Worldwide EARTHQUAKE related news – Archive November 2012

If you search for the latest real time earthquakes lists : click here
The most recent earthquake related news : Click here
Below the sign $ to $$$$$ are links to article in the press.
$ : little importance $$$$$ : a must read!

November 30 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Alaska, 1987 - Magnitude : 7.8
Damage (VI) at Yakutat from earthquake and tsunami. Felt (V) at Anchorage, Copper Center, Gakona, Haines, Homer, Juneau, Levelock, Petersburg, Seward and Skwentna. Also felt (V) in sections of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. Felt (IV) throughout southern Alaska from the Ketchikan area to Glennallen and Kodiak Island and (III) as far away as Bethel and Fairbanks. Also felt at Sand Point and (II) at Anaktuvuk Pass. Some damage caused to 2 ships at sea in the epicentral area; felt strongly on 3 other ships in the area. Tsunami generated with wave heights (peak to trough) 85 cm. at Yakutat and 25 cm. at Sitka, Alaska; 15 cm. at Hilo, 12 cm. at Nawiliwili and 5 cm. at Honolulu, Hawaii; and 5 cm. at Presidio, California. Complex event, with major subevent occurring about 15 seconds after onset of the foreshock, observed on broadband displacement seismograms.

The deepest place on earth
The Mariana Trench, located in the Pacific Ocean just east of the Mariana Islands, is the deepest part of the Earth's oceans, with a maximum depth of about 11 km (6.8 miles). This is the deepest location on the surface of the Earth. The bottom of the trench is farther below sea level than Mount Everest is above it.

November 29 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Indonesia, 1998 - Magnitude : 7.7 - 34 people killed
At least 34 people killed on Mangole and 153 people injured on Mangole and Taliabu. Seven people killed, 8 injured and several buildings damaged at Manado, Sulawesi. A timber factory sustained extensive damage and dozens of houses destroyed on Mangole. Landslides blocked a highway on Mangole. Felt (VI) at Luwuk and (I) at Palu, Sulawesi. Also felt (IV) on Ternate and (III) on Ambon.

November 28 2012

The first seismograph or better seismoscope
The first seismoscope was developed by Chang Heng, the Royal Astronomer of the Bureau of Astronomy and Calendar in the year 132 A.D. during the Han Dynasty period. Initially made of bronze, with a diameter of about six feet, the seismoscope resembled a large urn, on the outside of which were eight dragon heads facing the eight principal directions of the compass. Below each dragon head was a toad with its mouth opened toward the dragon. The seismoscope would vibrate when an earthquake occurred, causing a ball to drop out of a dragon's mouth and be caught by a toad below. The noise produced by the dropping ball served notice of the earthquake, and the particular ball which fell gave the azimuthal direction of the earthquake. The internal mechanism of the seismoscope is unknown, but probably employed either a pendulum or inverted pendulum connected to levers that ejected the balls when the instrument moved. The instrument is reported to have detected an earthquake 400 miles away that was not felt at the location of the seismoscope.

Image courtesy cultural-china.com

November 27 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
India, 1945 - Magnitude : 8.0 - 4000 people killed
4,000 persons reported killed. One of the world's deadliest earthquakes.
Severe damage at Pasni and Ormara. A large tsunami was generated that caused damage at Karachi and damage and casualties in the Mumbai (Bombay) area, India. Four new islands appeared off the coast near Hinglaj. The quake was felt as far away as Dera Ismail Khan and Sahiwal.

November 26 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Vanuatu, 1999 - Magnitude : 7.5 - 5 people killed
At least five people killed and forty injured by collapsed buildings and landslides on Pentecost. Extensive damage to roads and telephone lines on Pentecost. At least five people killed at Mortelli Bay by a local tsunami, which was also recorded at Suva, Fiji. Damage and landslides also occurred on Ambrym, Epi and Paama. Felt strongly in much of Vanuatu.

Will California eventually fall off into the ocean?
No. The San Andreas Fault System, which crosses California from the Salton Sea in the south to Cape Mendocino in the north, is the boundary between the Pacific Plate and North American Plate. The Pacific Plate is moving northwest with respect to the North American Plate at approximately 56 millimeters per year (the rate your fingernails grow). The strike-slip earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault are a result of this plate motion. The plates are moving horizontally past one another, so California is not going to fall into the ocean. However, Los Angeles and San Francisco will one day be adjacent to one another (in approximately 15 million years)!

