts of Hawaii. The Tsunami warning remains in effect.
Here are the first readings :
Image courtesy NOAA
2012-10-28 08:51 UTC – NO CHANGES IN THE CURRENT SITUATION
2012-10-28 08:26 UTC – Tsunami warning remains in effect for Hawaii (expected arrival time 10:28 PM)
2012-10-28 07:54 UTC
THE ADVISORY IS CANCELLED FOR SE ALASKA AND CONTINUES FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
2012-10-28 07:27 UTC
– The earthquake has been felt as far as Edmonton, Canada which is … 1700 km east of the epicenter
– Hawaii keeps his breath for eventual tsunami waves or currents
– A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF LONG OCEAN WAVES. EACH INDIVIDUAL WAVE CREST CAN LAST 5 TO 15 MINUTES OR MORE AND EXTENSIVELY FLOOD COASTAL AREAS. THE DANGER CAN CONTINUE FOR MANY HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL WAVE AS SUBSEQUENT WAVES ARRIVE. TSUNAMI WAVE HEIGHTS CANNOT BE PREDICTED AND THE FIRST WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST.
TSUNAMI WAVES EFFICIENTLY WRAP AROUND ISLANDS. ALL SHORES ARE AT RISK NO MATTER WHICH DIRECTION THEY FACE.
THE TROUGH OF A TSUNAMI WAVE MAY TEMPORARILY EXPOSE THE SEAFLOOR BUT THE AREA WILL QUICKLY FLOOD AGAIN.
EXTREMELY STRONG AND UNUSUAL NEARSHORE CURRENTS CAN ACCOMPANY A TSUNAMI. DEBRIS PICKED UP AND CARRIED BY A TSUNAMI AMPLIFIES ITS DESTRUCTIVE POWER.
SIMULTANEOUS HIGH TIDES OR HIGH SURF CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE TSUNAMI HAZARD.
2012-10-28 06:57 UTC
– The WeatherChannel reports that parts of Hawaii may see waves heights as much as 7 feet. Waikiki coast has been asked to evacuate. If the weather channel is correct, this will be a serious current heading for Hawaii
– NOAA Hawaii Tsunami report nr 5 states that :
A TSUNAMI WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII. THE ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME IN HAWAII OF THE FIRST TSUNAMI WAVE IS : 1028 PM HST SAT 27 OCT 2012
2012-10-28 06:57 UTC
– No change in advisory and warning areas in Alaska Tsunami Center report nr. 8
THE ADVISORY REGIONS ARE KEPT THE SAME. NEW OBSERVATIONS ARE ADDED BELOW
…THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA AND OREGON FROM GUALALA POINT
CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/ TO DOUGLAS-LANE COUNTY LINE OREGON/10 MILES SW OF FLORENCE/…
…THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH COLUMBIA BORDER TO CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF SITKA/…
…THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA FROM THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO GUALALA
POINT CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/…
…THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF OREGON AND WASHINGTON FROM DOUGLAS-LANE COUNTY LINE
OREGON/10 MILES SW OF FLORENCE/ TO THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH COLUMBIA BORDER…
…THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF ALASKA FROM CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF
SITKA/ TO ATTU ALASKA…
2012-10-28 06:22 UTC
– Tsunami warning downgraded to advisory for British Columbia and Alaska
Most important elements of Alaska Tsunami Center report nr. 7 :
THE WARNING IS DOWNGRADED TO AN ADVISORY FOR SE ALASKA AND NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA. MORE OBSERVATIONS ARE INCLUDED BELOW.
…THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA AND OREGON FROM GUALALA POINT
CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/ TO DOUGLAS-LANE COUNTY LINE OREGON/10 MILES SW OF FLORENCE/…
…THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH COLUMBIA BORDER TO THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA…
…THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS MODIFIED TO INCLUDE THE COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA TO CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF SITKA/…
…THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA FROM THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO GUALALA
POINT CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/…
…THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF OREGON AND WASHINGTON FROM DOUGLAS-LANE COUNTY LINE
OREGON/10 MILES SW OF FLORENCE/ TO THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH COLUMBIA BORDER…
…THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF ALASKA FROM CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF
SITKA/ TO ATTU ALASKA…
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED WHICH IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE ADVISORY REGIONS LISTED IN THE HEADLINE. PEOPLE IN LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO INSTRUCTIONS FROM THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS. EVACUATIONS ARE ONLY ORDERED BY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES.
