Earthquakes
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Seismograph

5.4 magnitude earthquake hits central Italy, tremors felt in Rome

Lizzie Dearden
The Independent (UK)
Wed, 18 Jan 2017 09:50 UTC
Rome
© Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters
Quake comes months after almost 300 people were killed in Central Italy earthquake

An earthquake has struck Italy, shaking buildings in Rome just months after almost 300 people were killed in one of the worst disasters in living memory.

Residents of the capital described their homes and offices shaking at around 10.25am local time (9.5am BST).

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) measured the quake at magnitude 5.4, placing the epicentre in Central Italy, just over 10 miles from Maltignano.

There was no immediate indication of deaths or severe damage, the organisation said.

Small tremors have reportedly been felt in Rome for several weeks but Wednesday's was the biggest seismic event in several months.

It comes just months after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake killed at least 299 people in the country's central regions in August.

It was followed by at least two more deadly earthquakes in Umbria and Marche in October, both measuring over six on the Richter scale.
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Attention

5.4 magnitude earthquake hits Cuba's coast; tremors felt up to 100 miles

Janice Williams
International Business Times
Tue, 17 Jan 2017 09:43 UTC
Cuba earthquake
© USGS
A moderate earthquake rocked Cuba Tuesday morning, according to reports. The quake struck about 50 miles away from the southeast coast, with tremors felt about 100 miles away from the epicenter in cities including Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Palma Soriano and Bayamo, Earthquake Track reported.

The earthquake hit at 4:08 a.m. local time nearly seven miles beneath the earth's surface. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake was 5.4-magnitude. However, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) estimated a preliminary magnitude of 5.7.

There were no immediate reports of injuries of major damages caused by the quake. However, the its magnitude was felt by people near the epicenter and surrounding cities, many of whom reported on social media about experiencing aftershock tremors.

USGS data
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Seismograph

Shallow 5.7 magnitude earthquake rattles Indonesia's third largest city Medan


NEWS.com.au
Tue, 17 Jan 2017 01:59 UTC
Medan quake map
© US geological survey.A shallow earthquake has rattled Indonesia’s third-largest city Medan.
A shallow earthquake rattled Indonesia's third-largest city Medan, damaging houses and sending thousands of frightened people into the streets.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the quake's magnitude at 5.7 and said it struck at a depth of 10 kilometres southwest of Medan on the island of Sumatra.

There was traffic chaos on the streets, people ran out of buildings and power blackouts hit some areas.

Susanti, a guest at a hotel in Medan, said by phone that she and dozens of other people fled outside as the quake struck.

"I saw utility poles swaying. It was so scary," said Susanti, She said there was no visible damage to the hotel.
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Seismograph

Earthquake strikes Wales causing tremors and 'a loud rumble'

Sarah Hodgson
Wales Online
Mon, 16 Jan 2017 15:37 UTC
Wales earthquake map
© British Geological SurveyThe magnitude 1.1 quake caused tremors and a loud rumble across Gwynedd.
Wales was hit by an earthquake last night.

The magnitude 1.1 quake caused tremors and a loud rumble across Gwynedd just before 11pm.

According to the British Geological Survey, the quake's epicentre was in Beddgelert .

However, the Daily Post reported that a noise or rumbling sound was heard in Caernarfon , Blaenau Ffestiniog , Penrhyndeudraeth and Porthmadog .

Chris Parry (@cjparry) tweeted: "Did anybody hear a low rumbling sound in the #porthmadog area just now? (Around 23.00) definitely not thunder."

There have been no reports of any structural damage in the area.

A mysterious loud bang was also heard in areas of Greater Manchester at the same time.


Comment: What caused the loud, house-shaking boom heard across Greater Manchester?


Greater Manchester Police confirmed they had received a number of reports and that they had investigated but had been unable to establish what caused the bang.

However, it is not known if the incident is connected with the earthquake.

Comment: A couple of weeks ago a 3.9 magnitude tremor struck off the eastern UK coast, the biggest quake for nearly a decade.

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Seismograph

6.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Fiji


Sputnik International
Sat, 14 Jan 2017 06:37 UTC
earthquake graph
© Flickr/ Matt Katzenberger
An earthquake of 6.1 magnitude struck off the coast of Fiji on Saturday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.

According to the EMSC, the quake was centered 184 kilometers (114 miles) southwest from Nadi, a city on Fiji's main island, at the depth of 60 kilometers.