More news about the recent M7.7 Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte islands) earthquake (Canada)
A team of federal government scientists that descended on Haida Gwaii following last month's 7.7 magnitude earthquake is getting new insights into the fault that caused it — and the fear it generated.
Seismologist Alison Bird is one of about a dozen experts from Natural Resources Canada who were dispatched to the archipelago when the shaking started.
"My heart was in my throat until I started reading the reports, and started realising that everyone's fine," Bird said. $$$$$ Read more ...

Image courtesy USGS

November 25 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Quebec (Canada), 1988 - Magnitude : 5.9
Damage in the Chicoutimi-La Malbaie area and in the Quebec City area. Maximum intensity VII. Landslides reported in the La Tuque area. Felt in Canada from southern Ontario to Nova Scotia and western Labrador. Felt (V) in parts of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and New York. Felt in the New England states and in parts of Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and as far south as Washington, D.C.

Can the earth opening during an earthquake ?
One of man's persistent fears about earthquakes is that the Earth will open and swallow everyone and everything nearby. Shallow crevasses can form during earthquake-induced landslides, lateral spreads, or other types of ground failures. Faults, however, do not open up during an earthquake. Movement occurs along the plane of a fault, not perpendicular to it. If faults opened up, no earthquake would occur because there would be no friction to lock them together.

November 24 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Iran, 1976 - Magnitude : 7.3 - at least 5000 people killed
One of the world's deadliest earthquakes.
The earthquake was located along the Turkish-Iranian border region. It is estimated that at least 5,000 people were killed and many injured. Caldira, Muradiye, and surrounding villages near the Iranian border were completely destroyed. Snow and bitter cold weather hampered the rescue teams from reaching many of the mountainous villages. Some casualties and damage were reported in northwestern Iran. The shock was also reported felt in the area of Yerevan SSR.

What triggers a Tsunami ?
A tsunami is a large wave caused by earthquakes, submarine landslides, and, infrequently, by eruptions of island volcanoes. During a major earthquake, an enormous amount of water can be set in motion as the seafloor moves up and down. The result is a series of potentially destructive waves that can move at more than 500 miles per hour.

November 23 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Italy, 1980 - Magnitude : 6.5 - 3000 people killed
One of the world's deadliest earthquakes. Over +3,000 people killed, about 1,900 missing, 7,750 injured, 250,000 homeless and extensive damage in a 25,000 square kilometer area of Campania and Basilicata.

Geology on the moon
Harrison (Jack) Schmitt is the only USGS geologist to do field work on another planetary body. As a member of the Apollo 17 party, he was able to conduct field surveys on the moon.

Quake rescuers faced 'dual jeopardy'
Frontline rescue workers ''did their very best'' to save lives in the aftermath of Christchurch's earthquakes, often putting their own needs and those of their families aside, early results from a new study say. Some preliminary findings from the joint University of Otago and AUT University study of 600 frontline workers in Christchurch have been released today following recent criticisms of the emergency response to the quakes. $$$$$ Read more ....

November 22 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Egypt, 1995 - Magnitude : 7.2 - 8 people killed
At least eight people killed and 30 injured in the epicentral region, including two killed and 11 injured at Nuwaybi. Damage occurred in many parts of northeastern Egypt as far away as Cairo. One person was killed and two slightly injured at Al Bad, Saudi Arabia. Some damage occurred at Al Bad, Al Ula and Haql, Saudi Arabia. One person died of a heart attack, several people were injured and substantial damage with power outages and liquefaction occurred at Elat, Israel. Some damage also occurred at Jerusalem, Israel and Aqaba, Jordan. Felt from Sudan to Lebanon. High waves were reported along the coast at Aqaba, Jordan.

Movie about Asian tsunami shuns 'disaster' label
Eight years after the devastating 2004 tsunami, British actors Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts star in a film recounting the tragedy through the eyes of a tourist family caught up in the tidal wave. But the Spanish director of "The Impossible" insisted that the film -- which starts with a spectacular recreation of the huge wall of water crashing onto a beachfront resort -- is far from a typical "disaster movie." $$$$$ Read more ...

Pangea ?
Pangaea was the supercontinent that began to break up about 225 million years ago, eventually fragmenting into the continents as we know them today.

November 21 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
India, 1997 - Magnitude : 6.1 - 23 people killed
Twenty-three people killed, 200 injured, and a five-story building collapsed at Chittagong, Bangladesh. Houses damaged and old trees uprooted at Alikadam, Bandarban, Lama and Nakhyaungcharipara. Felt in much of Bangladesh as far north as Rangpur and Rajshahi.

