Tsunami warning lifted for Japan coast (M6.9 quake hits NE Japan)

The Japan Meteorological Agency said on Tuesday a tsunami warning has been lifted for the country's northeast coast.

The agency had issued the warning earlier after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off northeastern Japan. 
[jpost.com by Reuters]
17/2/15
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• A 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit off northeastern Japan on Tuesday, triggering a 1-meter tsunami warning for Iwate Prefecture, Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

The quake, which occurred at 8:06 a.m. local time (2306 GMT Monday), was centered 210 km in the Pacific Ocean east of Miyagi Prefecture, with a depth of around 10 km. It registered 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in parts of Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Akita prefectures.

The JMA has issued an advisory against a 1-meter tsunami for Iwate Prefecture in northeastern Japan.

According to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Iwate's Miyako port and Kuji port have observed a tidal wave of about 10 cm respectively. The JMA is closely monitoring bigger tsunamis which may hit northeastern coastal areas later.

No death or injuries were reported immediately after the quake.
china.org.cn - Xinhua
17/2/15
------------------

• Earthquake Magnitude    Mw 6.9

Region    NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Date time    2015-02-16 23:06:28.9 UTC
Location    40.03 N ; 142.72 E
Depth    10 km
Distances:   

•  252 km NE of Sendai-shi, Japan / pop: 1,037,562 / local time: 08:06:28.9 2015-02-17

• 139 km E of Morioka-shi, Japan / pop: 295,172 / local time: 08:06:28.9 2015-02-17

• 79 km NE of Miyako, Japan / pop: 51,721 / local time: 08:06:28.9 2015-02-17 

 emsc-csem.org
17/2/15
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Eco Feggos and Ydrofasm Global News (February 2015 - a)

 -

Japan on Saturday (Jan 17) marked the 20th anniversary of the Kobe earthquake that killed more than 6,400 people with renewed calls for the quake-prone nation to stay vigilant against the next 'Big One'.

More than 14,000 people gathered to commemorate the victims in the western port city of Kobe, where a 7.2-magnitude quake hit at 5.46am on Jan 17, 1995. The quake, which killed 6,434 people, levelled much of the city and sparked a major review of quake preparedness in the island-nation that suffers about one fifth of the world's most powerful tremors.................... Japan marks 20th anniversary of killer quake in Kobe

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January 2015 b
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January 2015 a

Japan marks 20th anniversary of killer quake in Kobe

Japan on Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the Kobe earthquake that killed more than 6,400 people with renewed calls for the quake-prone nation to stay vigilant against the next "Big One."

More than 14,000 people gathered to commemorate the victims in the western port city of Kobe, where a 7.2-magnitude quake hit at 5:46 am on January 17, 1995.
The quake, which killed 6,434 people, levelled much of the city and sparked a major review of quake preparedness in the island-nation that suffers about one fifth of the world's most powerful tremors.

The warning was brought into reality four years ago when a 9.0 magnitude quake struck in March 2011, triggering a huge tsunami that smashed into the country's northeast coast, killing around 18,000 people and creating the world's worst nuclear emergency in a generation.

Kobe survivors and family members of victims gathered before dawn to lay bouquets and light thousands of candles in a park used as an evacuation centre after the 1995 jolt.

Later in the day, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended a memorial ceremony in the city and offered a one-minute prayer with some 500 other participants.

"By learning lessons from the disaster we will do our best to build a community

where we can live in safety," Eriko Yamatani, state minister for disaster management, told the ceremony.

The quake buried residents in flattened buildings and uprooted highway overpasses and train tracks, while fires raged through collapsed timber houses and acrid smoke darkened the sky.

Heavy damage to the harbour area, where nearly all of the 300 shipping berths were destroyed, dealt a severe blow to the city's economy, sparking a population exodus over the following months and years.

Japanese broadcasters and newspapers reminded citizens of the high probability of another big quake, with geologists saying a major event is overdue.

"We want to speed up preparations for building a strong country against disasters," the Asahi Shimbun said in an editorial.

"We cannot eliminate damage completely, but we can start making efforts any day now to reduce damage," the daily said.

