Saturday, December 29, 2007

Earthquake shakes NZ island

Wellington - A strong earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale rattled thousands of mid-summer holidaymakers at the New Zealand North Island lakeside resort town of Taupo on Saturday morning.Seismologists at GNS Science said the quake was centred 20km from Taupo and 250km south-east of Auckland.Recorded at a depth of 80km below the surface, it was widely felt in the North Island.There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.The shake followed a 5.5 tremor in the same region on Thursday and a massive quake measuring 6.8 on December 20 which did considerable damage in the east coast port town of Gisborne.

As in the days of Noah....

Friday, December 21, 2007

4 quakes hit Alaska's Aleutian Islands

ANCHORAGE, Alaska-Two significant earthquakes that shook Alaska's remote Aleutian Islands were followed Friday morning by two smaller quakes, but there were no reports of any damage or injuries.The temblors were probably aftershocks of a magnitude-7.2 quake that hit the seismically active but sparsely populated island chain Tuesday along a dynamic fault line, said geophysicist Guy Urban of the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer.
"Maybe things are still moving around out there," he said. "The area is still settling."The magnitude-5.9 and 6.1 quakes struck about one minute apart starting at 9:23 p.m. Thursday. They were centered about 100 miles west of Adak in the island chain, according to a preliminary report by the U.S. Geological Survey."There were two tonight and that was very unusual," said geophysicist Paul Huang of the tsunami warning center. "We're going to study this a little more closely." No tsunami warning was expected, he and Urban said.Magnitude 4.8 and 4.6 quakes struck 14 minutes apart Friday, beginning at 6:03 a.m., Urban said. He said there have been no reports that any of the quakes this week were felt.The Aleutian Islands are a chain of more than 300 islands that extend southwestward from mainland Alaska into the northern Pacific Ocean.The earth's most active seismic feature, the circum-Pacific seismic belt, brushes Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, where more earthquakes occur than in the other 49 states combined.
On the Net:
West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center: http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ALASKA_QUAKE?SITE=CODER&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
As in the days of Noah....

Thursday, December 20, 2007

NZ town of Gisborne rocked by major earthquake

AFTER-shocks continue to shake the Gisborne area on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake flattened buildings in the centre of the town last night.An apartment block and two shops collapsed, several roofs caved in, winery vats burst and gaping holes opened in roads. A state of emergency was declared this morning as another tremor, registering 4.5 on the Richter scale, struck. Geological and Nuclear Sciences duty seismologist Warwick Smith said the after-shocks were expected to last for some time, although most would be “minor”.“It’s hard to say exactly how long they’ll go on for, but we’ll be recording them for weeks,” he told the New Zealand Press Association.“Most will be small, and especially as it’s off-shore, most won’t be felt.” He said the quake was felt as far away as Dunedin, at the bottom of the South Island, and that no tsunami had occurred.
Cleaning up
The clean-up continued at Gisborne Hospital after water tanks on the roof overflowed, causing flooding and minor damage. Lighting was also lost for about 30 minutes. Eleven people were treated for minor injuries. Tairawhiti District Health Board chief executive Jim Green said it was a “very frightening experience, because of the magnitude of the quake and the fact that you’re in a multi-storey building, so it did shake a lot”. “Immediately nurses did a really good job in helping to calm patients and check that nobody had been injured, which was the case. “There was concern from patients about the fact that there may be after-shocks, that the building may have been damaged but we were able to very quickly ascertain that the building was safe.”New Zealand scientists record around 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which around 20 are greater than 5.0 on the Richter scale.The last fatal earthquake in the geologically active country, caught between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates, was in 1968 when a quake measuring 7.1 killed three people on the South Island’s west coast.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22958178-2,00.html

As in the days of Noah....

Aftermath of New Zealand Quake

Raw video: Aftermath of New Zealand quake AP
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New Zealand rocked by huge quake

Buildings collapsed, power lines were knocked out and gas pipes ruptured when a powerful earthquake hit the northeastern coast of New Zealand late Thursday.Media reports in New Zealand, citing the government, listed the quake-reportedly felt as far south as the city of Christchurch-at 6.8 magnitude. The U.S. Geological Survey put it at 6.6.There were no reports of serious injury or death from the quake near the coastal city of Gisborne. But local resident Phil Robinson, who recently moved to New Zealand from the United Kingdom, told Television New Zealand that the quake had caused serious damage to the city."Everything was bedlam for about 15 or 20 seconds," Robinson said."We gather several properties in town have been damaged. It's had a serious effect on lots of people in the city."Robinson said communications were "patchy" and it was difficult to make telephone calls on both landlines and cell phones.A spokesman for the Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management confirmed to The Associated Press that three buildings in Gisborne had collapsed."As far as we are aware, there are no injuries in those buildings,"Vince Cholewa said."Most of the damage is utilities-gas, water and electricity."
Television New Zealand said there were no reported injuries and that despite suffering minor damage, Gisborne hospital was operating normally. The network reported eye witnesses saying the city of Gisborne was covered in glass.Walker Vance, public information manager of Gisborne District Council, said there was no tsunami risk. He said people had attempted to get to higher ground because of tsunami fears but returned to their homes as they realized the threat had passed.When asked how the quake had felt, he said it was "probably a series of three quick jolts, followed by a lull of a few seconds, followed by another two jolts."