Inner and outer core of the earth
Inge Lehman was a famous Danish seismologist. Her most famous achievement was the discovery of the inner and outer cores of the Earth through the reflection of seismic waves off those surfaces. She died in 1993 at the age of 105.

November 20 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
China, 1989 - Magnitude : 5.2 - 4 people killed
Four people killed, 161 injured and at least 1,000 homes destroyed in Jiangbei County.

What is an earthquake ?
An earthquake is caused by the shaking of the ground due to an abrupt shift of rock along a fracture in the Earth, called a fault. Within seconds, an earthquake releases stress that has slowly accumulated within the rock, sometimes over hundreds of years. Most earthquakes are caused by slow movements deep in the Earth that push against the Earth's brittle, relatively thin outer layer, causing the rocks to break suddenly.

Guatemalans Still Struggling in Quake's Brutal Aftermath
Guatemala is still recovering from a major 7.4 magnitude earthquake last week as well as a major aftershock Sunday that claimed the lives of 44 people. Crumpled cars and collapsed building stood as testimony to the worst earthquake in Guatemala since the 1970s. $$$$$ Read more ...

November 19 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Colombia, 1991 - Magnitude : 7.2 - 2 people killed
Two people killed and 28 houses damaged in Choco Department. Minor damage (VI) to buildings in the Buenaventura and Cali areas. Felt strongly in many parts of western Colombia. Felt (II) at Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador

What do i have to expect to see in the ocean when a tsunami arrives ?
Most Tsunamis do not result in giant breaking waves. Rather, most tsunamis come onshore as very strong and fast tides.

November 18 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Canada (New Foundland), 1929 - Magnitude : 7.2 - 27 people killed
A submarine slide triggered by the earthquake caused the fracture of 12 trans-atlantic cables. In each case they were broken at several points. A tsunami resulting from displacement of the ocean floor caused considerable damage and the loss of 27 lives at Placentia Bay, Newfoundland. Small seawaves were recorded along the east coast of the United States as far south as Charleston, South Carolina. The area of maximum intensity in the United States was the southeastern half of Maine, where clocks stopped, articles were shaken from shelves, and many people were alarmed. The total area affected in the United States was approximately 80,000 square miles.

November 17 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Alaska, 1987 - Magnitude : 7.2
One of the Largest Earthquakes in the United States.

Hawaiian volcanoes on top of a hot spot
The Hawaiian Islands are the tops of gigantic volcanoes that formed above a hot spot in the Earth's interior. As the volcanoes grew, they were carried away from the hot spot as the Pacific Plate moves northwestward at about 3 1/2 inches per year.

November 16 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Hawaii, 1983 - Magnitude : 6.7
Six people injured and considerable damage (VIII) in parts of Kapapala, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Volcano, Kau and Puna Districts and Hilo. Landslides and rockfalls occurred, telephone and electrical service was disrupted and water mains were broken in several areas of the island. Total damage from the earthquake estimated at 6 to 6.5 million dollars. Also felt on the islands of Maui, Oahu and Kauai.

Image courtesy USGS

Earthquake tweet mayor Mexico City viral hit on Twitter
A strong earthquake rattled central Mexico, causing some residential buildings in Mexico City to sway like boats on a river. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, as he does routinely, turned to Twitter. "Tenemossismo," Ebrard tweeted at 3:23 a.m. Wednesday, translated as, "We have an earthquake," but without any spacing. $$$$ Read more ....

Size of planet earth
The distance from the surface of the Earth to its center is 3,700 miles. The thickness of the ocean lithosphere or the relatively solid skin of the earth under oceans is only 41 miles, which in relative terms is much thinner than the skin of an apple.

November 15 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Kuril Islands, 2006 - Magnitude : 8.3
One person injured at Waikiki by a tsunami with a recorded wave height of 34 cm at Honolulu, Hawaii. One parking lot was flooded at Nawiliwili, Hawaii by a tsunami with a recorded wave height of 88 cm. Two docks destroyed and at least one damaged at Crescent City, California by a tsunami with a recorded wave height of 176 cm. Felt at Misawa and Yokosuka, Japan and at Petropavlovsk- Kamchatskiy, Russia. Recorded (2 JMA) in eastern and south- central Hokkaido. Recorded (1 JMA) in western Hokkaido and in Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures, Honshu.