AFP

http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/120502.aspx

17/1/15

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• Japan marks 20th anniversary of killer quake in Kobe...

Asia Marks 10th Anniversary of Tsunami

Beach side memorials, moments of silence, and religious services are planned across Asia on Friday to mark the 10th anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed at least 220,000 people in 2004.

The gigantic wave stuck a dozen countries around the Indian Ocean rim. It destroyed entire coastal communities, wiped out families and crashed over tourist-filled beaches the morning after Christmas.
The disaster was triggered by a 9.1-magnitude earthquake, the region's most powerful in 40 years, that sent waves roaring across the Indian Ocean at jetliner speeds as far away as East Africa. It was so powerful that it caused the Earth’s axis to wobble a few centimeters.

The tsunami led separatist rebels in Indonesia's Aceh province to lay down their arms in order to rebuild their lives. The three-decade rebellion against Indonesia ended in 2005, after having claimed 15,000 lives.

Indonesia was hardest hit by the tsunami, with more than 160,000 dead. Thousands more were killed in Thailand and Sri Lanka.

[ voanews.com]

26/12/14 

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-

Related:

• Aceh now more aware of its vulnerability to natural disasters...

• Asia marks 10 years since Indian Ocean tsunami...

First of four Fukushima reactors cleared of nuclear fuel (VIDEO aljazeera)

One of four heavily damaged reactor buildings at Japan's tsunami-battered Fukushima nuclear power plant has been cleared of radioactive fuel rods, the operator said on Saturday (Dec 20).
It was a significant step in the decommissioning efforts, but workers still have three heavily crippled reactors to clean up after they were sent into meltdown in the 2011 quake-tsunami disaster. The overall clean-up work of the Fukushima plant is expected to take decades.

A total of 1,535 fuel rod assemblies have been now taken out of the building after Tokyo Electric Power Co's (TEPCO's) year-long operation, a company spokesman said. "Completion of the removal work is a milestone, but the decommission work will continue," plant chief Akira Ono told reporters.

The nuclear fuel was removed from a pool used to store the rods - which were mostly spent - in the reactor number 4 building, which was offline for regular check-ups at the time of the March 2011 disaster. 

The tsunami battered the plant's cooling system and sent reactors number 1 to 3 into meltdown, setting off the worst atomic accident in a generation.

TEPCO will remove fuel rod assemblies from the pools of other damaged buildings before extracting the melted fuel from the reactors.

- AFP/al

 [channelnewsasia.com]

20/12/14

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Related:

• All spent fuel removed from reactor 4 pool at Fukushima No. 1, Tepco says ...

• Earthquake with an intensity of 4 on the Japanese scale of 7 rattled the Hamadori area of eastern Fukushima Prefecture at 6:31 p.m. Saturday, the Meteorological Agency said.....

--
Related:

• Fukushima Water Treatment System Fails Again

• Effectiveness of Fukushima Ice Wall Unclear to Experts

• TEPCO finds water leak area in crippled Fukushima No.1 reactor

----

Related:

• TEPCO moves 22 fuel rods from the 4th unit of NPP “Fukushima-1” to a special pool...

• Fukushima operator to start fuel-rod removal. -Japan's engineers prepare to move uranium and plutonium fuel rods as part of plant's decades-long decommissioning plan.

  ----

Fresh lawsuit filed against planned restart of nuclear reactors in Japan

Nine residents filed for an injunction order on Friday to suspend the planned restart of four nuclear reactors in western Japan, local media reported.

The nine people, who are from Fukui, Kyoto and Osaka prefectures, claimed that there is an "actual and looming risk" of nuclear accidents, and requested the Fukui District Court to call off the planned restart of four reactors at Takahama and Oi nuclear plants.

Takahama and Oi nuclear plants are both located in Fukui Prefecture. Both plants' No. 3 and No. 4 reactors are currently undergoing safety screening of the Nuclear Regulation Authority for resuming operation.

The Fukui District Court ruled in May that the Oi nuclear plant shall not be restarted. But another district court made a contradictory ruling last month, rejecting a demand by citizens seeking suspension of possible resumption of Takahama and Oi plants.