– IF IN A TSUNAMI ADVISORY COASTAL AREA MOVE OUT OF THE WATER… OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF HARBORS AND MARINAS.
Tsunami gauge measurements at various stations :
2012-10-28 06:19 UTC
– Hawaii tsunami report nr. 4 states : A TSUNAMI WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII.
EVALUATION
A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE ALONG COASTLINES OF ALL ISLANDS IN THE STATE OF HAWAII. URGENT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO PROTECT LIVES AND PROPERTY.
A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF LONG OCEAN WAVES. EACH INDIVIDUAL WAVE CREST CAN LAST 5 TO 15 MINUTES OR MORE AND EXTENSIVELY FLOOD COASTAL AREAS. THE DANGER CAN CONTINUE FOR MANY HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL WAVE AS SUBSEQUENT WAVES ARRIVE. TSUNAMI WAVE HEIGHTS CANNOT BE PREDICTED AND THE FIRST WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST.
TSUNAMI WAVES EFFICIENTLY WRAP AROUND ISLANDS. ALL SHORES ARE AT RISK NO MATTER WHICH DIRECTION THEY FACE. THE TROUGH OF A TSUNAMI WAVE MAY TEMPORARILY EXPOSE THE SEAFLOOR BUT THE AREA WILL QUICKLY FLOOD AGAIN. EXTREMELY STRONG AND UNUSUAL NEARSHORE CURRENTS CAN ACCOMPANY A TSUNAMI. DEBRIS PICKED UP AND CARRIED BY A TSUNAMI AMPLIFIES ITS DESTRUCTIVE POWER. SIMULTANEOUS HIGH TIDES OR HIGH SURF CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE TSUNAMI HAZARD.
THE ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME IN HAWAII OF THE FIRST TSUNAMI WAVE IS 1028 PM HST SAT 27 OCT 2012
2012-10-28 06:10 UTC
– The earthquake occurred 2 hours ago and various tsunami warnings and advisories are still in effect for the greater earthquake and coastal areas.
– At Langara (northern point of Haida Gwaii (epicenter island), a tsunami surge has been measured of 44 cm)
– At Hawaii the wave is estimated to arrive at 10:28 PM local time
– For those among you interested to look at live webcams, we have found a live broadcasting webcam from Hawaii – Click here to watch it. A surge of less than 1 meter will be hard to see in the dark. Some stirring water (shaking boats) are a possibility. We hear the Tsunami warning sirens howling at the webcam. Great initiative from this webcam owner to do the live streaming !
2012-10-28 05:55 UTC – Tsunami warning and advisory overview – Warning effective for British Columbia, Alaska and Hawaii
– Advisory (1 level less than warning) for some parts of Washington, Oregon and California (see below)
What to do : if you are living at coastal areas, move to higher ground
IMPORTANT UPDATE 2012-10-28 05:48 UTC
ALASKA Tsunami Center report nr. 6
THE ADVISORY HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON.
...THE TSUNAMI WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL
AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE NORTH TIP OF
VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA TO CAPE DECISION
ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF SITKA/...
...THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS MODIFIED TO INCLUDE THE COASTAL
AREAS OF CALIFORNIA AND OREGON FROM GUALALA POINT
CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/ TO
DOUGLAS-LANE COUNTY LINE OREGON/10 MILES SW OF FLORENCE/...
...THE TSUNAMI ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL
AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH
COLUMBIA BORDER TO THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND
BRITISH COLUMBIA...
...THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF
CALIFORNIA FROM THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO GUALALA
POINT CALIFORNIA/LOCATED 80 MILES NW OF SAN FRANCISCO/...
...THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF
OREGON AND WASHINGTON FROM DOUGLAS-LANE COUNTY LINE
OREGON/10 MILES SW OF FLORENCE/ TO THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH
COLUMBIA BORDER...
...THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF
ALASKA FROM CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF
SITKA/ TO ATTU ALASKA...
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED WHICH IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE DAMAGE
TO THE WARNING AND/OR ADVISORY REGIONS LISTED IN THE HEADLINE.
PEOPLE IN LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS. EVACUATIONS
ARE ONLY ORDERED BY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES.
- IF IN A TSUNAMI WARNING COASTAL AREA MOVE INLAND TO
HIGHER GROUND.
