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Category Archives: Recent Global Seismic Events
2020-07-22, M7.8, Alaska Peninsula
At 06:12:44 (UTC) on the 22nd of July 2020, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake occurred near the Alaska Peninsula (see map below). The earthquake struck approximately 100 km south of the peninsula at a depth of 30 km. Shortly after, a tsunami warning was issued by the U.S. Tsunami Warning System. Several aftershocks of magnitude 5 and greater occurred within the hours following the main shock. Large earthquakes are common in this region due to the subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the North American plate. Since 1900, twelve earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7.5 have occurred in this region, including the 1964 M9.2 Prince William Sound earthquake, the second largest recorded earthquake in the era of modern instrumental seismology.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish Nation Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available from the following sources:
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=878808
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000asvb/executive
2020-06-23, M7.4, Oaxaca, Mexico
At 15:29:05 (Universal Time) on the 23rd of June 2020, an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck in the Oaxaca region of Mexico (see map below). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km, locating approximately 12 km SSW of Santa Maria Zapotitlan, Mexico. Shortly after, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Canter (PTWC) issued a warning that hazardous tsunami waves reaching 1 to 3 m above the tide level along the coast of Mexico are possible.
Mexico is one the earths most seismically active regions due to the relative motions of three large tectonic plates (the Pacific Plate, the Cocos Plate and the North American Plate) in the region. The relatively dense oceanic crust of the pacific plate is subducting beneath the Mexican landmass. This motion can result in large earthquakes such as today’s event. The interaction of the subducting plate and the mantel rock beneath the Mexican landmass also results in volcanism in the area.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish Nation Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available from the following sources:
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=870434
2020-06-18, M7.4, Kermadec Islands
At 12:49:53 on the 18th of June 2020, an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck in the Kermadec Islands region of the South Pacific (see map below). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 8 km, locating approximately 650 km northeast of New Zealand’s North Island. This region of the Tonga-Kermadec subduction zone experiences high levels of seismic activity, with nearly 20 events of M 6.5+ over the past half century within 250 km the 18th of June earthquake.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available from the following sources:
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=868826
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000ae4n/executive
2020-06-03, M6.8, Chile
At 07:35:33 UTC (03:35:33 local time) on the 3rd of June 2020 a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck northern Chile (see map below). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 87 km, locating approximately 200 km east of the city of Antofagasta. Chile experiences very high rates of seismic activity due to its location along the boundary of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. In addition, the depths at which earthquakes occur in Chile varies greatly, with shallower events occurring along the coast in the west, and deeper events occurring in the east. The largest earthquake recorded in the modern era of instrumental seismology, the M9.5 Valdivia earthquake, occurred in southern Chile in 1960.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available from the following sources:
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=864463
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000a4yi/executive
2020-05-15, M6.5, Nevada, USA
At 11:03:28.6 UTC on the 15th of May 2020 a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck western Nevada, USA (see map below). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km, locating approximately halfway between the cities of Reno and Las Vegas. The earthquake has been felt in the states of Nevada, California and Utah by members of the public. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), about two dozen M5+ earthquakes have occurred within 100 km of this event over the past 50 years.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available from the following sources:
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=857265
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nn00725272/executive
2020-05-02, M6.6, Crete, Greece
At 12:51:05.6 UTC on the 2nd of May 2020 a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck 100 km south of the Greek island of Crete (see map below). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km and was widely felt on the island of Crete. Several aftershocks up to M5.4 occurred in the space of a four hours after the initial shock. No casualties have been reported at the time of writing.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available from the following sources:
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=853296
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us700098qd/executive
2020-03-25, M7.5, Russia
At 02:49:21 GMT on March 25th 2020 a magnitude M7.5 earthquake struck to the east of the Kuril Islands, Russia (see map below). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 56.7 km and the NSW Pacific Tsunami Warning Center have said that there is no threat of a tsunami as sea-level readings from the nearest two deep ocean dart gauges confirm only small tsunami waves were generated.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available from the following sources:
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us70008fi4/region-info
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=841592
2020-03-22, M5.4, Zagreb, Croatia
At 05:24:02 (UTC) on the 22nd of March 2020, a M5.4 earthquake struck 7km northeast of Zagreb, Croatia. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10km and caused several injuries as well as widespread damage to buildings in Zagreb. This event is the largest to occur near Zagreb in the past 140 years.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available through the links below:
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=840695
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us70008dx7/executive
2020-02-23, M5.7, Turkey-Iran Border Region
At 05:53:01 (UTC) a M5.7 earthquake struck 25km south-east of Sarey, Turkey close to the Iranian border. The earthquake had a depth of ~6.4km and initial reports are of several deaths and numerous injuries due to building collapse. A second M6 event occurred at 16:00:31 (20-02-23) in the same area.
The middle east and surrounding areas are prone to seismic activity due to the movement of four major tectonic plates (Arabian, Eurasian, Indian and African). This plate interaction produces large-scale tectonic processes such as subduction, transform faulting, compressional mountain building, and crustal extension.
Further information is available at the following sources:
M5.7 event,
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us70007v29/executive
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=832418
http://irsc.ut.ac.ir/newsview.php?&eventid=162408&network=earth_ismc__
M6 event,
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us70007v9g/executive
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=832582
2020-01-28, M7.7, Cuba
At 19:10:25 GMT on January 28th 2020 a magnitude M7.7 earthquake struck near Cuba, about 100km from its southern coast and 125km northwest from Jamaica, see the map below for the event location. The earthquake occurred at a relatively shallow depth of about 10km. It was was widely felt throughout the region, including parts of Honduras and southern Florida. A tsunami warning was initially issued but lifted about 90 minutes later. There a no reports of any building damage.
The earthquake was recorded at seismic stations worldwide, including stations of the Irish National Seismic Network (INSN), see seismic waveforms below (select figure to enlarge).
Further information is available at the following sources:
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=824193
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us60007idc/executive
VAL - Kerry