No tsunami warning was issued. The Fiji Islands are parts of the so-called Ring of Fire, a strip of volcanoes and tectonic faults in the Pacific Ocean, and the area where 90 percent of all the earthquakes occur.

Comment: A few days ago a strong 7.3 magnitude undersea earthquake struck near the Philippines. The quake was measured at a depth of 617 km (380 miles), one of the deepest ever recorded.

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Attention

Earthquake triggers strong eruption at Sinabung volcano on Sumatra, Indonesia


Strange Sounds
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 19:14 UTC
Sinabung volcano
Sinabung volcano
A strong explosion was recorded at Sinabung volcano on January 9, 2016.

It was triggered by a volcanic earthquake that occurred about 8 minutes before.

The powerful explosion occurred at 21:48 pm and sent a column of ash and gas 3km in the air.

There was a volcanic earthquake for 490 seconds when the eruption occurred.

Ashfall was recorded in Berastagi City.

An exclusion zone has been implemented in a radius of 3 km around the volcanic peak.


Sinabung volcano
Sinabung volcano
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Seismograph

Third shallow earthquake rattles Central New Zealand within a fortnight, magnitude 5.1


Skymet Weather
Wed, 11 Jan 2017 15:03 UTC
Earthquake road
The year 2017 has not been lucky enough for Central New Zealand as the country has been hammered by two earthquakes within a week and today as well, another quake shivered Central New Zealand.

A 5.1 magnitude quake struck Central New Zealand near Seddon this afternoon. As per Geo Net, the epicenter of the quake was 15 km southeast of Seddon and was 11 km under the earth's crust.

The quake shivered the country struck at around 1.19 pm (local timings) this afternoon. The shake was felt as distant as Auckland, however, it was the strongest in Blenheim and Wellington. Other remote areas where the tremors were felt include Hamilton, Taranaki, Westport and Richmond.

Comment: See also these reports of the prior earthquakes: Shallow 5.3 earthquake shakes Central New Zealand

'Severe', shallow magnitude 5.5 earthquake strikes central New Zealand

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Seismograph

Strong shallow 6.4 magnitude earthquake recorded near Solomon Islands


Sputnik
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 20:20 UTC
map epicentre
A strong 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck on Tuesday off the Solomon Islands in South Pacific, the US Geological Survey (USGS) agency warned.

The underwater quake hit 67 miles northwest of Kirakira, the capital of the Makira-Ulawa province, at the depth of 28 miles.
Strong M6.4 earthquake hits near Makira, Solomon Islands https://t.co/gjT48FzGAJ #earthquake #SolomonIslands

— The Watchers (@TheWatchers_) 10 января 2017 г.
​The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) measured the tremor at 6.7 magnitude but said a tsunami was not expected.

The Oceanic island nation is part of the so-called Ring of Fire quake zone. It is a strip of volcanoes and tectonic faults in the Pacific basin and has one of the highest levels of volcanic and seismic activity in the world.
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Seismograph

Strong 7.3 magnitude undersea earthquake strikes near the Philippines


The Independent (UK)
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 08:04 UTC
Celebes Sea quake map
© USGSThe point where the earthquake struck.

Quake measured at a depth of 617 km, according to the US Geological Survey

A major undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 struck southeast of the Philippines on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake was measured at a depth of 617 km (380 miles), the USGS said. It struck in the Celebes Sea and comes five days after a smaller, 4.7-magnitude tremor in the same area, according to the USGS.

Journalist Barnaby Lo said he felt "no significant tremor" on the island of Jolo, which lies north-east of the epicentre. The US Tsunami Warning Centre has issued no warning, advisory, watch or threat after the quake.

Philippine seismologists said the earthquake was far too deep to cause any damage and casualties or generate a tsunami.
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Seismograph

Earthquake of magnitude 3.5 recorded at Bárðarbunga volcano, Iceland

Eygló Svala Arnarsdóttir
Iceland Review
Mon, 09 Jan 2017 20:02 UTC
Bárðarbunga.
© Páll Stefánsson.Bárðarbunga.
An earthquake of magnitude 3.5 occurred in the northern caldera of Bárðarbunga volcano in Vatnajökull glacier shortly before noon yesterday. A few aftershocks followed, the largest of which measured 2.3 magnitude.

The Icelandic Met Office, which reported the seismicity, stated that there were no indications of volcanic activity in the area, ruv.is reports.

Bárðarbunga caused the 2014-2015 eruption in Holuhraun in the northeastern highlands.
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