Currently, all nuclear reactors in Japan remain offline. Power utilities are desperate to bring nuclear plants back online due to high costs of thermal power generation, while public concerns over nuclear safety are still strong.
 Source: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
5/12/14
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Related:

• Japanese court rejects citizens' demand for suspension of nuclear reactor restart 

• The Otsu District Court on Thursday rejected a demand by Shiga residents to halt the restart of nuclear reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Takahama and Oi plants.

• Japan shuts down last nuclear reactor...

------ 
Related:

• Japan to restart 2 nuclear reactors despite local opposition, safety concerns 

• Japan local assembly okays restart of two reactors

• Japan to reopen 1st nuclear plant after Fukushima disaster - despite volcano risks

• Kagoshima Gov. Yuichiro Ito has accepted the explanation offered by Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoichi Miyazawa about the government’s plan to restart the Sendai nuclear plant...

• Japan warned on Friday that a volcano in southern Japan located roughly 64 km (40 miles) from a nuclear plant was showing signs of increased activity that could possibly lead to a small-scale eruption and warned people to stay away from the summit....

• New industry minister Yoichi Miyazawa said Thursday he will try to persuade residents near the Sendai nuclear plant in Kagoshima Prefecture why its two reactors should no longer stand idle...

 

Japanese court rejects citizens' demand for suspension of nuclear reactor restart

A Japanese court on Thursday rejected a demand by some western Japan residents seeking suspension of planned restart of nuclear reactors at Takahama and Oi plants, local media reported.

The residents, from Shiga Prefecture, claimed that there are many geological faults around the two plants which might cause earthquakes and tsunamis, and that severe nuclear accidents might occur such as in the 2011 Fukushima crisis.

The Otsu District Court in Shiga Prefecture rejected the residents' demand for suspension of restart of the reactors, and said it is "unlikely" that the safety regulator will make a hasty decision to allow the reactors to restart.

Takahama and Oi nuclear plants are both located in Fukui Prefecture, which lies to the north of Shiga Prefecture. Both plants' No. 3 and No. 4 reactors are currently undergoing safety screening by the Nuclear Regulation Authority for resuming operation.

Kansai Electric Power Co., operator of the two plants, said the court decision is "reasonable" and it will seek to restart the nuclear plants "as soon as possible" after safety confirmed by the regulator.

• Currently, all nuclear reactors in Japan remain offline. Power utilities are desperate to bring nuclear plants back online as their earnings are deteriorating due to high costs for thermal power generation, while public concerns over nuclear safety are still strong.

Judicial rulings on the nuclear plants' operation have been divided since the Fukushima crisis. In May, another district court in Japan ruled that the Oi nuclear plant shall not be restarted. Kansai Electric has appealed this ruling.
 Sources: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
27/11/14
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-

• The Otsu District Court on Thursday rejected a demand by Shiga residents to halt the restart of nuclear reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Takahama and Oi plants.

• Japan shuts down last nuclear reactor...

Earthquake M7.4 Strikes El Salvador, may cause 'hazardous tsunami waves'...

A 7.4 earthquake has struck about 106km (66 miles) off the coast of El Salvador, south-east of the city of Usulutan. There were no details of any casualties or damage, although it was a shallow one at a depth of just 9km (5.6 miles).

A warning of "hazardous tsunami waves" was given by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center on Monday, after first saying that a widespread tsunami wasn't a possibility.

The area affected by the tsunami could also include coasts of Honduras and Nicaragua, both of which are within 300km (180 miles) of the epicenter, the warning center said.


DETAILS TO FOLLOW ..............http://rt.com/news/195728-quake-salvador-nicaragua-tsunami/
14/10/14
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• Earthquake M 7.3 - NEAR COAST OF NICARAGUA - San Salvador -  local time: 21:51

Magnitude    Mw 7.3
Region    NEAR COAST OF NICARAGUA
Date time    2014-10-14 03:51:39.5 UTC
Location    12.62 N ; 87.99 W
Depth    80 km
Distances  

•   176 km SE of San Salvador, El Salvador / pop: 525,990 / local time: 21:51:39.5 2014-10-13

• 93 km W of Chinandega, Nicaragua / pop: 126,387 / local time: 21:51:39.5 2014-10-13

• 60 km W of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua / pop: 4,142 / local time: 21:51:39.5 2014-10-13

 ---

Only 26-meter tsunami could now damage Fukushima – (TEPCO)

The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has raised the tsunami projectile height, saying it would take a 26-meter wave to damage the facility and cause radioactive leakage, local media reported. This comes as Japan faces a typhoon threat.

