29 Dec 2020
A powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Croatia on Tuesday, USGS reported, tearing down buildings in the central town of Petrinja.
The tremor, which struck at a depth of 10km at around 11.30am Irish time, was also felt strongly some 50km north of the epicentre in Zagreb, where panicked residents raced onto the streets, according to an AFP reporter. "We are pulling people from cars, we don't know if we have dead or injured," the mayor of Petrinja Darinko Dumbovic told regional broadcaster N1.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck off the coast of south-central Chile on Sunday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said, but Chilean officials immediately discarded the risk of a tsunami. There were no initial reports of damage immediately following the quake. The strong tremor took place at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), EMSC said, and about 163 km (100 miles) west-northwest of Valdivia in the Pacific Ocean.
Dec 22 2020
Unusual seismic activity in the Antarctic Peninsula Bransfield Strait Seismicity Report in November 2020 reported by the University of Chile causes concern among experts after more than 30,000 have been registered in the Bransfield Strait since August 2020. The Antarctic is characteristically seismically stable, until recently.Other problems are beginning to occur in what is considered the worlds most pristine areas.
Also in November, a giant iceberg the size of the U.S. state of Delaware was reported to be floating toward the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, raising fears it could indirectly endanger young wildlife.
Dec 9 2020
Darwin residents have been left shaken after a powerful earthquake hit eastern Indonesia and sent tremors across the Top End. The 6.9-magnitude quake struck in the Banda Sea at around 11.30pm on Wednesday night at a depth of 117km, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. The earthquake was not capable of generating a tsunami affecting the Indian Ocean region or Australia. However, it was powerful enough to be felt 620km away - with Australians reporting tremors rattling buildings and homes in the Northern Territory.
'The bed shaking woke me up! Can't tell if it was a dream or an earthquake in Darwin. Anyone else feels it? King of freaking me out a bit,' one woman tweeted.
1 Dec 2020
Two very late major quakes rattled Russia and Chile last night bringing the total of major quakes, (magnitude 6 or higher) to 9 in November and all 9 were in the magnitude 6.0-6.4 category. As we move into the last month of 2020 a total of 113 major quakes, (magnitude 6 or higher) have been recorded so far this year. At the same date last year a total of 132 major quakes had been recorded. 2018, 121, 2017, 101 and 2016, 127. so, 2020 has been a quiet year for major quakes.
Last nights magnitude 6.4 on the Russian border north of Japan was the biggest recorded quake of November 2020. A magnitude 6.3 rocked Chile along their Argentinian border less than 30 minutes later.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale hit the island of Samos on Friday around the noon hour, leading residents to run into the streets and triggering fears of a tsunami. Lasting for a prolonged time, the temblor was very shallow at a depth of only 2 kilometres (1.24 miles) and was felt just before noon all around the nation of Greece. The epicentre of the earthquake, which jolted the entire nation, was on the island of Samos, just off the Turkish coast.
However, the temblor was felt all the way west to the region of Attica and also on Rhodes, Syros, Crete and in other parts of the country. The coastal city of Smyrna, on the Turkish coast, suffered a great deal of damage, according to early reports. On Samos, some buildings were damaged, including a church. Authorities on Samos are now assessing the situation.
A massive magnitude 7.5 quake has rocked South Alaska. The reasonably shallow quake struck early this morning and a swarm of large aftershocks have followed. There are no reports of damage. According to the Anchorage Daily News, the magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit off the Alaska Peninsula coast Monday afternoon and triggered a tsunami warning for communities along hundreds of miles of coastline.
The warning was cancelled after about three hours, but communities had evacuated to higher ground during the chaos. Monday’s earthquake was an aftershock of the magnitude 7.8 quake that struck the same area in July, said State Seismologist Michael West.
Please click on the chart to enlarge. The chart is free to use please credit The Big Wobble, thank you.
