Tag: tsunami

A mega-tsunami in the Pacific north-west? It could be worse than predicted, new study says

Strange Sounds – June 9, 2022

Scientists have discovered the size of the ‘outer wedge’ of a faultline can magnify a rupture’s impact. That’s a worrying news for the people living along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a fault running from Vancouver Island to northern California…

Scientists have long predicted a giant 9.0-magnitude earthquake that reverberates out from the Pacific north-west’s Cascadia fault and quickly triggers colossal waves barreling to shore.

But what if these predictions were missing an important piece of information – one that, in certain scenarios, could tell an even more extreme story?

A new study, published last month in the peer-reviewed journal Earth-Science Reviews, points toward such a missing piece. Researchers revealed a previously unknown relationship between the severity of a tsunami triggered by an earthquake and something known as “the outer wedge”, the area between the main earthquake fault and the seafloor.

Sylvain Barbot, a co-author of the study, described the outer wedge as the “garbage bag of subduction zones”, the place where two tectonic plates crash into each other and can produce an earthquake, because it’s where sediment piles up.

The researchers’ findings suggest that the wider it is, the larger the maximum size of the tsunami will be.

The connection adds a new element to consider when making tsunami predictions, one that the authors suggest could mean heightened worst-case scenario predictions for some faults, including Cascadia.

https://strangesounds.org

Major M7.3 earthquake triggers hazardous tsunami warning, cracks roads and destroys buildings in Indonesia – People run out of homes screaming out loud

Strange Sounds – December 14, 2021

An undersea earthquake of magnitude 7.3 has struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Flores Island, prompting the country’s monitoring agency to issue a tsunami warning which was later called off.

The US Geological Survey said that the quake occurred at a depth of 18.5km under the sea and was located 112km north of the second-largest island town in East Nusa Tenggara province.

The casualties from the undersea earthquake are not immediately clear. However, authorities said several buildings and public properties suffered damage as photos showed roads cracked open by the temblor.

Another photo by local media showed a wall demolished due to the impact of the quake and bricks strewn on the road in South Sulawesi.Almost two hours after the quake, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency agency called off the tsunami warning but asked locals in East Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi to remain vigilant.

Hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000km of the epicentre, the US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had said in the initial warning.

Preliminary visuals from the island nation showed people rushing out of their homes, away from the sea and running towards safe areas.

“Everyone ran out into the street,” according to a resident of Maumere town on Flores island.

https://strangesounds.org

Earthquake warning as US and Canada ‘due for major event’: ‘It’s matter of when’

Joel Day – November 5, 2021

It has been centuries since the contiguous US, the entirety of the states, experienced a “Big One” — an earthquake with a magnitude greater than 9.0. The last on record was an earthquake in 1700 with an estimated magnitude of 9.0. This was along the Cascadia subduction zone where the Juan de Fuca plate is diving underneath the North American plate.

Huge earthquakes happen in this region because the plate that’s going down is usually oceanic crust, which is cold and dense, which means it can break in a sharp and sudden manner.

However, the cold dense crust that’s sinking can break for a much longer time and initially result in the seismic shifts and tremors.

The nature of the zone pairs any earthquake with another destructive event: a tsunami.

The earthquake that hit in 1700 sent a tsunami across the Pacific Ocean as far as Japan.

Researchers are now expecting another event at the Cascadia subduction zone, with the chances of it happening in the coming decades explored during NOVA PBS’ short documentary, ‘The Pacific Northwest is due for a Major Earthquake’.

Wendy Bohon, a geologist and senior science communication specialist at the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, explained the process behind how a tsunami would result from an earthquake, and said: “You have one plate diving down beneath another, one section gets locked and it pushes another part up.

“When the fault ruptures, when the amount of stress overcomes the friction, it bounces back, which lifts up the water above it and causes that water to flow out in all directions.

“And that water flowing out in all directions in the tsunami.”

Oral histories of the earthquake and tsunami that hit in 1700 suggest many died from the event.

https://www.express.co.uk

Shallow M6.1 earthquake hits Seram Island, Indonesia – tsunami warning issued

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A shallow earthquake registered by the Indonesian BMKG as M6.1 hit Seram Island, Moluccas, Indonesia at 04:43 UTC (11.43 LT) on June 16, 2021. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC and USGS are reporting M5.8 at a depth of 10.6 km (6.6 miles).

The epicenter was located 70.6 km (43.9 miles) ESE of Amahai (population 47 653) and 147 km (91.3 miles) E of Ambon (population 355 596), Maluku, Indonesia.

There are 300 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles).

9 000 people are estimated to have felt moderate shaking and 278 000 light, according to the USGS.

The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) warned of possible aftershocks and tsunami potential, especially to Seram Island. “Please move away from beaches and move to higher ground,” BMKG said.

While the agency initially said there was no tsunami potential, it later said a tsunami wave could potentially be triggered by landslides.

“The results of tsunami modeling with a tectonic earthquake source showed that this earthquake has no tsunami potential, but based on observations of sea level… it showed the sea level rose as high as 0.5 m (1.6 feet),” BMKG said.

Residents along the coast of Tehoru panicked and ran up nearby hills when the sea started rising, but many have since returned home.