Officials from the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) have nearly doubled the previous projected tsunami height that would inundate the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant – raising it from 14 to 26.3 meters, Asahi Shimbun reported on Saturday.

The flood caused by such a tsunami would “likely cause seawater to mingle with the radiation-tainted water accumulating in the basements of the reactor buildings at the six-unit plant, allowing 100 trillion becquerels of cesium to escape,” The Japan Times reported, citing TEPCO officials.

• However, TEPCO officials noted that such a strong tsunami occurs only once every 10,000 to 100,000 years.

The operator also increased the scale of a potential earthquake that would damage the plant by 1.5 times to 900 gals, media reported.

The company’s statement made on Friday comes in response to a demand made by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) for the operator to review tsunami counter-measures. The authority is to decide whether TEPCO’s figures are suitable.

Following the March 2011 earthquake that triggered a 15.5 meter tsunami and hit the Fukushima Daiichi plant – causing three nuclear core meltdowns – the NRA obliged other facilities to strengthen tsunami counter-measures and raise the scale of the highest tsunami protection. But the new regulation did not apply to Fukushima, which is over 40 years old, as the plant was to be decommissioned.

As a measure to reduce the impact of a potential hit by a huge seismic wave, TEPCO said it will cut the quantity of radioactive water stored on the premises of the facility. Thus, the amount of radioactive water leaked into the ocean would be reduced by 30 percent, Asahi reported.

In the wake of the 2011 tragedy, Japan shut down all its nuclear reactors. However, the Japanese government has been keen on the nuclear restart, insisting that the reactors are necessary to provide cheaper energy to the economically-challenged Asian nation.............Will Typhoon Phanfone affect Fukushima?........http://rt.com/news/193364-tsunami-damage-fukushima-tepco/
5/10/14
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Related:

• Fukushima To Be Hit By Typhoon, Causing Ocean Contamination (Tepco)

• Fukushima No. 1 at risk of 26-meter tsunami: Tepco...

Fukushima To Be Hit By Typhoon, Causing Ocean Contamination (Tepco)

MOSCOW, October 4 (RIA Novosti), Ekaterina Blinova - Tepco, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, has revealed that the approaching typhoon could hit the damaged, decommissioned 40-year old nuclear power facility Fukushima No.1, which was severely affected during the earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

"The deluge would likely cause seawater to mingle with the radiation-tainted water accumulating in the basements of the reactor buildings at the six-unit plant, allowing 100 trillion becquerels of cesium to escape, according to an estimate that Tepco revealed Friday at a meeting of the Nuclear Regulation Authority," the Japan Times reports.
According to the media outlet, tidal waves from the storm are likely to reach a maximum height of 26.3 meters or more. The storm is likely to strike the Fukushima No.2 nuclear plant as well, but "its idled reactors and fuel pools" are not expected to be destroyed, Tepco officials assert.

• It should be noted that the 2011 tsunami reached a height of 15.5 meters when it hit the plant, which was followed by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake.

In order to minimize the impact of the hurricane, Tepco "will reduce the vast quantity of radioactive water" on the site, the Asahi Shimbun notes. Citing Tepco's officials, the media source claims that the amount of contaminated wate, which is expected to spill into the ocean, could be decreased to 30 percent "by filling in trenches near reactors."..................http://en.ria.ru/world/20141004/193667366/Fukushima-To-Be-Hit-By-Typhoon-Causing-Ocean-Contamination-Tepco.html4/10/14

UN-organized tsunami exercise shows Indian Ocean region now ‘better prepared’

UN,  12 September 2014 – A decade after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster, which killed nearly 250,000 people and left an arc of devastation across 12 countries, a warning system devised by the United Nations to assess communications flows and readiness procedures throughout the region is functioning “effectively,” the world body has announced after a two-day simulation exercise.