- IF IN A TSUNAMI ADVISORY COASTAL AREA MOVE OUT OF
THE WATER... OFF THE BEACH AND OUT OF HARBORS AND MARINAS.
2012-10-28 05:40 UTC
– What occurred today is a typical subduction earthquake. the stress accumulates from the eastward moving Pacific plate subducting below the North American plate generates this kind of very powerful earthquakes.
2012-10-28 05:32 UTC Tsunami advisory (no warning) extended to the border area of Washington state
The most relevant parts of the Alaska Tsunami Center report nr. 5 (continental USA and Canada)
THE WARNING ZONES REMAIN THE SAME IN THIS MESSAGE.
AN ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE REST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA-
SOUTH OF THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND.
...THE TSUNAMI WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA TO CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF SITKA/...
...A TSUNAMI ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT WHICH INCLUDES THE
COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH COLUMBIA BORDER TO THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA...
...THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF
CALIFORNIA - OREGON AND WASHINGTON FROM THE
CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO THE WASHINGTON-BRITISH COLUMBIA
BORDER...
...THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF
ALASKA FROM CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF
SITKA/ TO ATTU ALASKA...
2012-10-28 05:24 UTC A TSUNAMI WARNING IS ISSUED FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII EFFECTIVE AT 0709 PM HST.
THIS UPGRADE IS DUE TO THE SEA LEVEL READINGS RECEIVED AND THE RESULTING CHANGE IN THE HAWAII TSUNAMI FORECAST.
2012-10-28 05:22 UTC
– Haida Gwaii (former Queen Charlotte Islands and epicenter of the earthquake) reports to Canadian Broadcasting that some homes have been damaged
2012-10-28 05:19 UTC
– More aftershocks are being reported. They however are less than M5, which is a good sign.
– The occurrence of a similar or even bigger earthquake than the mainshock cannot be excluded but happens very rarely.
– Earthquake-report.com does thank our many Alaska and British Colombia readers who have shared their experience with our site. Earthquake reporting can be only complete in the case of a interaction with those who felt the shaking
2012-10-28 05:07 UTC Alaska Tsunami center report nr. 5 – Tsunami alert is still in place THE WARNING ZONES REMAIN THE SAME IN THIS MESSAGE. AN ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE REST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA- SOUTH OF THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND.
2012-10-28 05:02 UTC
Some relevant tweets our Carlos Robles has intercepted
– “We were just sitting down relaxing and all of a sudden — boom! I thought it was a major landslide,” said Martynuik. “The epicentre had to be right close to us because the power went out right away. The quake seemed to last forever.”
– Tsunami ….”apparently” Sandspit got a 8 ft rise .
– CBC LeishaGrebinski just spoke w/ Ted Renaud on Langara Isl. He said quake was strong, they just exp. a swell expect another one in 20 mins
2012-10-28 04:52 UTC
Report number 4 from the Alaska tsunami center :
THE TSUNAMI HAS BEEN RECORDED WITH SMALL AMPLITUDES IN SE ALASKA. FORECASTS INDICATE HEIGHTS IN S CENTRAL ALASKA BELOW 30CM. THE WARNING AREA REMAINS THE SAME.
2012-10-28 04:50 UTC
– The tsunami evacuation seems to work well at the moment. A lot of people (ut limited in number) have been called to evacuate for higher ground and did so in the meanwhile
– The epicenter of the 3 M5+ aftershocks is heading more to the coast. No aftershock of M6 or more so far
2012-10-28 04:46 UTC
– We repeat that the Tsunami alert is only called for portions of the British Columbia and Alaska coast. Hawaii and the greater Pacific basin have NO alert issued.
– Pacofi and Lockeport, Canada are the locations which may get tsunami waves of respectively 1.7 and 1.5 meter. Other locations are expected to get a max. of 0.3 m. (source info + graphic below : GDACS)
2012-10-28 04:40 UTC
As soon as the Tsunami alert is canceled, we will bring the news to our readers.
The tsunami alert will only affect a limited number of people. Tsunami level calculations are extremely difficult as the wave height can be different for every portion of the coast depending on the coastal floor.
2012-10-28 04:32 UTC
Some press reports are stating that the quake was not felt in Vancouver, which does not correspond with the reports we have received from our readers (see below).