November 14 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Philippines, 1994 - Magnitude : 7.1 - 78 people killed
At least seventy-eight people killed and 225 injured on Luzon and Mindoro. A local tsunami contributed to extensive damage (VII RF) in the Calapan and Puerto Galera areas. More than 797 houses destroyed and 3,288 damaged on Mindoro. Seven houses destroyed at Batangas, Luzon. Liquefaction, sand boils and surface faulting occurred in the epicentral area. Felt (IV RF) at Batangas, Guinayangan, Manila and Tagaytay City; (III RF) at Quezon City, Luzon. Also felt (II RF) on Masbate.

Image courtesy Phivolcs, Philippines

Where do we find the oldest rocks, on the Ocean floor or on the continents ?
The oldest rocks on Earth are found on land. Since the ocean floor is being continually regenerated as the continental plates move across the Earth's surface, the oldest rocks on the ocean floor are less than 300 million years. In contrast, the oldest continental rocks are 4,500 million years old.

New Zealand coastal survey finds new dangerous coastal faults
Seismic research off the coast of New Zealand has identified another 200 fault lines that could cause catastrophic tsunamis if a significant earthquake struck. GNS Science, along with the National Institute for Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), have just wrapped up a major project to revise the New Zealand National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM). A number of newly identified faults have now been added to the model, raising the total number of known fault lines by about 200 - to nearly 530. $$$$$ Read more ...

November 13 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Iran, 1998 - Magnitude : 5.4 - 7 people killed
Five people killed, 105 injured and at least 850 houses damaged by the earthquake and landslides in the Bigherd-Khonj area.

Tsunami warning policies updated for British Columbia, Canada
The B.C. government is upgrading its tsunami warning plans following delays broadcasting emergency information after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake last month.
After the quake struck off the west coast of Haida Gwaii on Oct. 27 at 8:04 p.m. PT, emergency officials in B.C. did not issue any sort of tsunami alert or advisory for 51 minutes, leaving many civic leaders in B.C. wondering what they were supposed to do.
Many communities did start evacuations based on notifications issued by U.S. officials just minutes after the quake was detected . $$$$$ Read more ....

EU funds for earthquake assistance Italy (Emilia Romagna) ready to be released
EU finance ministers in Brussels announced following an Ecofin meeting on Tuesday that 670 million euros in assistance for parts of Italy that were severely damaged by deadly earthquakes last spring will be released shortly. $$$$$ Read more ...

November 12 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Turkije, 1999 - Magnitude : 7.2 - 894 people killed
At least 894 people killed and 4,948 injured, mostly in the Bolu-Duzce area. Casualties occurred as far as Eskisehir, Yalova and Zonguldak. Extensive damage occurred in the Bolu-Duzce area. Landslides in the Bolu Pass blocked the Ankara-Istanbul highway. Felt as far as Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Also felt (III) at Chisinau, Moldova and (III) at Sevastopol and Simferopol, Ukraine. Two events about 2 seconds apart.

The epicenter of the November 12, 1999 earthquake was at 40.8 N , 31.6 E (Strasburg Geodynamic Institute) in the Duze region, near the city of Bolu , which is about 170 Km southeast of Istanbul and approximately 45 miles east of the region hit by the August earthquake. Its magnitude was estimated at 7.2 on the Richter scale. The Strasburg Geodynamic Institute gave the magnitude as 7.3. Within a two hour period following the main quake, 69 aftershocks were recorded, five of which had magnitudes greater than 5. Of these, 30 aftershocks had magnitudes ranging from 3-3.9, 33 had magnitudes ranging from 4-4.9, and 6 ranging from 4.9-5.4 (Kandilli Observatory and Research Institute). Aftershocks continued for weeks and months. $$$$$ Read more ...

Seismic wave shadow
A seismic wave shadow zone was discovered in about 1910, by measuring how P and S waves travel through the earth and out the other side. From the lack of S waves and a great slowing of the P wave velocity (by about 40%), it was deduced that the outer core is made of liquid. The shadow zone also defined the diameter of the core.

November 11 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Chile, 1922 - Magnitude : 8.5
The earthquake occurred in the southern part of Atacama Province, central Chile. Locally, the tsunami caused extensive damage. The tsunami arrived at Hilo, Hawaii in 14.5 hours. The period of oscillations was 20 minutes, and the height of the tsunami was 2.1 meters; many boats were washed away, and some damage was done. The wave reached Honolulu in 15.0 hours. The period of oscillations of the waves was 23 minutes, the height of the wave 0.3 meters.