“The terrible images of the 2004 tsunami are still fresh in our memories. Ten years later, this new warning exercise demonstrates that the efforts of the Indian Ocean Rim countries to be better prepared for such disasters are bearing fruit,” said Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The warning system, established under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, “is a major achievement of global scientific cooperation that can help to save lives,” declared Ms. Bokova in a press release.

The simulation exercise was conducted on 9 and 10 September, with the participation of 24 countries of the Indian Ocean Rim. According to the preliminary results of the simulated alert, all of the participating countries received timely tsunami advisory messages, and no delays were reported.

Notification messages were issued by the Indian Ocean Regional Tsunami Service Providers (Australia, India and Indonesia) and sent to National Tsunami Warning Centres. On this basis, most of the participating countries successfully conducted exercises involving the national tsunami warning, disaster management and main emergency response organisations.

• UNESCO says that several countries also chose to involve the general public in the exercise, including India, Mauritius and the Seychelles, where evacuation exercises were conducted in coastal areas. Tourists and personnel were evacuated from a hotel in Mauritius.

• A full evaluation report of the exercise will be published in November 2014.

“The Indian Ocean tsunami warning system is the result of significant international collaboration and contributions from countries all around the Indian Ocean in response to the devastating tsunami of December 2004,” said Rick Bailey, Chair of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System.

He added that countries now need to sustain the warning system, community education and response capability that have been developed across the Indian Ocean. “Countries must remain alert and prepared against the ever present tsunami threat,” he said.

The exercise, known as “IOWAVE14,” comprised two scenarios: the first simulated an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 south of Java, in Indonesia, on 9 September, while the second scenario simulated an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 in the Makran Trench south of Iran and Pakistan. In both cases, the earthquakes would have resulted in a tsunami affecting the entire Indian Ocean. 
[un.org]
12/9/14
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Related:

• India to participate in mock tsunami drill in Indian Ocean. (is planned for 9 and 10 September)

• Indian Ocean nations to carry out UN-organized tsunami readiness test

India to participate in mock tsunami drill in Indian Ocean. (is planned for 9 and 10 September)

India will participate in a two- day major mock tsunami drill in the Indian Ocean, starting Tuesday, along with 23 other countries, an official said Monday.

The drill, organized under the auspices of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, is intended to test the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWS), said the official.


The drill is expected to increase preparedness, evaluate response capabilities in each country and improve coordination throughout the region, a statement by the Indian government has said.

"The drill also aims at evaluating the system's operational capacity, efficiency of communication among the different concerned actors, and the state of preparation of national emergency services," it added.

Sources: Xinhuan -  indian.ruvr.ru
8/9/14
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Related:

• Indian Ocean nations to carry out UN-organized tsunami readiness test

Indian Ocean nations to carry out UN-organized tsunami readiness test

UN, 5 September 2014 – Ten years after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, 24 countries in the region will participate in an exercise organized by the United Nations to test their readiness to address such rare but potentially destructive events. 

The large-scale simulation exercise – known as “IOWAVE14” – is planned for 9 and 10 September, and is organized under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The exercise is intended to test the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System, which was set up in the wake of the catastrophe that struck the area on 26 December 2004.
On that day, an earthquake off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra sent waves as high as 30 metres crashing into 14 countries, claiming nearly 230,000 lives and leaving around 2 million people homeless.

Next week’s exercise will comprise two scenarios: the first simulates an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.1 south of Java, Indonesia; the second simulates an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.0 in the Makran Trench south of Iran and Pakistan.
Both scenarios will simulate tsunami waves travelling across the Indian Ocean and be conducted in real time.
“The goal is to measure the capacity and response times of the various stakeholders involved to address such rare but potentially destructive events,” stated a press release from UNESCO.
The agency added that the test is designed to assess the effectiveness of communication flows between the stakeholders involved, country readiness and the efficiency of emergency procedures. 