As in the days of Noah....

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Magnitude 7.3 quake jolts Aleutian Islands

TOKYO-An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 jolted Alaska's Aleutian Islands in the northern Pacific on Wednesday, Japan's weather agency said, triggering a tsunami advisory for Hawaii.There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it had issued a tsunami advisory for the state of Hawaii.The quake, with its focus about 25 miles below the seabed, occurred at 0430 EST, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.The U.S. Geological Survey, which put the magnitude at 7.2, said it was 1,200 miles west-southwest of Anchorage.

As in the days of Noah.....

Monday, December 17, 2007

Experts warn major Israel quakes fast approaching

As if political instability and rampant insecurity in the Middle East are not worrying enough, Israeli experts are warning that a major earthquake could strike the region at any time.
Three minor quakes over the past month have served as a reminder that Israel and the West Bank sit atop one of the most sensitive fault lines in the world, where earthquakes have a history of causing havoc."We can say with certainty that an earthquake of a magnitude of six on the Richter scale could take place in the coming years," said Yefim Gitterman from the seismology department at the geophysical institute of Lod, near Tel Aviv."It can happen tomorrow or in years to come," he said. "Statistically, there is a major quake every 80 years."Under that assessment, Israel and the Palestinian territories should brace for a major earthquake soon, as the last one happened 80 years ago, on July 11, 1927, in British mandate Palestine when 300 people were killed in Jerusalem and Jericho.A similar quake measuring seven on the Richter scale and with an epicentre in the Hula Valley, today in northern Israel up from the Sea of Galilee, devastated the town of Safed and killed some 4,000 people in 1837."Stronger earthquakes of a magnitude of seven are statistically less common," Gitterman said. But that could be bad enough.The Lod institute estimates that if a magnitude seven earthquake strikes the northern Jordan Valley or the Dead Sea, between 8,200 and 9,500 people could be killed, more than 20,000 injured and more than 20,000 left homeless.Running north to south, the Hula Valley, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, the Arava Desert and the Red Sea lie on what is known as the Syrian-African fault line.Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who saw Jerusalem fall to the invading Romans in 70 AD, also wrote that around 30,000 people perished in an earthquake whose epicentre was in the region of the Dead Sea in 31 BC. The Lod institute, part of the infrastructure ministry, is on standby day and night to brief the Israeli authorities on the epicentre and magnitude of a powerful tremor within 10 minutes in order to mobilise an emergency response.The Israeli home front command publishes extensive advice on how to behave in the event of an earthquake on its multi-language website, urging families to prepare emergency supplies to survive for 24 to 72 hours until help arrives.All new homes built in Israel are equipped with bomb shelters, and the civil defence advises that those without should crouch inside a doorway or under a heavy table in the event of an earthquake, and avoid using lifts.
The website advises people to carry out drills at least twice a year to make a response in an actual event automatic.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=071217130844.3w52g9f2&show_article=1
As in the days of Noah....

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Powerful quake rattles Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia-A strong earthquake shook eastern Indonesia on Saturday, sending panicked residents running out of their homes.The tremor struck with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 at a depth of about 60 miles in Maluku province, about 1,700 miles east of the capital, Jakarta, according to the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency. The U.S. Geological Survey put the quake at a magnitude 6.3.There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries and no tsunami alert was issued, said Suharjono, an agency spokesman who like many Indonesians goes by a single name."The TV, chairs, everything in my house fell down, I saw utility poles shaking," Gulman, a resident of Saumlaki town on the island of Tanimbar, told El-shinta radio.Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago with 17,500 islands, is prone to seismic upheavals because of its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/15/indonesia.quake.ap/index.html
As in the days of Noah....

Friday, December 7, 2007

Quake near climate summit

Jakarta - A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's Bali on Friday, officials said, and it was strongly felt at a UN climate conference in the resort island.The earthquake, which hit at 17:45 (10:35 GMT), struck 261km southwest of the Bali resort of Nusa Dua, where delegates are meeting to craft a strategy to combat climate change, Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said in a statement.There was no threat of a tsunami, and the quake struck at a depth of 10km, the agency said. An AFP correspondent on Bali said the quake could be strongly felt at the climate conference.The Indonesian archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet and cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity.Indonesia was the nation worst hit by the earthquake-triggered Asian tsunami in December 2004, which killed some 168 000 people in the country's Aceh province.

