Worldwide EARTHQUAKE related news – Archive December 2012

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December 31, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Alaska, 1901 - Magnitude : 7.1
One of the Largest Earthquakes in the United States.
A strong volcanic eruption occurred. The accompanying earthquake caused several tsunamis.

December 30, 2012

About spreading plates in the Oceans
At spreading zones, molten rock rises, pushing two plates apart and adding new material at their edges. Most spreading centers are found in oceans. The North American and Eurasian plates are spreading apart along the mid-Atlantic ridge. Spreading zones usually have earthquakes at shallow depths (within 30 kilometers of the surface).

December 29, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Vanuatu, 1973 - Magnitude : 7.2
This earthquake struck the New Hebrides Islands about 2,000 kilometers northeast of Brisbane, Australia. The earthquake cracked concrete walls, damaged a wharf, and broke water pipes at Luganville.

About Fault Lines and accumulated and relieved stress
Earthquakes tend to reoccur along faults, which reflect zones of weakness in the Earth's crust. Even if a fault zone has recently experienced an earthquake, however, there is no guarantee that all the stress has been relieved. Another earthquake could still occur. Further more, relieving stress along one part of the fault may increase stress in another part.

December 28, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Japan, 1994 - Magnitude : 7.8 - 2 people killed
Two people were killed, more than 200 injured and damage (VI JMA) in the Hachinohe area. Felt (V JMA) at Aomori, Morioka and Mutsu; (IV JMA) at Miyako and Ofunato; (III JMA) at Sendai. Also felt (IV JMA) at Hakodate, Obihiro, Tomakomai and Urakawa; (III JMA) at Sapporo, Hokkaido. Felt as far away as Tokyo. Local tsunami generated with maximum wave heights (peak-to-trough) recorded at the following selected tide stations: 110 cm. at Miyako, 88 cm. at Hachinohe, 54 cm. at Ofunato, 10 cm. at Choshi, Honshu; 48 cm. at Urakawa, 36 cm. at Hakodate and Kushiro, Hokkaido.

Earthquakes and landslides
Landslides triggered by earthquakes often cause more destruction than the earthquakes themselves. During the 1964 Alaska quake, shock-induced landslides devastated the Turnagain Heights residential development and many downtown areas in Anchorage.

l'Aquila, Italy fallout - School director sentenced to 4 years in jail !
(ANSA) - L'Aquila, December 28 - A judge in L'Aquila on Thursday convicted the former head of a boarding school in the the Italian city of manslaughter in the deaths of three minors in the devastating earthquake of 2009. Read the entire article ....

Image Creative Commons by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/it:User:TheWiz83

December 27, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Australia, 1989 - Magnitude : 5.5 - 13 people killed
Thirteen people killed, more than 100 injured and estimated 1.1 billion U.S. dollars damage (VIII) caused in the Newcastle area. Damage occurred as far away as Liverpool, Scone and Gladstone. Felt in a 200,000 sq. km area of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory from Albury and Cooma to Coffs Harbour and Inverell and as far west as Narromine. Also felt by people in highrise buildings in Gold Coast and Melbourne. Believed to be the first earthquake in Australian history that has caused deaths.

December 26, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Indonesia, 2004 - Magnitude : 9.1 - 227898 people killed
Largest and deadliest earthquake in 2004.
This is the third largest earthquake in the world since 1900 and is the largest since the 1964 Prince William Sound, Alaska earthquake. In total, 227,898 people were killed or were missing and presumed dead and about 1.7 million people were displaced by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 14 countries in South Asia and East Africa. (In January 2005, the death toll was 286,000. In April 2005, Indonesia reduced its estimate for the number missing by over 50,000.) The earthquake was felt (IX) at Banda Aceh, (VIII) at Meulaboh and (IV) at Medan, Sumatra and (III-V) in parts of Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The tsunami caused more casualties than any other in recorded history and was recorded nearly world-wide on tide gauges in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Seiches were observed in India and the United States. Subsidence and landslides were observed in Sumatra. A mud volcano near Baratang, Andaman Islands became active on December 28 and gas emissions were reported in Arakan, Myanmar.