The chart above is composed by Gary Walton with data drawn from the United States Geological Survey, (USGS) going back from 2019 to 1900. We have long known that major quakes (mag 6 or higher) have been increasing for a very long time, however, when the raw data is broken down and applied to a graph we can better annalise what is really happening.
We can clearly see from 1900 the world recorded an average of around 9 major quakes per year until 1918, the year the first world war ended when the world suddenly saw a tremendous increase in major quakes as 41 were recorded.
We have had an incredibly seismic few hours with three major quakes, (mag 6+) happening across the globe and a rather busy beginning to September as well. A magnitude 6.6 rocked the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with a powerful, shallow quake just 10 km deep.
Earlier, a magnitude 6.2 struck NW of Port Villa, Vanuatu with another powerful and very shallow quake at just 8 km deep. Another powerful and shallow quake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale hit NW of Ovalle Chile. A mag 6.8 rocked the same area earlier in the week along with a 6.5 and two 6.3's.
The Pacific Ring Of Fire continues to shake. A powerful M 6.9 - 220 km SSE of Katabu, Indonesia is the 4th major quakes (magnitude 6 or higher) to hit the Pacific Ring Of Fire in the last 4 days. The 650km deep quake which occurred in the Flores Sea is not thought to have caused a tsunami and there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Today quake is the 9th major quake (magnitude 6 or higher) of August 2020 and brings the total to 78 major quakes this year to date. At the same date in 2019, 95 major quakes had been recorded and in 2018, 63 major quakes had been reported.
The Pacific Ring Of Fire continues to shake. Two more major quakes (Mag 6 or higher) have rattled Indonesia this morning. A magnitude 6.9 aftershock rocked Southern Sumatra just minutes after a magnitude 6.8 shook the same area. Both of the powerful quakes were extremely shallow at 10 km.
No tsunami warning has been issued and there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Indonesia’s meteorology, climatology and geophysical agency said the quake was felt in cities in the area including Bengkulu, which was the nearest to the epicentre, and Padang.
On Boxing Day in 2004, a magnitude 9.5 quake off the coast of Sumatra triggered a massive tsunami that killed around 226,000 people along the shorelines of the Indian Ocean, including more than 126,000 in Indonesia.
There are no reports of damage at this moment although it is an interesting area, the major quake occurred just south of developing tropical storm Sinlaku on the Eastcoast of Vietnam and tropical depression Hagupit, East of Taiwan. Low-pressure systems are thought to influence seismic activity.
A couple of hours later a magnitude 6.0 struck, 198 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea.
Last nights brace is the first two major quakes of August 2020 and brings the total to 71 this year so far.
Hi, Gary,
I am on the phone with Bill. They just had an earthquake of 7.8 mag. just a few minutes ago. Even though it’s about 672 miles from Bill’s, his cabin shook including the hanging oil lamps in the house, the spice basket that hands from the ceiling in the kitchen and his stained glass crucifix that hangs in a window...
A powerful magnitude 7.0 quake, reduced to a magnitude 6.9 by USGS rocked the Western coast of Papua New Guinea last night. A tsunami warning was briefly issued, however, The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center quickly withdrew the warning. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the quake, which was initially recorded at 7.3.
Last nights earthquake is only the 3rd major quake, (magnitude 6 or higher) of July and is the strongest this month. So far, 60 major quakes have been recorded in 2020. At the same stage last year 87 major quakes had been recorded.
The first two major quakes (mag 6 or higher) of July occurred last night, a powerful magnitude 6.6 struck Indonesia and a magnitude 6.2 struck Micronesia: Brings total for the year to 59
A minor stream of solar wind was buffeting Earth's magnetic field yesterday, stirring geomagnetic unrest around the poles. The gaseous material is flowing from a northern coronal hole in the sun's atmosphere. Some scientists believe solar activity around the Earth's magnetosphere can produce seismic and volcanic activity here on our planet.
