Deadly earthquake close to San Cristobal island, Solomon Islands - December 8, 2016

Created December 8, 2016 Last update December 19, 2017 23:12 By

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Update : Final damage and human suffering toll :
** 1 person was killed
** 1 person was injured
** 220 houses were damaged
** 226 houses were destroyed

Update : Maximum measured tsunami height was 1 meter.

Update 22:39 UTC December 9 :

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-09 om 23.35.56

Update 23:20 UTC :

Update 22:46 UTC : tweet content of user @swboland : Nothing apparent in Honiara. All seems pretty normal though I haven't ventured out. Colleague says he saw no damage here.

Update 22:43 UTC : Blackout across the capital Honiara

Update 19:56 UTC : Professor Max Wyss, who specializes in theoretical prognoses of injuries and fatalities
UPDATE after taking into account the most recent data (Magnitude, depth and location of the epicenter) : Fatalities : 0 to 130 Injured people : 70 to 700.

Update 19:51 UTC : Many powerful aftershocks of M5+ but peanuts compared to the massive quake earlier on.

Update 19:39 UTC : New USGS recalculated Magnitude (now M7.8 from M7.7) and Focal Mechanism

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 20.39.42-compressed

Update 19:14 UTC : The earthquake occurred just North of the Solomon Trench a tench famous for massive earthquakes (fault in red)

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 20.13.49

Update 19:12 UTC : Below the readings of another DART station (buoy)

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 20.11.33

Update 18:49 UTC : This Experience Report from the capital Honiara reached us a little earlier :

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 19.49.12

Update 18:32 UTC : On the positive site too we have to tell our readers that many parts of the islands are very hilly and people living on these islands have an automatic reflex to run to the hills to survive a tsunami. The maximum expected tsunami is 1.4 met which is not too alarming. Coastal communities however have often a flat coastal area which is more at risk. Additionally the earthquake happened in the middle of the night, bad for shaking damage but very good as people are not on the beaches.

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 19.31.47

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 19.40.53

Update 18:26 UTC : Professor Max Wyss, who specializes in theoretical prognoses of injuries and fatalities expects : 0 to 50 fatalities AND 30 to 270 injured (which is quite a lot for the Solomon Islands). Let's truly hope it will be 0 and 30.

Update 18:24 UTC : The Magnitude has been updated to M7.7 (from M8.0), a whole difference !

Update 18:23 UTC : Closest DART station (buoy) top the earthquake. The earthquake is clearly visible on the recorder

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 19.22.52

Update 18:08 UTC : Based on our experiences it will take MANY hours before we are able to find out how destructive (if any) this earthquake will be.

Update 18:06 UTC : EXTREME shaking expected on the closest island

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 19.05.16

Update 18:03 UTC : The focal mechanism below supports a local tsunami possibility

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 19.03.04-compressed

Update 18:00 UTC : At the positive side, the Solomon Islands inhabitants are used to massive earthquakes. But an Magnitude 8 earthquake only happens seldom. Positive is also that our system got alerted by people of the Solomon Islands coming online to see what happened. This means that they were able to connect to the internet. Just great to see this happening.

Update 17:59 UTC : Below the water-level stations in the area

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 18.59.04

Update 17:55 UTC : PWTC has not set a warning or advisory for the open Pacific Ocean but we fear that the islands in a large area are really at risk.

Update 17:52 UTC :

Schermafbeelding 2016-12-08 om 18.51.56

Update 17:49 UTC : MORE TO COME SOON - we are on it

Most important Earthquake Data:

Magnitude : 7.7

Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2016-12-09 04:38:43

GMT/UTC Time : 2016-12-08 17:38:43

Depth (Hypocenter) : 38 km

Depth and Magnitude updates in the list below.

Share your earthquake experience (I Have Felt It) with our readers.
Click on the "I Felt It" button behind the corresponding earthquake. Your earthquake experience is not only important for science, but also for people in the area as well as our global readership.