December 25, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
China, 1932 - Magnitude : 7.6 - 275 people killed
275 deaths.
Over 1,100 houses collapsed in the Changma area. Damage occurred from Dunhuang to Gaotai. Surface rupture or deformation observed from Changma east intermittently for more than 110 km (65 mi). There were landslides, ground fissures and sandblows in the area. Also felt in parts of Qinghai (Tsinghai) and Xinjiang (Sinkiang). One source [145] lists the death toll as 70,000, but this does not seem to be confirmed by the damage descriptions nor by other sources.

December 24, 2012

What to do when an earthquake strikes when you are outdoors ?
During an earthquake: If you are outdoors, stay there.
Move away from buildings, street lights and utility wires.

December 23, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Nicaragua, 1972 - Magnitude : 6.2 - 5000 people killed
5,000 deaths.
One of the world's deadliest earthquakes.
Thousands injured. Preliminary estimates indicate approximately $800,000,000 damages in Managua. Hundreds of aftershocks were reported, but only two exceeded magnitude 5, and these occurred within an hour of the main shock.

December 22, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Guinea (Africa), 1983 - Magnitude : 6.4 - 643 people killed
At least 443 people killed, 200 missing, 150 seriously injured and extensive damage in the Gaoual-Koumbia area, Guinea. Felt in Guinea Bissau, Senegal, The Gambia and Sierra Leone.

What to do during an earthquake when indoors ?
During an earthquake: If you are indoors, take cover under a sturdy desk, table, or bench, or against an inside wall, and hold on. Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors or walls and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.

December 21, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Chile, 1967 - Magnitude : 7.5 - 1 person killed
The shock caused one death and several injuries, and inflicted severe property damage at Quillagua and Tocopilla, two small villages near the earthquake's epicenter. Eighty percent of the structures were destroyed at Quillagua; Tocopilla sustained damage to about 20 percent of its buildings. Numerous roads were damaged or blocked by earth-slides in the area.

What to do during an earthquake ?
In an earthquake, keep calm and stay where you are.
Most injuries during earthquakes occur when people are hit by falling objects when entering or exiting buildings.

Movies : Tsunami survivor's impossible story hits the big screen
Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor star in The Impossible, a film based on the true story of one family who were caught in the deadly Indian tsunami.
On 26 December, 2004 a powerful earthquake off the Indonesian coast triggered a tsunami that devastated countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 230,000 people.
The Impossible is based on the true story of one of the survivors, Maria Belon, a Spanish tourist who was lounging by a pool in Thailand along with her husband and three young sons when the tsunami hit. $? Read more ....

December 20, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Japan, 1946 - Magnitude : 8.1 - 1362 people killed
One of the world's deadliest earthquakes.
More than 2,600 people injured and 100 missing: over 36,000 houses destroyed or severely damaged in southern Honshu and on Shikoku. An additional 2,100 houses were washed away by a tsunami, which reached heights of 5-6 m (16-20 ft) on the east coast of the Kii Peninsula, Honshu and on the east and south coasts of Shikoku. Landslides, ground fissures, uplift and subsidence were observed in the area. The quake was felt from northern Honshu to Kyushu.

Image courtesy NOAA

December 17, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Indonesia (Bali), 1979 - Magnitude : 6.3 - 27 people killed
The earthquake was centered in the water between the islands of Lombok and Bali. Twenty-seven people were reported killed, 200 were reported injured, and about 80 percent of the homes and buildings were destroyed or badly damaged in Karangasem on eastern Bali. Communications were cut off, and roads leading to Denpasar, the capital of Bali, were blocked by landslides, but only minor damage was reported in the capital area. Many foreign tourists at the Bali Beach Intercontinental Hotel were shaken by the quake, but no injuries were reported. The neighboring island of Lombok was also shaken considerably by the shock, but only minor damage was reported.

December 16, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
China, 1920 - Magnitude : 7.8 - 200,000 people killed
One of the world's most destructive earthquakes.
Total destruction (XII - the maximum intensity on the Mercalli scale) in the Lijunbu-Haiyuan-Ganyanchi area. Over 73,000 people were killed in Haiyuan County. A landslide buried the village of Sujiahe in Xiji County. More than 30,000 people were killed in Guyuan County. Nearly all the houses collapsed in the cities of Longde and Huining. Damage (VI-X) occurred in 7 provinces and regions, including the major cities of Lanzhou, Taiyuan, Xi'an, Xining and Yinchuan. It was felt from the Yellow Sea to Qinghai (Tsinghai) Province and from Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia) south to central Sichuan (Szechwan) Province. About 200 km (125 mi) of surface faulting was seen from Lijunbu through Ganyanchi to Jingtai. There were large numbers of landslides and ground cracks throughout the epicentral area. Some rivers were dammed, others changed course. Seiches from this earthquake were observed in 2 lakes and 3 fjords in western Norway. Although usually called the Kansu (now Gansu) earthquake by Western sources, the epicenter and highest intensities are clearly within Ningxia Autonomous Region.

