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Category Archives: Recent Global Seismic Events
2020-01-24, M6.7, Turkey
At 17:55:14 UTC on January 24th, 2020 a magnitude M6.7 earthquake struck the Kalaba-Sivrice region in Eastern Turkey, see the map below for the approximate location of the event. The earthquake had a depth between 10 and 15 km and resulted in very strong to severe ground shaking. Currently 22 fatalities and hundreds of injuries have been reported with the collapse of several buildings. The earthquake is located on or close to the East Anatolian Fault which separates the Anatolia Block of the Eurasia plate from the Arabia plate. Damaging earthquakes occurr relatively frequently in Turkey. According to the USGS seven other M6 or larger events have occurred over the preceding half century within 250 km of the January 24, 2020 earthquake. For maps showing plate boundaries and locations of past earthquakes in Turkey see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_earthquakes_in_Turkey.
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=822667
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us60007ewc/executive
2019-11-26, M6.4, Albania
At 02:54:11.3 UTC on November 26th, 2019 a magnitude M6.4 earthquake struck a region to the North-West of Tirana in Albania. The earthquake had a depth of 10km which resulted in very strong to severe ground shaking. Several fatalities and hundreds of injuries have been reported with the collapse of several buildings. The map below shows the approximate location of the event.
Large earthquakes are common in this region due to the convergence of the African and Eurasian plates. The region has suffered seven >M6 events within 150km of the recent event in the past 100 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 at the following sources:
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us70006d0m/executive
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=807751
2019-09-24, M5.6, Pakistan
On September 24, 2019 at 16:01 local time a magnitude 5.6 earthquake occurred close to New Mirpir in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. At least 20 people were killed and hundreds injured. The region is prone to earthquakes due to the convergence of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates.
Further information is available through the links below:
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us60005mqp/executive
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=794177
2019-09-05, M5.2, Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge
On the 5th September 2019 at 11:52 UTC a M5.2 earthquake occurred in along the Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge at a depth of 10 km. The epicentre of the earthquake locates approximately 1500km from Ireland, Iceland and Newfoundland. Earthquakes of this magnitude and greater are common along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Most notably, a M7.0 earthquake occurred along this section of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge on the 13th of February 2015.
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=790551
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us70005c9r/executive
2019-07-06, M7.1, Southern California
On the 6th July 2019 at 03.19 UTC (20:19 on the 5th of July, local time) an M7.1 earthquake occurred in Southern California, 200km north of Los Angeles. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km. There have been reports of injuries and structural damage to buildings, although no fatalities have been reported. The earthquake located approximately 150 km northeast of San Andreas Fault – the major plate boundary in the region – where the Pacific plate moves to the northwest with respect to the North America plate. The location of the earthquake falls within the Eastern California shear zone, an area of high seismic hazard.
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=775626
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci38457511/executive
2019-06-18, M6.5, Offshore Japan
On the 18th of June 2019 at 13.22:19 UTC (22.22:19 local time) a M6.5 earthquake occurred approximately 10km offshore the west coast of Honshu, Japan. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km. There were no reports of any injuries at the time of writing. However, a tsunami warning has been issued for the region.
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=772036
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us600042fx/executive
2019-05-26, M8.0, Peru
On the 26th May 2019 at 02.41 local time (07:41:14 UTC) an M8.0 earthquake occurred in Northern Peru, 75km SSE of Lagunas. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 110 km. At least one person has been killed and several injured. The region is prone to large earthquakes due to the nearby oceanic Nazca plate subducting beneath the continental South American plate.
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://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us60003sc0/executive
https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=767801#summary
2019-05-14, M7.5, Papua New Guinea
On the 14th of May 2019 an earthquake with magnitude 7.5 occurred at 12.58.25 UTC (21:58 local time) in the New Britain region of Papua New Guinea. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10km and centered 47km northeast of the town of Kokopo. The earthquake had triggered a tsunami alert for the country and the nearby Solomon Islands, but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the tsunami threat passed. Strong earthquakes happen regularly in this region; on the 26th of February 2018, 160 people were killed when a magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred near the town of Komo in the Hela Province of Papua New Guinea.
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).
2019-04-22, M6.1, Philippines
On the 22nd April 2019 an earthquake with magnitude 6.1 occurred at 09:11:11 UTC (17:11 local time) in Northern Philippines. The earthquake was at a depth of 20km and centered near the town of Castillejos in Zambales Province, west of Manila, the capital city. It has been reported that at least 11 people died. Strong earthquakes happen regularly in this region that are caused by the colliding tectonic plates -the Philippine Sea plate is bordered by the larger Pacific and Eurasia plates and the smaller Sunda plate.
Another earthquake occurred on the 23rd April at 05:37:52 (UTC) (1.37pm local time) measuring M6.4, with the epicentre at San Julian in eastern Samar. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake measured magnitude 6.4 and there were no immediate reports of casualties or 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).
2019-03-01, M7.0, Peru
On the 1st March 2019 an earthquake with magnitude 7.0 occurred at 08:50:41 UTC in southern Peru near the border to Bolivia, about 50km north west of Lake Titicaca. According to the EMSC and the USGS the event happened at a relatively great depth of about 257km and hence no major damage is expected. Strong earthquakes happen regularly in this region and are caused by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate. There is no tsunami threat related to this event because the earthquake is located too deep inside the Earth and too far onshore.
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 about this event is available from the following webpages:
EMSC: https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=747936
USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us1000j96d