Refresh this list
SRC Location UTC Date/time M D INFO
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 23:35 4.9 24 MAP I Felt It INFO
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 23:35 5.0 40 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 23:35 5.0 23 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 22:49 4.9 47 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 22:49 5.0 40 MAP I Felt It INFO
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 22:49 5.0 10 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 22:02 5.5 34 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 22:02 5.4 40 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 22:02 5.4 36 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:56 6.5 14 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:56 5.9 10 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:56 6.5 17 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:48 5.5 30 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:48 5.5 21 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:48 5.9 18 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:41 5.1 52 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:41 5.1 52 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:35 5.3 44 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:35 5.3 40 MAP I Felt It INFO
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:35 5.4 10 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:30 4.9 48 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 21:30 4.9 49 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 20:50 5.2 50 MAP I Felt It INFO
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 20:50 5.2 40 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 20:50 5.4 21 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 20:03 5.2 47 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 20:03 5.2 10 MAP I Felt It INFO
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 20:03 5.2 10 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 19:57 5.3 30 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 19:57 5.0 10 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 19:15 5.1 35 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 19:15 5.1 60 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 19:15 5.2 32 MAP I Felt It INFO
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 19:03 5.0 15 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 19:03 5.0 42 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 19:03 5.3 10 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 18:52 5.0 33 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 18:52 5.1 10 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 18:52 5.3 10 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 18:23 5.1 50 MAP I Felt It INFO
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 18:23 5.1 40 MAP
EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 18:03 5.5 80 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 18:03 5.6 42 MAP
GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 18:02 5.8 33 MAP
USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 17:38 8.0 40 MAP
  • Gangtok - I was sleeping and around 5:05 am i felt my bed was literally shaking
  • Honiara - After 04:35 but close to 04:40...Felt like several minutes...was so concerned left room to move off the building onto the ground, as hotel is built on high stilts, might break Had to hang on to rail
  • Kolkata - strong shaking for 3 to 4 seconds
  • Honiara - during that earthquake I was panic and afraid and I don't know what to do. no property damage
  • Kolkata - Very weak shake felt..my glass window started shaking..so i just heard the sound..dint feel..just for a second or two
  • Guahati - it was just a weak earthquake. so no damage occurred.
    		•
    USGS Kirakira, Solomon Islands Dec 08 17:38 7.8 41 MAP
    EMSC Solomon Islands Dec 08 17:38 7.8 40 MAP
    GEOFON Solomon Islands Dec 08 17:38 7.7 38 MAP I Felt It INFO

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    SHARE YOUR EARTHQUAKE EXPERIENCE WITH US