Seismic signs and wonders: A magnitude 6.4 earthquake rocks China just 30km from its Indian border, days after an astonishing fistfight between troops: Is a phenomenon known as a "pulsation continuous" the cause of the recent quake uptick?
The fistfight erupted ten days ago on a narrow Himalayan ridge border area between Indian and Chinese soldiers which ended in the deaths of 50 Chinese and 20 Indian soldiers. The two countries have blamed each other for the conflict of course. TBW
Yesterday's major quake (mag 6 or higher) is the second major quake to hit the world since June the 23rd, however, our government-run agencies have a way of cooking the books, the last week has been a week with very much seismic action.
A very powerful, shallow 7.4 earthquake has struck off the east coast of New Zealand - and widely felt by thousands. The earthquake, 710km northeast of Gisborne and 33km deep, was listed as "weak' by GeoNet NZ but was felt across much of the east coast including Hawke's Bay this morning. More than 8900 people - including residents in Napier, Hastings, Gisborne, Bay of Plenty and Wellington - registered as feeling the quake at 12.50am. Hawke's Bay Civil Defence emergency management group issued an advisory shortly after to say there was no tsunami threat from the shake.
International media had initially reported a tsunami alert had been issued as part of the UNESCO/IOC Pacific Tsunami warning and mitigation system which said: "Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300km of the epicentre." However, the alert was quickly downgraded according to the New Zealand Herald.
This morning at 08:46:07 UTC a magnitude, 6.1 struck the west coast of Mexico, 173km ESE of San Jose del Cabo. The powerful quake was a shallow quake, (they are the most dangerous) at a depth of 10 kilometres according to USGS. There are no reports of a tsunami and there is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
This mornings quake is the 6th major quake, (Mag 6 or higher) of May and the 44th of 2020 which is 10 less than the same period in 2019 and 1 more than the same period in 2018.
The temblor is the 5th major quake of May and the 43rd of 2020 which is slightly below average this century.
Yesterday's quake was the second major quake of May after a magnitude 6.6 struck Greece earlier this week. The number of major quakes so far in 2020 is 40, which is 8 less than in 2019 at this point and the same number as in 2018.
An accident waiting to happen
There have been 10 major quakes off the coast of Fukushima since the disaster of March 2011, the biggest being a magnitude 7.1 in April 2011.
More than 2 million live in the region that could feel the Idaho quake, according to the USGS, with reports of shaking coming in from as far away as Helena, Montana, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Marcus Smith, an emergency room health unit coordinator at St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center, said the hospital, about 65 miles (104 kilometres) south of the epicentre, shook but the quake didn’t interfere with the treatment of any patients.
Yesterday, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Philippines: The powerful quake struck 196 kilometres southeast of Budta, Philippines, according to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
However, the biggest quake of the month a massive magnitude of 7.5 rattled the Severo-Kuril'sk, area of Russia on Wednesday. A tsunami warning was also issued following the shallow quake.
Around 200 BC and 600 AD, there was Roman warming. Around AD 440 and 900, Dark Ages cooling. Around 900 to 1300, we had Medieval warming. Followed by "The Little Ice-Age," 1300 to 1850, phases 1 and 2. Around 1850 to present is the modern warming.
Unusually high volcanic activity in the first month of 2020: Above average quake activity too although nothing spectacular 15 major quakes compared to 12 in Jan 2019
Last night a massive mag 7.7 and a mag 6.1 were very near misses for Jamaica, Cuba and The Cayman Islands (The same fault line which has rocked Puerto Rico with more than 4,000 quakes since January last year)
Today's quake is the 15th major quake in a very busy January 2020
Buildings shook and tremors were felt across the Caribbean, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Some offices were temporarily evacuated in Miami and parts of Jamaica. Warnings by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) were later withdrawn.