November 10 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Peru, 1946 - Magnitude : 7.3
1,400 deaths. One of the world's deadliest earthquakes.
Nearly all buildings were destroyed or heavily damaged in the Sihuas-Quiches-Conchucos area of Ancash Department. Many landslides occurred; one buried the village of Acobamba and another dammed the Pelagatos River. The quake was felt from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Lima, Peru. Several segments of surface faulting were seen in a zone about 18 km (11 mi) long from Quiches to Hacienda Mayas. The faulting was purely dip-slip (vertical) with as much as 3.5 m (11 ft) offset.

Origin of the name "San Andreas Fault"
The origin of the name of the San Andreas Fault is often cited as the San Andreas Lake. However, based on some 1895 and 1908 reports by geologist A.C. Lawson, who named the fault, the name was actually taken from the San Andreas Valley. Lawson likely did not realize at the time that the fault ran almost the entire length of California.

New Zealand : EQC quake insurance shortfall doubles
The Earthquake Commission will be about $1.6 billion short for Canterbury earthquake claims, which the Government will stump up for.
That is the latest firm figure in EQC's annual report released yesterday, and a lot more than the Government estimated more than a year ago when it said EQC could be short by $800 million. But Finance Minister Bill English said in April the Government's guarantee to EQC could be "a few billion". $$$$ Read more ...

November 9 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
USA (Illinois), 1968 - Magnitude : 5.5
The largest historical earthquake in Illinois.
This earthquake was felt over all or portions of 23 states, and included isolated reports from distant localities, such as Boston, Mobile, Pensacola, and southern Ontario. Minor damage, consisting of downed chimneys, foundation cracks, and scattered instances of collapsed parapets and overturned tombstones, was sustained in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Free oscillation of the Earth
When the Chilean earthquake occurred in 1960, seismographs recorded seismic waves that traveled all around the Earth. These seismic waves shook the entire earth for many days! This phenomenon is called the free oscillation of the Earth.

Rebuilding almost completed in Yushu, China
All the affected residents of the earthquake-hit Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Northwest China's Qinghai province are expected to move into new homes before the end of the year, a senior official said. $$$$$ Read more ...

Image courtesy China Daily

November 8 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Belgium, 1983 - Magnitude : 4.9 - 1 person killed
One person killed, one additional person died of a heart attack, 30 injured, and hundreds of buildings damaged in the Liege area. Felt (V) in the southern Netherlands. Also felt in Luxembourg and West Germany.

Which sounds create P earthquake waves ?
Human beings can detect sounds in the frequency range 20-20,000 Hertz. If a P-wave refracts out of the rock surface into the air, and has a frequency in the audible range, it will be heard as a rumble. Most earthquake waves have a frequency of less than 20 Hz, so the waves themselves are usually not heard. Most of the rumbling noise heard during an earthquake are from buildings (and their contents) moving.

Christchurch red-zone demolitions to accelerate
The clearance of Christchurch's red-zoned suburbs is expected to accelerate next year as thousands of houses are approved for demolition. The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) hopes to demolish nearly 8000 residential red-zone houses over the next "couple of years", with more than 1200 already deconstructed. Read more ... $$$$$

November 7 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Iran, 1976 - Magnitude : 6.2 - 17 people killed
The earthquake was located about 270 kilometers south of Mashad in the Khorassan Province, where 17 were killed and 32 injured. Three villages in the area were completely destroyed. Because of the time of day the earthquake struck, many of the people were in the fields, and the death toll was lessened.

Early seismologists
The cause of earthquakes was stated correctly in 1760 by British engineer John Michell, one of the first fathers of seismology, in a memoir where he wrote that earthquakes and the waves of energy that they make are caused by "shifting masses of rock miles below the surface".

November 6 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Russia (Kuril Islands), 1958 - Magnitude : 8.3
Destructive earthquake (intensity IX) on the island of Iturup (Kuriles): felt in the Kuriles, Hokkaido and northern Honshu. Intensity VII at Kushiro, VI at Nemuro, Obihiro, Urakawa, Sapporo, Hachinohe, Aomori, Morioka. Slight damage reported at Kushiro, telephone lines cut, dozens of trains brought to a standstill. A tsunami was feared, and the alert was given by the seismological service along all the coasts of Hokkaido and in some parts of Honshu: the coastal population was evacuated, but fears proved unjustified.

Which kind of soil shakes the most during an earthquake ?
It was recognized as early as 350 BC, by the Greek scientist Aristotle, that soft ground shakes more than hard rock during an earthquake.