This is what Wikipedia tells about this earthquake

The earthquake hit at local time 20:06:53 (GMT 12:06:53), reportedly 7.8 on the Richter magnitude scale, followed by a series of aftershocks for three years. Today's Chinese media claim the earthquake as of magnitude 8.5, although the scale is not specified. It caused total destruction (XII - the maximum intensity on the Mercalli scale) in the Lijunbu-Haiyuan-Ganyanchi area.
Over 73,000 people were killed in Haiyuan County. A landslide buried the village of Sujiahe in Xiji County. More than 30,000 people were killed in Guyuan County. Nearly all the houses collapsed in the cities of Longde and Huining. Damage (VI-X) occurred in 7 provinces and regions, including the major cities of Lanzhou, Taiyuan, Xi'an, Xining and Yinchuan. It was felt from the Yellow Sea to Qinghai (Tsinghai) Province and from Nei Mongol (Inner Mongolia) south to central Sichuan Province.
About 200 km (125 mi) of surface faulting was seen from Lijunbu through Ganyanchi to Jingtai. There were large numbers of landslides and ground cracks throughout the epicentral area. Some rivers were dammed, others changed course. Seiches from this earthquake were observed in 2 lakes and 3 fjords in western Norway.
Total casualty was reported as 200,000 in a summary published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), 240,000 according to Ningxia Daily, a Chinese publication in the current administrative area.,[2] and 235,502 according to the Catalog of Damaging Earthquakes in the World (Through 2008) maintained by the International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering.

December 15, 2012

Japanese operator in most frank admission over nuclear disaster
The operator of a Japanese nuclear power plant that blew up after a tsunami last year said on Friday its lack of safety and bad habits were behind the world's worst nuclear accident in 25 years, its most forthright admission of culpability. The operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, said it accepted the findings of a parliamentary inquiry into the Fukushima nuclear disaster that accused the company of "collusion" with industry regulators. $$$$$ Read more ...

December 14, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Iran, 1978 - Magnitude : 6.2 - 76 people killed
The earthquake was located about 450 kilometers southwest of Tehran in the vicinity of Izeh. Seventy-six people were reported killed, many were injured, and there was considerable damage in the areas of Izeh and Masjed-e-Soleyman.

Search conducted for missing tsunami victims in Ishinomaki
Police and Maritime Safety Agency personnel on Tuesday conducted another search for missing tsunami victims in Okawa, Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture, which was one of the areas hardest hit by the tsunami on March 11, 2011. $$$$$ Read more

Opinion : Seismic risk of fracking has been wildly overstated
Hydraulic fracturing to produce oil and gas has become closely associated in the public mind with the risk of triggering man-made earthquakes. But the risk is not high and it is not confined to fracking. There may be greater danger from geothermal energy production and pumping carbon dioxide underground as part of carbon capture and storage projects. $$$ Read more ...

December 13, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Italy (Sicily), 1990 - Magnitude : 5.6 - 19 people killed
At least 19 people killed, about 200 injured, 2,500 homeless and severe damage (VII) in the Carlentini area.
Damage also occurred at Augusta, Lentini and Noto and slight damage occurred as far away as Cefalu. Felt as far west as Trapani.

December 12, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Indonesia, 1992 - Magnitude : 7.8 - 2200 people killed
One of the world's deadliest earthquakes.
At least 2,200 people killed or missing in the Flores region, including 1,490 at Maumere and 700 on Babi. More than 500 people were injured and 40,000 left homeless. 19 people were killed and 130 houses destroyed on Kalaotoa. Severe damage, with approximately 90 percent of the buildings destroyed at Maumere by the earthquake and tsunami; 50 to 80 percent of the structures on Flores were damaged or destroyed. Damage also occurred on Sumba and Alor. Tsunami run-up of 300 meters with wave heights of 25 meters was reported on Flores along with landslides and ground cracks at several locations around the island. Felt (V) at Larantuka, Flores; (IV) at Waingapu, Sumba and Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi; (II) at Kupang, Timor.