    I felt the shaking *
    Country where you felt the earthquake *
    City/Village where you felt the earthquake *
    Street or suburb (area) where you felt the earthquake
    Latitude (area) where you felt the earthquake
    Longitude (area) where you felt the earthquake
    Shaking Strength *
    MMI II (Very weak shaking) ?
    People :
    Felt by persons at rest, on upper floors or favorably placed.
    MMI III (Weak shaking) ?
    People :
    Felt indoors; hanging objects may swing, vibration similar to passing of light trucks, duration may be estimated, may not be recognized as an earthquake.
    MMI IV (Light shaking) ?
    People :
    Generally noticed indoors but not outside. Light sleepers may be awakened. Vibration may be likened to the passing of heavy traffic, or to the jolt of a heavy object falling or striking the building.
    Fittings :
    Doors and windows rattle. Glassware and crockery rattle. Liquids in open vessels may be slightly disturbed. Standing motorcars may rock.
    Structures :
    Walls and frames of buildings, and partitions and suspended ceilings in commercial buildings, may be heard to creak.
    MMI V (Moderate shaking) ?
    People :
    Generally felt outside, and by almost everyone indoors. Most sleepers awakened. A few people alarmed.
    Fittings :
    Small unstable objects are displaced or upset. Some glassware and crockery may be broken. Hanging pictures knock against the wall. Open doors may swing. Cupboard doors secured by magnetic catches may open. Pendulum clocks stop, start, or change rate.
    Structures :
    Some large display windows cracked. A few earthenware toilet fixtures cracked.
    MMI VI (Strong shaking) ?
    People Felt by all. People and animals alarmed. Many run outside. Difficulty experienced in walking steadily.
    Fittings :
    Objects fall from shelves. Pictures fall from walls. Some furniture moved on smooth floors, some unsecured free-standing fireplaces moved. Glassware and crockery broken. Very unstable furniture overturned. Small church and school bells ring. Appliances move on bench or table tops. Filing cabinets or "easy glide" drawers may open (or shut).
    Structures :
    Slight damage to buildings with low standard. Some stucco or cement plaster falls. Large display windows broken. Damage to a few weak domestic chimneys, some may fall.
    Environment :
    Trees and bushes shake, or are heard to rustle. Loose material may be dislodged from sloping ground, e.g. existing slides, talus slopes, shingle slides.
    MMI VII (Very strong shaking) ?
    People
    General alarm. Difficulty experienced in standing. Noticed by motorcar drivers who may stop.
    Fittings :
    Large bells ring. Furniture moves on smooth floors, may move on carpeted floors. Substantial damage to fragile contents of buildings.
    Structures :
    Unreinforced stone and brick walls cracked. Low standard buildings cracked with some minor masonry falls. A few instances of damage to buildings of ordinary workmanship. Unbraced parapets, unbraced brick gables, and architectural ornaments fall. Roofing tiles, especially ridge tiles may be dislodged. Many unreinforced domestic chimneys damaged, often falling from roof-line. Water tanks Type I burst. A few instances of damage to brick veneers and plaster or cement-based linings. Unrestrained water cylinders (hot-water cylinders) may move and leak. Some common windows cracked. Suspended ceilings damaged.
    Environment :
    Water made turbid by stirred up mud. Small slides such as falls of sand and gravel banks, and small rock-falls from steep slopes and cuttings. Instances of settlement of unconsolidated or wet, or weak soils. Some fine cracks appear in sloping ground. A few instances of liquefaction (i.e. small water and sand ejections).
    MMI VIII (Severe shaking) ?
    People Alarm may approach panic. Steering of motorcars greatly affected. Structures : Low standard buildings heavily damaged, some collapse. ordinary workmanship buildings damaged, some with partial collapse. Reinforced masonry or concrete buildings damaged in some cases. A few instances of damage to buildings and bridges designed and built to resist earthquakes. Monuments and pre-1976 elevated tanks and factory stacks twisted or brought down. Some pre-1965 infill masonry panels damaged. A few post-1980 brick veneers damaged. Decayed timber piles of houses damaged. Houses not secured to foundations may move. Most unreinforced domestic chimneys damaged, some below roof-line, many brought down. Environment : Cracks appear on steep slopes and in wet ground. Small to moderate slides in roadside cuttings and unsupported excavations. Small water and sand ejections and localized lateral spreading adjacent to streams, canals, lakes, etc.
    MMI IX (Violent shaking) ?
    Structures Many low standard buildings destroyed. Ordinary workmanship buildings heavily damaged, some collapse. Reinforced masonry or concrete buildings damaged, some with partial collapse. Buildings and bridges designed and built to resist earthquakes damaged in some cases, some with flexible frames seriously damaged. Damage or permanent distortion to some buildings and bridges, designed and built to normal use standards. Houses not secured to foundations shifted off. Brick veneers fall and expose frames. Environment : Cracking of ground conspicuous. Landsliding general on steep slopes. Liquefaction effects intensified and more widespread, with large lateral spreading and flow sliding adjacent to streams, canals, lakes, etc.
    Tell us your experience and how many seconds the shaking lasted + let us know if your property has been damaged (even slight damage). (max. 500 characters)
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    Filed Under: 2016, articles with additional comments, CatDat RED, Damaging earthquakes, Dangerous earthquakes, earthquakes, Earthquakes with injured people, M +8 quakes, Tsunamis