Geologists find East Coast quakes travel farther
The U.S. Geological Survey says the 2011 Virginia-centered earthquake shows that East Coast tremors can travel much farther and cause damage over larger areas than previously thought. The agency estimates that about one-third of the U.S. population could have felt the magnitude 5.8 tremor. That's more than any earthquake in U.S. history. $$$$$

November 5 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Italy, 1659 - Magnitude : ?? - More than 2000 people killed in the Capistrano area
One of the most cruel earthquakes in Southern Europe. Very few details can be found (some are scientific studies, but are locked behind paying walls !)
Most records show +2000 people killed and massive devastation.

Oldest earthquake record
The earliest recorded evidence of an earthquake has been traced back to 1831 BC in the Shandong province of China, but there is a fairly complete record of earthquakes starting in 780 BC, during the Zhou Dynasty in China.

November 4 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
California (USA), 1927 - Magnitude : 7.1
The most severe damage to property occurred in the areas west and north of Lompoc. Chimneys were wrecked at several towns, including Arroyo Grande, Berros, Guadalupe, Halcyon, Lompoc, Los Alamos, and Nipomo. On the Roberd's ranch, an earthquake fountain created between 10 and 20 sand craters; lurches and cracks were observed in the water-soaked soil. The Roberd ranch house was shifted on its foundation about 5 centimeters, and small outbuildings were pushed from their foundations. The walls of a poorly built block building collapsed at White Hills. At Santa Maria and other towns in the area, chimneys were damaged, old brick walls and interior walls formed cracks, and cornices fell.

Pacific Ring of Fire
The majority of the earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur along plate boundaries, such as the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American plate. One of the most active plate boundaries, where earthquakes and eruptions are frequent, is around the massive Pacific Plate, commonly referred to as the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Image courtesy Wikipedia

November 3 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Alaska (USA), 2002 - Magnitude : 7.9
Largest earthquake in 2002.
One person injured and extensive damage to roads. Items knocked from shelves in Denali National Park, Glenallen and Tok. Some supports on the trans-Alaska pipeline were damaged and operation was suspended. Damage estimated at 20 million U.S. dollars. Felt (VII) at Cantwell and Denali National Park; (VI) at Chistochina, Delta Junction, Fairbanks, Nenana, North Pole and Tok; (V) at Anchorage, Big Lake, Chickaloon, Chitina, Copper Center, Eagle River, Eielson AFB, Eureka, Fort Wainwright, Healy, Houston, Knik, Moose Pass, Palmer, Talkeetna, Tazlina, Wasilla and Willow; (IV) at Butte, Cordova, Glenallen, Kenai, Kenny Lake, Nikiski, Salcha, Skagway, Valdez and Whittier; (III) at Galena, Haines, Juneau, Kasilof, Seward and Soldotna. Felt in northern British Columbia, western Alberta and Northwest Territories. Also felt by people in high-rise buildings in Seattle, Washington. Seiches and muddied water wells observed in a number of states, including Washington, Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Why Alaska ?
Alaska is the most earthquake-prone state and one of the most seismically active regions in the world. Alaska experiences a magnitude 7 earthquake almost every year, and a magnitude 8 or greater earthquake on an average of every 14 years (on average).

November 2 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Georgia (USA), 1875 - Magnitude : 4.3
The earthquake was strong enough to move a mirror back and forth from the wall and to shake doors and windows. Felt from Spartanburg and Columbia, South Carolina, to Atlanta and Macon, Georgia, and from Gainesville (northeast of Atlanta) to Augusta, Georgia. Several aftershocks were reported.

About deep earthquakes
The deepest earthquakes typically occur at plate boundaries where the Earth's crust is being subducted into the Earth's mantle. These earthquakes occur as deep as 750 km (400 miles) below the surface.

November 1 2012

Did you know this earthquake happened on the same day in history ?
Canada, 1935 - Magnitude : 6.2
Damage was relatively slight in the epicentral region, largely because of the sparsity of population. The earthquake was felt over an area of nearly 2,600,000 square kilometers in the United States and Canada.

Fast EARTHQUAKE and TSUNAMI TWEETS @ your MAGNITUDE choice
Regional Twitter Accounts CHILI - CANADA - BRITISH COLUMBIA - CALIFORNIA - OREGON - WASHINGTON - HAWAII - TEXAS - OKLAHOMA

Earthquake-Report.com headlines on twitter
@OnlyQuakeNews : Get all the headlines of our earthquake-report.com articles + regular updates on ongoing events