2012-10-28 04:24 UTC
Based on the reports below, the shaking lasted 30 seconds to a minute, a normal shaking time for such a huge earthquake
2012-10-28 04:18 UTC
The Alaska tsunami center has just issued a third report which keeps the tsunami warning as it was mentioned before. These are the most important elements of this report :
A SMALL TSUNAMI HAS BEEN RECORDED ON A DEEP OCEAN PRESSURE SENSOR. THE WARNING REGION REMAINS THE SAME IN THIS BULLETIN.
...THE TSUNAMI WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE COASTAL
AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE NORTH TIP OF
VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA TO CAPE DECISION
ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF SITKA/...
...THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF
CALIFORNIA - OREGON - WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM
THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER
ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA...
...THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF
ALASKA FROM CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF
SITKA/ TO ATTU ALASKA...
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
PEOPLE IN LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO
INSTRUCTIONS FROM THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS. EVACUATIONS
ARE ONLY ORDERED BY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES.
- IF IN A TSUNAMI WARNING COASTAL AREA MOVE INLAND TO HIGHER
GROUND.
2012-10-28 04:13 UTC – Except for the Tsunami danger, the dangerous shaking impact will be limited to approx. 2000 people who will have sustained a MMI VII, very strong shaking experience.
– 18000 people will have felt a strong MMI VI shaking and another 186000 people a moderate shaking.
– Please find the experiences of people below this page
Shaking intensities (image courtesy USGS)
2012-10-28 04:00 UTC – About 2000 people are living within 100 km from the epicenter
– A considerable number of strong aftershocks have been striking the epicenter area
2012-10-28 03:53 UTC – People living in coastal areas along British Colombia and Alaska should better be going for higher ground. Tsunami calculations are far from perfect and a auto-safety move for higher ground is always preferable.
– The area is merely unpopulated and the closest populated settlements are quite far from the epicenter.
– Haida Gwaii is a National Park, but should be almost without visitors at this time of the year.
2012-10-28 03:45 UTC – Another agency, GDACS who is using data from USGS reports that : It is likely that a tsunami was generated. The maximum tsunami wave height near the coast of Lockeport will be 1.66m.
GDACS Tsunami expectation – max. tsunami height 1.66 m
2012-10-28 03:44 UTC – THE MAGNITUDE IS UPDATED TO 7.7. THE WARNING ZONE REMAINS THE SAME.
TSUNAMI MESSAGE NUMBER 1 NWS WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK 807 PM PDT SAT OCT 27 2012 …A TSUNAMI WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT WHICH INCLUDES THE COASTAL AREAS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA TO CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF SITKA/… …THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA – OREGON – WASHINGTON AND BRITISH COLUMBIA FROM THE CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER TO THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND BRITISH COLUMBIA… …THIS MESSAGE IS INFORMATION ONLY FOR COASTAL AREAS OF ALASKA FROM CAPE DECISION ALASKA/LOCATED 85 MILES SE OF SITKA/ TO ATTU ALASKA… RECOMMENDED ACTIONS PEOPLE IN LOW-LYING COASTAL AREAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO INSTRUCTIONS FROM THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY OFFICIALS. EVACUATIONS ARE ONLY ORDERED BY EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES. – IF IN A TSUNAMI WARNING COASTAL AREA MOVE INLAND TO HIGHER GROUND. PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS MAGNITUDE – 7.1 TIME – 1904 AKDT OCT 27 2012 2004 PDT OCT 27 2012 0304 UTC OCT 28 2012 LOCATION – 52.9 NORTH 131.9 WEST 25 MILES/40 KM S OF SANDSPIT BRITISH COLUMBIA 390 MILES/628 KM SE OF JUNEAU ALASKA DEPTH – 12 MILES/19 KM TSUNAMI WARNINGS MEAN THAT A TSUNAMI WITH SIGNIFICANT WIDESPREAD INUNDATION IS IMMINENT… EXPECTED OR OCURRING. WARNINGS INDICATE THAT WIDESPREAD DANGEROUS COASTAL FLOODING ACCOMPANIED BY POWERFUL CURRENTS IS POSSIBLE AND MAY CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL WAVE ARRIVAL. PACIFIC COASTAL REGIONS OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA/ OREGON/ WASHINGTON/ BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA SHOULD REFER TO THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES FOR INFORMATION ON THIS EVENT AT PTWC.WEATHER.GOV.