As in the days of Noah...

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

HAWAII

ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
Preliminary Earthquake Report
Magnitude:3.9 Mcd
Date-Time:30 Nov 2007 04:37:25 UTC
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Earthquakes in HAWAII

Earthquakes in Hawai`i are closely linked to volcanism. They are an important part of the island-building processes that have shaped the Island of Hawai`i and the other Hawaiian Islands. Thousands of earthquakes occur every year beneath the Island of Hawai`i. Eruptions and magma movement within the presently active volcanoes (Kilauea, Mauna Loa and Lo`ihi) are usually accompanied by numerous small earthquakes. They originate in regions of magma storage or along the paths that magma follows as it rises and moves prior to eruption. These are loosely termed volcanic earthquakes.Many other earthquakes, including the largest ones, occur in areas of structural weakness at the base of Hawai`i's volcanoes or deep within the Earth's crust beneath the island. These are referred to as tectonic earthquakes. In the past 150 years, several strong tectonic earthquakes (magnitude 6 to 8) caused extensive damage to roads, buildings, and homes, triggered local tsunami, and resulted in loss of life. The most destructive earthquake in Hawai`i's history occurred on April 2, 1868, when 81 people lost their lives. With a magnitude of 7.9 and a maximum intensity of XII, this destructive earthquake destroyed more than a hundred homes and generated a 15-m high tsunami along Kilauea's south coast.Along with other signs of volcanic activity, we monitor earthquakes and seismic activity on Hawai`i continuously and in real-time to provide warnings of impending eruption and to assess seismic hazards in the State of Hawai`i.

As in the days of Noah....

MEXICO QUAKES:Last week....

CHIAPAS, MEXICO
Magnitude:5.8 Mb
Date-Time:26 Nov 2007 17:41:43 UTC

MICHOACAN, MEXICO
Magnitude:5.8 Mw
Date-Time:26 Nov 2007 21:56:13 UTC

BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

Magnitude:3.5 Ml
Date-Time:27 Nov 2007 19:03:45 UTC

BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
Magnitude:3.9 Ml
Date-Time:28 Nov 2007 22:49:36 UTC

As in the days of Noah....

TAIWAN REGION

Preliminary Earthquake Report
Magnitude:4.9 Mb
Date-Time:5 Dec 2007 01:41:45 UTC
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DECEMBER 4th Daily Quakes....

VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA REGION
Magnitude:4.3 Mb
Date-Time:4 Dec 2007 08:21:27 UTC
FLORES REGION, INDONESIA
Magnitude:5.3 Mb
Date-Time:4 Dec 2007 15:48:44 UTC
MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
Magnitude:4.7 Mb
Date-Time:4 Dec 2007 16:09:40 UTC
SOUTHERN PERU
Magnitude:5.3 Mb
Date-Time:4 Dec 2007 19:56:57 UTC
WESTERN TURKEY
Magnitude:4.5 Mb
Date-Time:2 Dec 2007 20:21:52 UTC

As in the days of Noah........

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Mexican Volcano Spews Ash,Steam During Six Eruptions

MEXICO CITY-Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano rumbled to life with six eruptions Friday and Saturday, spewing steam and columns of ash more than a mile into the air.There were reports of ash raining down on parts of Mexico state and in the capital 40 miles to the northwest, the National Disaster Prevention Center said in a statement.There appeared to be no injuries or damages and the eruptions were in line with the 17,886-foot volcano's normal activity, said Teofilo Hernandez, a researcher at the center. Authorities said people in the surrounding areas should clean ash from their cars and homes immediately and cover their mouths to avoid inhaling it.Referred to affectionately as "Popo," the volcano has been erupting intermittently since December 1994.

As in the days of Noah....

Yet another earthquake shakes Israel

A mild earthquake was felt throughout central Israel on Sunday morning, the fourth tremor to hit the region in the last two weeks.The Geophysical Institute of Israel reported that the latest earthquake had registered at 4.0 on the Richter scale, and that its epicenter was the Dead Sea.Last Saturday, a 4.1 earthquake originating in Israel's central coastal plain strongly shook the country.Earlier that week, two mild earthquakes again centered on the Dead Sea struck the region.Israeli experts have been warning of a large-scale earthquake for years, and of the widespread damage it is expected to cause due to a general failure to comply with safety building regulations.

As in the days of Noah...