Several countries will also include public evacuation exercises of coastal populations. An evaluation will be conducted after the exercise to identify gaps and weaknesses so as to improve the Warning and Mitigation System.
The following Indian Ocean Rim countries are participating in the test: Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France (Réunion), India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Yemen.
 un.org
5/9/14
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Related:

• Russia Predicts Far East Tsunami in 2014

• Σύστημα προειδοποίησης για τσουνάμι στη Μαύρη Θάλασσα

• Προβλέπουν μεγάλο σεισμό στο ρήγμα της Ανατολίας . "Ο μεγάλος σεισμός στην Κων/πολη θα γίνει το 2014" αναφέρει τούρκος σεισμολόγος....

• Σε υποθαλάσσια επιτήρηση η Κωνσταντινούπολη

• Tουρκία: Ανησυχούν οι σεισμολόγοι για την "ησυχία" του ρήγματος της Ανατολίας

Powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake strikes Mexico, buildings shaken in capital. There are no immediate reports of any major damage

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit Mexico on Friday in the western state of Guerrero, north of the resort of Acapulco. The quake shook the capital Mexico City for at least 30 seconds, with building swaying as people fled on to the streets.

The city was reportedly more crowded than usual because of the Easter holiday. Despite the relative severity of the quake there are no immediate reports of any major damage. 

Mexico City is vulnerable to earthquakes because much of it is built on the muddy sediments of drained lakes, which are vulnerable to shock waves from quakes.

In 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed at least 6,000 people and destroyed many buildings in Mexico City, even though the epicenter was 400 kilometers away on the Pacific Coast.
There is no threat of a tsunami according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW...[rt.com]
-----------------
 

• M 7.3 - GUERRERO, MEXICO - 2014-04-18 14:27:29 UTC ....39 km N of Tecpan de Galeana....local time: 09:27.

Magnitude	Mw 7.3
Region	GUERRERO, MEXICO
Date time	2014-04-18 14:27:29.0 UTC
Location	17.59 N ; 100.79 W
Depth	40 km
Distances	268 km SW of Iztapalapa, Mexico / pop: 1,820,888 / local time: 09:27:29.0 2014-04-18 137 km W of Chilpancingo de los Bravos, Mexico / pop: 165,250 / local time: 09:27:29.0 2014-04-18 39 km N of Tecpan de Galeana, Mexico / pop: 14,638 / local time: 09:27:29.0 2014-04-18

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M7.2 - 36km NNW of Tecpan de Galeana, Mexico 

Event Time

1. 2014-04-18 14:27:26 UTC
2. 2014-04-18 07:27:26 UTC-07:00 at epicenter
3. 2014-04-18 17:27:26 UTC+03:00 system time

Location

17.552°N 100.816°W depth=24.0km (14.9mi)

Nearby Cities

1. 36km (22mi) NNW of Tecpan de Galeana, Mexico
2. 48km (30mi) E of Petatlan, Mexico
3. 56km (35mi) NW of Atoyac de Alvarez, Mexico
4. 78km (48mi) E of Zihuatanejo, Mexico
5. 273km (170mi) SW of Mexico City, Mexico

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A strong 7.8-magnitude aftershock and an earlier 6.4-magnitude rocked Chile’s northern coast today (April 3)

SANTIAGO — A strong 7.8-magnitude aftershock and an earlier 6.4-magnitude rocked Chile’s northern coast today (April 3) even as Chilean authorities assessed the damage from a massive earthquake that struck off the northern coast on Tuesday.There are no immediate reports of new damage or injuries from today’s aftershocks.

Tuesday’s 8.2 magnitude quake that shook northern Chile on Tuesday killed six people and triggered a tsunami with 2m waves.

As the ocean waves receded, over 900,000 people who had evacuated the country’s low-lying coastal areas returned to their homes, some to find their houses and livelihoods in ruins.More than 2,600 homes were damaged and fishing boats along the northern coast were smashed up. However, most infrastructure held up and mines in the world’s No. 1 copper producer were generally functioning normally.The arid, mineral-rich north is sparsely populated, with most of the population concentrated in the port towns of Iquique and Arica, near the Peruvian border.In Peru, the earthquake led to temporary power outages and evacuations in some southern towns, but did not cause serious damage or injuries.Chilean President Michelle Bachelet visited Iquique yesterday and praised people’s orderly response to the emergency.“We are here to recognise the calm behaviour of the people of Iquique who showed great civic responsibility, as did those of Arica. I think you have given us all a tremendous example,” she said.The government would put great effort into restoring services, she added.Finance Minister Alberto Arenas said the government would place “no limit on the use of resources to address this emergency.”Ms Bachelet, who was sworn in as president less than a month ago, is likely conscious of the stinging criticism she faced near the end of her first term in office in 2010, when the government was seen to have responded inadequately to a much bigger 8.8 quake and tsunami that killed over 500 people.