Which island is moving fastest in the world ?
Easter Island, which lies on the Nazca Plate close to the East Pacific Rise, is moving eastward toward South America by seafloor spreading at the fastest rate known in the world, more than 15 cm/yr.

December 11, 2012

Where do the Himalaya comes from ?
Among the most dramatic and visible creations of plate-tectonic forces are the lofty Himalayas, which stretch 2,900 km along the border between India and Tibet. This immense mountain range began to form between 40 and 50 million years ago, when two large landmasses, India and Eurasia, driven by plate movement, collided. Because both these continental landmasses have about the same rock density, one plate could not be subducted under the other. The pressure of the impinging plates could only be relieved by thrusting skyward, contorting the collision zone, and forming the jagged Himalayan peaks.

Image courtesy Luca Galuzzi - Creative Commons - Wikipedia

December 10, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Ecuador, 1970 - Magnitude : 7.6 - 72 people killed
This major earthquake occurred about 150 miles southwest of Guayaquil, Ecuador, on Peru's northernmost tip. It killed 72 people and injured many in both countries. Much damage occurred at Sullana and Piura, Peru, south of the epicenter, and at Tumbes, 50 miles north of the shock's center. Highways linking Tumbes and Piura were blocked by landslides, and telephone communications to that region were knocked out. Heaviest damage in Ecuador was reportedly in rural villages.

December 9, 2012

Can we see the activity of spreading Oceanic ridges above sea level ?
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge appears above sea-level at Iceland. This offers scientists a natural laboratory for studying on land the processes also occurring along the submerged parts of a spreading ridge. Iceland is splitting along the spreading center between the North American and Eurasian Plates, as North America moves westward relative to Eurasia.

December 8, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
South-Africa, 1976 - Magnitude : 5.2 - 4 people killed
The earthquake was centered in the gold mining area of Welkom about 300 kilometers south of Johannesburg. Four people were killed, 36 injured and considerable damage in the Wellom area.

December 6, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Iran, 1988 - Magnitude : 5.7
Seven people injured and damage to more than 21 villages in the Mamasani area. Also felt at Shiraz and Bushehr.

December 5, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Russia (Kamchatka), 1997 - Magnitude : 7.8
Felt (VII) in the epicentral area and (V) at Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy and Ust-Kamchatsk. Felt (II) at Severo-Kurilsk, Paramushir. Also felt aboard the cargo ship Stepan Krasheninnikov in the epicentral area. Tsunami generated. Complex earthquake with at least one event occurring about 14 seconds after the onset.

December 4, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Mongolia, 1957 - Magnitude : 8.1 - 30 people killed
Thirty deaths.
All houses were destroyed in Dzun Bogd and Bayan Gobi. Subsidence, faulting and fissures occurred in the Bahar Uula and Ih Bogd Uul Mountains. The largest fissure was 250 km (155 mi) long with as much as 9-11 m (30-36 ft) of vertical and 3 m (10 ft) of horizontal offset. Because of the extremely sparse population in the area, this is perhaps the least damaging great earthquake to have occurred on land in the 20th Century; the direct opposite of the Agadir, Morocco earthquake of 29 Feb 1960.

Preparedness !
The risks that earthquakes pose to society, including death, injury, and economic loss, can be greatly reduced by better planning, construction, and mitigation practices before earthquakes happen and by providing critical and timely information to improve response after they occur.

December 1, 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Chile, 1928 - Magnitude : 7.6
225 people killed.
Severe damage at Talca and Constitucion. The earthquake was felt from Copiapo to Puerto Montt. Uplift was observed along the coast at Putu. A small tsunami was reported.

Tsunami alarm. What to do ?
What to do if a tsunami threatens your area: If you are advised to evacuate, do so immediately. Stay away from the area until local authorities say it is safe. Do not be fooled into thinking that the danger is over when a single wave has come and gone - a tsunami is not a single wave but a series of waves. Do not go to the shoreline to watch for a tsunami. When you can see the wave, it is too late to escape it.

Tsunami-warning systems installed in Pangasinan, Albay, Philippines
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) have installed tsunami detection systems that provide real-time information and warning signals in high-risk coastal communities in Pangasinan and Albay, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) reported. $$$$$ Read More ...

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