Local officials said some buildings sustained damage like cracked walls and windows, but there were no reports of injuries or casualties.

https://watchers.news

Another worrying earthquake swarm hits Lake Tahoe – Scientists concerned about the potential for a tsunami

Strange Sounds – May 28, 2021

At least six earthquakes, including one with a preliminary magnitude of 4.2, shook the Lake Tahoe, Reno and Carson City area early on Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The strongest one struck near the north end of the lake at Dollar Point, Calif., around 8:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time. There were no immediate reports of damage.

It came as Lake Tahoe’s resorts and tourist destinations prepared for a Memorial Day holiday that they hope will help lift the pall of the coronavirus pandemic and as legislators in Nevada’s capital met in early sessions to finish business before heading home for a long weekend.

It was also the latest in a series of quakes that had seismologists watching the Lake Tahoe area closely, concerned that a bigger quake could create a tsunami.

https://strangesounds.org

Powerful quake hits off New Zealand, prompting evacuations

Nick Perry – March 4, 2021

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — One of the biggest earthquakes to hit the South Pacific in modern history forced thousands of people in New Zealand to evacuate and triggered tsunami warnings across the world Friday, but it did not appear to cause injuries or major damage because it struck in remote ocean.

The magnitude 8.1 quake was the largest in a series of tremors that hit the region over several hours, including two earlier quakes that registered magnitude 7.4 and magnitude 7.3.

The earthquakes triggered warning systems and caused traffic jams and some chaos in New Zealand as people scrambled to get to higher ground, but their remoteness meant they did not appear to pose a widespread threat to lives or infrastructure.

The largest quake struck about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the coast of New Zealand. One of the earlier quakes hit much closer to New Zealand and awoke many people as they felt a long, rumbling shaking.

“Hope everyone is ok out there,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wrote on Facebook during the night.

After the largest quake, civil defense authorities in New Zealand told people in some coastal areas to immediately get to higher ground. They said a damaging tsunami was possible, and waves could reach up to 3 meters (10 feet).

Emergency Management Minister Kiri Allan told reporters that people had followed the advisory.

https://abcnews.go.com

Cumbre Vieja is going to erupt shortly: Second earthquake swarm within a month hits beneath the volcano on the Canary Islands prompting fears of a cataclysmic tsunami

Strange Sounds – February 1, 2021

In the last few years, the Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma / Canary Islands was hit by several earthquake swarms. The first major series occurred in October 2017. It was followed by another seismic event in February 2018 and five in 2020, the latest end of December 2020.

Meanwhile, a new seismic unrest has started beneath the volcanic peak since January 31, 2021. The magnitudes of the earthquakes are between 1,2 and 2,5 (MbLg) and their depths range between 10 and 29 km right under the western slope of the Cumbre Vieja volcano.

Although this new seismic swarm poses no danger to residents and visitors to La Palma given the low magnitude and depth of the earthquakes, it clearly shows that something is going on there.

Cumbre Vieja has erupted twice in the last 70 years, first in 1949 and then again in 1971. Taking those 22 years between each eruption as indicator, it means the volcano is about 25 years overdue for its next eruption.

There also have been thousands of tremors recorded near or beneath the Spanish volcano in the past couple of years, suggesting it could blow anytime.

Moreover, we went from 1 seismic crisis in 2017 and 2018 to 5 unsettling swarms in 2020. That’s a dramatic increase in activity!

There are concerns that if Cumbre Vieja blows, the massive slab of rock could smash into the Atlantic Ocean causing a killer tidal wave.

This gigantic tsunami could travel thousands of miles and wash out coastal areas of Britain and even parts of the eastern seaboard of America.

https://strangesounds.org

Sinabung volcano erupts again just hours after twin M6.8 and M6.9 quakes hit off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia – M6.6 earthquake the day before in Malaysia

Strange Sounds – August 20, 2020

A pair of powerful earthquakes has rocked the Indonesian coast on August 19, 2020.

The M6.8 and M6.9 quakes shook the island of Sumatra maybe triggering the latest eruption of Sinabung volcano just hours later.

The two quakes struck off Sumatra’s western coast on Wednesday morning, with an estimated depth of 22km (13 miles) and 26km (16 miles) respectively. The first tremor impacted an area some 144km (89 miles) away from Bengkulu, while the second came closer to the city at 130km (80 miles).

There are no reports of injuries as of yet, however local media said the quakes shook the homes of island residents “as if a truck had passed” and did “minor damage,” particularly to buildings with “poor construction.”

Though the jolts were strong and shallow, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) reported that there was “no tsunami potential” in the quakes’ aftermath.

In addition to being prone to quakes, Indonesia also features some of the most active volcanoes in the Ring – including Krakatoa, whose infamous 1883 eruption became one of the most deadly volcanic blasts in recorded history.

But a few hours after the two big jolts, the Sinabung volcano started erupting again – and not the Krakatoa.

A day before, a M6.6 earthquake hit the Philippines on Tuesday, killing at least one person and damaging roads and buildings.

It was the strongest earthquake in eight months in the Philippines, which, like Indonesia, lies on the “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active belt of volcanoes circling the Pacific Ocean.

https://strangesounds.org

Powerful Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Strikes Off Coast Of New Zealand

ETH – June 18, 2020

(ETH) – A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake has struck off the coast of New Zealand with a depth of about 2o miles according to a report.  An alert was released from the UNESCO/IOC Pacific Tsunami warning and mitigation system stated: “Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300km of the epicenter.” More information will come as we receive it.

https://endtimeheadlines.org