A mag 6.3 has rocked the Solomon Islands this morning, according to USGS. The powerful shallow quake struck 5-o-clock this morning (UTC) at a depth of 18 km (shallow quakes are more powerful than deep quakes). USGS has issued a "Green" alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage. Today's quake is the 12th major quake (magnitude 6 or higher) of January 2020.
A magnitude 6.1 - 57 km, West of the Amatignak Island, Alaska is the second major quake, (magnitude 6 or higher) to rock the area this week along with nearly 200 aftershocks, according to USGS.
Today's quake is the 11th major quake of January 2020.
Structure Information Summary
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are unreinforced brick masonry and reinforced masonry construction.
This quake could be significant, no fewer than four major tectonic plates (Arabia, Eurasia, India, and Africa) and one smaller tectonic block (Anatolia) are responsible for seismicity and tectonics in the Middle East and the surrounding region. Geologic development of the region is a consequence of a number of first-order plate tectonic processes that include subduction, large-scale transform faulting, compressional mountain building and crustal extension.
A magnitude 6.1 - 26km SSE of Bristol Island, South Sandwich Islands, in the South Atlantic Ocean is the 7th major quake of January and 2020 and it's the third major quake to strike in the last 36 hours after two a magnitude 6.0 and a magnitude 6.1 struck Indonesia yesterday, according to USGS. No tsunami warning has been issued. USGS has issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
The 6th major quake of 2020 rocks Indonesia and it's the second major quake to strike there in 24 hours after a shallow, magnitude 6.0 Earthquake - near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia hit yesterday.
According to USGS, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist.
A magnitude 6.0 Earthquake - near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia is the 5th major quake, (mag 6 or higher) in January 2020, according to USGS. The quake was relatively shallow but there is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are unreinforced brick with concrete floor and precast concrete frame with wall construction. No tsunami warning was recorded.
Some in Puerto Rico are beginning to fear the ground will never stop shaking. The island has been pummeled by hundreds of earthquakes in recent weeks, including Saturday’s 5.9 magnitude temblor, where there were reports of landslides in the town of Peñuelas along the southern coast, rattling residents already on edge from last Tuesday’s massive 6.4 magnitude quake. That was the largest to strike the island in more than a century causing hundreds of structures to crumble, forcing thousands from their homes and leaving millions without power.
The swarm is in the area where a devastating magnitude 7.0 struck Haiti in 2010 killing more than 150,000 people along with the total destruction of 250,000 buildings and 30,000 commercial buildings. The nation's history of the national debt, prejudicial trade policies by other countries, and foreign intervention into national affairs contributed to the existing poverty and poor housing conditions that increased the death toll after the disaster.
Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard on Tuesday after a series of earthquakes including one of magnitude 6.4 that was the most powerful to strike the Caribbean island in 102 years. A very powerful shallow (shallow quakes are the most powerful) mag 6.6 reduced to a mag 6.5 by USGS has rocked Puerto Rico after a swarm of smaller quakes struck earlier today and yesterday along with a powerful magnitude 5.8 and just hours after a powerful shallow magnitude 6.2 struck Indonesia’s province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra.
Extreme Weather
Indonesia is suffering flooding, among the deadliest in years, causing chaos in parts of Southeast Asia’s biggest city and capital Jakarta. A humanitarian disaster is developing in Indonesia as the death toll from torrential rain rises to 60 with almost 200,000 people taking refuge in shelters. Full story This morning they suffered the first major quake of 2020 and the new decade.
2019 delivered 143 major quakes, (mag 6 or higher) which is slightly below this century's average annual total of 156, the biggest quake of the year being a magnitude 8.0 Peru in May.
Broken down January 2019 delivered 12 major quakes, February: 6, March: 12, April: 16, May: 13, June: 18, July: 14, August: 9, September: 10, October: 6, November: 17 and December: 11.
The highest number of major quakes recorded in a one year period was 2011 with 208, this was the year of the mag 9.1 Japanese quake when a total of 68 aftershocks of mag 6 or higher rattled the country.
