Earthquakes
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Attention

Asia's Tallest Volcano Spews Ash Into the Air

Klyuchevskaya Sopka Volcano
© Sputnik/Ewgeniy Neskoromniy
Eurasia's largest volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka, in Russia's Far East erupted on Sunday, shooting hot ash miles into the air, the local geophysical service said.

"The eruption was detected by seismic sensors, and satellite images show that the eruption column rose 6 kilometers [3.7 miles] above sea level," a representative of the Russian agency told RIA Novosti.

The volcanic ash cloud has spread over an area of almost 13,500 square feet. It has drifted 124 miles southeast toward the Sea of Okhotsk, in the Pacific Ocean.

Comment: Things are seriously heating up here on the big blue marble!


Attention

Magnitude 5.8 earthquake hits off Ecuador's northwestern coast

Earthquake measurement
A 5.8-magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Ecuador, about 16 miles west of Muisne, a town in the northwestern Esmeraldas province, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reports.

The earthquake occurred at 01:24 GMT on Saturday (20:24 p.m. local time on Friday). There were no immediate reports of damages or casualties.

On April 16, Ecuador was hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter located near the town of Pedernales in Manabi province, which is situated south of Esmeraldas province. Over 600 people died as a result and more than 8,000 were injured.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 300 aftershocks have been registered after the quake.

Bizarro Earth

Another earthquake of magnitude 6.0 hits Ecuador

Ecuador Quake
© Henry Romero/Reuters Soldiers stand guard next to a collapsed buildings at the village of Manta, after an earthquake struck off Ecuador's Pacific coast, April 21, 2016.
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Ecuador, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has reported. The new tremblor comes just days after a devastating 7.8 quake killed at least 587 people in the South American country and amid internationally-assisted recovery efforts.

The earthquake was centered some 33.0 kilometers (20.5 miles) north-northwest of Bahia de Caraquez and some 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the city of Portoviejo. It hit at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Fish

Giant oarfish emerges after being woken by earthquake off Taiwan

The appearance of an oarfish could suggest an earthquake is imminent
© CENThe appearance of an oarfish could suggest an earthquake is imminent
A monster sea creature has surfaced from beneath the deep after being disturbed by earthquake tremors.

This giant oarfish measures a massive five metres (16ft) long - almost three times to height of the fisherman who landed the catch.

And the so-called "earthquake fish" is freaking locals out after emerging just two hours after seismic activity struck island nation Taiwan.

According to folklore, it is said to appear just before a quake hits - sending people into a panic.

Also dubbed the "king of herrings", oarfish can reach a mammoth 11 metres (36ft) in length.

Oarfish
© CEN

Comment: See also: Rare oarfish: New Zealand sea serpent maybe a harbinger for natural disaster, says scientist


Attention

Barbados rocked by magnitude 6.9 earthquake

earthquake
Barbados was jolted by an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 on Wednesday but there were no reports of injuries or damages.

The Trinidad-based Seismic Research centre (SRC) at the St Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), said that the quake, which occurred at 6:52 am (local time) was at a depth of 155 km.

It said that the quake, east of Barbados, was located at 13.35 degrees north and 56.29 degrees west and was felt in St Vincent.

Over the last few days, several Caribbean countries have been rattled by earthquakes.

Attention

Japan: Number of earthquakes over 600 in 5 days

japan road equake
© ryzproductionsfuture.blogspot.comIn a time of upheaval, how to get from here to there...
The total number of powerful and minor earthquakes on the Japanese island of Kyushu has exceeded 600 since Thursday's devastating quake, local media reported.

On April 14, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck to the east of Kumamoto city (the capital of Kumamoto Prefecture) on Japan's Kyushu Island, killing local residents and damaging infrastructure. It was followed by multiple aftershocks. The following day, the same area was hit by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake.

Most of the tremors were felt strongly in the Kumamoto and Oita prefectures, the national NHK broadcaster said. The death toll in the natural disaster has risen to 44 and over 1,000 people sustained injuries in Kumamoto alone, the news outlet stated.

About 125,000 people in Kumamoto and more than 3,500 in Oita have been provided with shelter at city offices, schools and parking lots, it added.

Japan is a seismically active region. In March 2011, a 9.0-magnitude offshore earthquake triggered a 46-foot tsunami that hit Japan's Fukushima nuclear power, leading to the leakage of radioactive materials and the shutdown of the plant. The accident is considered to be the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

Comment: See also:


Attention

USGS: Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes off eastern Japan

Japan earthquake 6.1 magnitude
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck off the coast of eastern Japan.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off Japan's north-eastern coast on Wednesday (April 20), the US Geological Survey said. There was no immediate tsunami warning, or reports of damage or casualties.

A series of strong quakes struck the south of Japan late last week killed at least 58 people. On Wednesday, survivors struggled with shortages of food and water.

The USGS said Wednesday's quake was centred 104km east south-east of Sendai, Honshu, near where a devastating quake and tsunami struck in March 2011. It was 51km deep.

Reuters

Attention

Fresh earthquake of magnitude 6.2 hits Ecuador coast

More than 100 people are still missing from the weekend earthquake
More than 100 people are still missing from the weekend earthquake
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Ecuador this morning, just days after a major quake hit the country, killing nearly 500 people.

This morning's quake was centred 70km west-southwest of Esmeraldas at a shallow depth of 10km, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, not far from the epicentre of Saturday's 7.8 magnitude quake.

Reuters witnesses in the zone said two strong tremors of about 30 seconds each were felt, waking people up and sending them racing them into the streets.

It was not felt in the highland capital of Quito.

There was no immediate word from authorities on the impact of this morning's quake.

Bizarro Earth

Geologists concerned over unusual string of large earthquakes spanning a vast area in southern Japan

landslide minamiaso earthquake
© APRescuers and a search dog check the damage around a landslide area caused by earthquakes in Minamiaso, Kumamoto prefecture on April 17
Seismic activity in southern Japan is mystifying geologists and keeping the nation on edge.

The island of Kyushu has been struck by a series of significant earthquakes, with the epicenters moving progressively further inland. The cluster started with the deadly quakes that hit Kumamoto Prefecture last Thursday and Saturday. Temblors subsequently rocked the Mount Aso region and neighboring Oita Prefecture.

There is a known concentration of faults in the area. Still, experts say it is highly unusual to have a string of quakes measuring around magnitude 6 and stretching over such a vast area. The epicenter of the Oita jolt was about 100km away from the first Kumamoto quake.

"I don't quite understand what is happening with the recent earthquakes, because it's an unfamiliar phenomenon," said Yoshihisa Iio, a professor at Kyoto University's Research Center for Earthquake Prediction.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said it is unprecedented to have a group of large quakes in these three parts of Kyushu. Experts are divided over how far the shaking will spread and whether it could prompt more quakes centered elsewhere.

Comment:


Bizarro Earth

Subduction process similar to one causing Ecuadorean quake could cause megathrust in India at any time

earthquake in Imphal, Manipur
© xpress /Deepak Shijagurumayum.An under construction building that got damaged in the earthquake in Imphal, Manipur in January 2016
A subduction process similar to the one that caused the Ecuadorean quake is happening under the Himalayan region as well, where the Indian plate is getting inside the Chinese landmass.

This northward push has been creating a huge amount of tectonic strain in the region, making it particularly prone to earthquakes.

Scientists believe there is so much energy stored in the area that an earthquake of magnitude greater than 8, possibly even 9, would be needed to release it. This earthquake can come at any time.

The Nepal earthquake was a result of this same process, but it was relatively weak in magnitude.

Comment: Multiple recent powerful earthquakes reflect a planet in deep transition