• DAMAGE LIMITED

It was too early to estimate financial losses, but they were expected to be much lower than the US$30 billion (S$38 million) from the 2010 quake, which affected the more densely populated central region, said earthquake expert Alexander Allmann at reinsurer Munich Re.“The quake has caused severe damage to some buildings in the affected region, but in general the building standards in Chile are comparatively high, allowing buildings and infrastructure to withstand such quakes reasonably well,” said Mr Allmann.“The small tsunami triggered by the quake is not expected to have caused significant damage.”Small fishing vessels in the ports appeared to be among the worst affected.“We struggled just to be able to get a bigger boat and now look at it,” a woman from Iquique’s fishing community, in tears, said in a video posted on Reuters.Several smaller aftershocks, some as big as 5.2 magnitude, continued yesterday and some ports in the area remained closed........http://www.todayonline.com/world/americas/chile-assesses-damage-after-massive-quake?singlepage=true
3/4/14
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• A strong 8.2-magnitude earthquake has struck off the northwestern coast of Chile... 

 

A strong 8.2-magnitude earthquake has struck off the northwestern coast of Chile...

A strong 8.2-magnitude earthquake has struck off the northwestern coast of Chile, killing at least two people and setting off a small tsunami that prompted evacuations along the country's Pacific coast.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the earthquake was centered about 100 kilometers northwest of Iquique Tuesday evening. It was followed by several aftershocks, including one measuring 6.2-magnitude.

Chilean authorities said waves measuring about two meters were striking cities along the coast. Officials quickly ordered evacuations, warning that larger waves are expected later.

Iquique's governor, Gonzalo Prieto, told a local radio station that two people are confirmed dead and at least three are seriously injured.

• There have been no reports of widespread damage. But Chile's emergency office said the earthquake has caused landslides that are partially blocking some roads and highways.

A tsunami alert has been issued for the entire Pacific coast of Central and South America.

• U.S. officials say they have found no imminent threat of a tsunami along the coasts of Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon or Washington state after the earthquake near Chile, but the danger is still under evaluation.

• Chile is one of the world's most earthquake prone countries. In 2010, a 8.8-magnitude quake rocked central Chile, killing over 500 people and destroying 220,000 homes.

The region hit by Tuesday's quake had also experienced several smaller temblors in recent days, including a 6.0-magnitude earthquake on Sunday. 

 [voanews.com]

2/4/14

--------------------------

• M 8.0 - OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE .... 93 km NW of Iquique, Chile ....local time: 19:46....

Magnitude Mw 8.0 Region OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE Date time 2014-04-01 23:46:49.0 UTC Location 19.72 S ; 70.86 W Depth 33 km Distances 457 km SW of La Paz, Bolivia / pop: 812,799 / local time: 19:46:49.0 2014-04-01 93 km NW of Iquique, Chile / pop: 227,499 / local time: 19:46:49.0 2014-04-01

Source parameters reviewed by a seismologist

--------------------------------

• M8.2 - 95km NW of Iquique, Chile

Event Time

1. 2014-04-01 23:46:46 UTC
2. 2014-04-01 18:46:46 UTC-05:00 at epicenter
3. 2014-04-02 02:46:46 UTC+03:00 system time

Location

19.642°S 70.817°W depth=20.1km (12.5mi)

Nearby Cities

1. 95km (59mi) NW of Iquique, Chile
2. 139km (86mi) SSW of Arica, Chile
3. 190km (118mi) SSW of Tacna, Peru
4. 228km (142mi) SSE of Ilo, Peru
5. 447km (278mi) SW of La Paz, Bolivia

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