Last update: September 5, 2012 at 3:08 pm by By Ashish Khanal
Massive earthquake in Coasta Rica A M7.8 earthquake just occurred below the coastal area of Costa Rica
Based on the current parameters this earthquake can be called EXTREMELY DANGEROUS for everybody living in a radius of 40 km around the epicenter.
Earthquake data coming in are varying from very strong (M6.4) up to massive (M7.9)
Same goes for the depth of the earthquake, from 20 km (extremely dangerous) to 40 km (still dangerous at the max. magnitude).
We will have to wait until recalculated numbers are coming in.
The earthquake occurred on top of the North American plate which is subdected by an oceanic plate. Powerful earthquakes in the area are mostly very deep and less dangerous.
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : Mw7.6 (USGS), Ml7.7 (PHIVOLCS)
UTC Time : 31st August, 2012 – 12:47:34 UTC
Local time at epicenter : 31st August, 2012 – 20:47:34 UTC
Depth (Hypocenter) : 34.9 km (USGS), 10km (PHIVOLCS)
Geo-location(s) : 96km (60mi) E of Sulangan, Philippines
Phivolcs was predicting:-
Intensity 7 in Guian, Oras, Sulat, Borongan City, Eastern Samar;
Intensity 6 in Siargao, Surigao del Norte; Tacloban City; Palo Leyte; Saint Bernard, S. Leyte;
Intensity 5 in Mati City; Compostela; Compostela; Legaspi City; Iloilo City; Beilig City; Iligan City;
Intensity 4 in Butuan City, Catbalogan City, Butuan City, Cagayan De Oro City;
Intensity 3 in Cotabato City, Mambajao, Camiguin, General Santos City; and
Intensity 2 in Marawi, Sipalay City
UPDATE:- NDRRMC is expecting damage from an earthquake of this size, but still waiting on more damage reports.
1 person has been killed through a house collapse in Southern Cagayan de Oro city on the South Island of Mindanao killing a 54-year-old woman and injuring her 5-year old grandson.
The center in Philippines said that very small tsunami waves of 3 centimeters meters (just over an inch) were recorded along the eastern Philippine coast near Legazpi city and another nearby location indicating a possible escape from a major tsunami.
The quake knocked out power in several other towns and cities across the central and southern Philippines, though it was restored in some areas later Friday.
SUMMARY:- A massive earthquake has hit off the East coast of the Philippines. It has been felt up to an intensity VII onshore through USGS.
The tsunami was due to hit Eastern Samar Island and also the following other locations – Northern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur. It was due to have hit already and we are waiting on reports.
The latest PTWC ratings:- Only a local tsunami warning was enforced. Eyewitness reports in the east have seen 1.2m waves.
SEA LEVEL READINGS CONFIRM THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS TSUNAMI MAY HAVE BEEN DESTRUCTIVE ALONG COASTLINES OF THE REGION NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. 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 ADDITIONAL TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY. THE WARNING WILL NOT EXPAND TO OTHER AREAS OF THE PACIFIC UNLESS ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED TO WARRANT SUCH AN EXPANSION.
FOR AFFECTED 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 CLE
for more information and updates, go to: http://earthquake-report.com/2012/08/31/massive-earthquake-hits-philippines-with-tsunami-warning/
A strange set of earthquake data occurred following the El Salvador earthquake a few days ago with various agencies giving very different magnitudes for the event.
A tsunami alert was also triggered and then was cancelled.
We have brief reports that have encircled the globe that the following damage occurred due to 3 strong waves after the earthquake:
– A Zoological foundation has said that 3 waves up to 3m high (not 8m as stated in some reports) washed onshore and destroyed around 45000 just hatched turtle eggs. This is around 6% of the total endangered eggs saved in the last 1.5 years. These were all of the Ridley turtle variety which is very much endangered. It also destroyed the hatcheries for turtle protection.
– The tsunami waves washed up on about 150 people collecting the eggs to protect them in special pens
– The waves injured 6 of the people who were all saved.
– No other reports of damage or a felt tsunami have been made. The earthquake was barely felt in El Salvador.
– Over 200 aftershocks have since been registered.
Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle (Wikipedia Commons)
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : Ml6.7 (SNET), Mw7.3 (USGS)
UTC Time : 04:37:20 UTC on the 27th August, 2012
Local time at epicenter : 22:37:20 on the 26th August, 2012
Depth (Hypocenter) : 51km (SNET), 20.3km (USGS)
Geo-location(s) : 110km from the South coast of El Salvador
