Earthquake News and Events
10/17/09 – Loma Prieta Earthquake 20th Anniversary
10/15/09 – The 2nd Annual Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill
08/13/09 – New Fact Sheet on the New Madrid Seismic Zone
10/17/09 – Loma Prieta Earthquake 20th Anniversary
 | October 17, 2009 was the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in San Francisco. | |
| This is the most recent large earthquake to strike the San Francisco Bay Area. |
| Many individuals and families have stories and memories related to this damaging earthquake. To | |
| help preserve these precious stories and learn more about the earthquake, please share your story and memories. |
10/15/09 – The 2nd Annual Great California ShakeOut Earthquake Drill
| At 10:15 a.m. on October 15, 2009, over 6.9 million Californians participated in the largest | |
| earthquake drill ever! |
| The ShakeOut earthquake drill is designed to help everyone learn how to survive a magnitude 7.8 | |
| hypothetical earthquake that seismology experts predict will eventually hits the region and strikes along the San Andreas Fault. |
| The earthquake drill envisions a quake that kills 1,800 people, injures 50,000 more and causes | |
| $200 billion in damages, leaving the region to experience long-lasting social and economic consequences. |
| Californians were reminded to stockpile emergency supplies such as water, emergency food, first | |
| aid kits, and other earthquake preparedness kits in order to be prepared for the next real earthquake. |
| Now that you've done the earthquake drill, please share your ShakeOut photos and stories! |
08/13/09 – New Fact Sheet on the New Madrid Seismic Zone
| Earthquake Awareness and Preparedness |
 | |  | |  | |  |
| Figure 1 - New Madrid Seismic Zone Historic Earthquakes |
| The United States Geological Survey (USGS) released a new | |
| fact sheet entitled: “Earthquake Hazard in the New Madrid Seismic Zone Remains a Concern.” The report states that: “There is broad agreement in the scientific community that a continuing concern exists for a major destructive earthquake in the New Madrid seismic zone. Many structures in Memphis, Tenn., St. Louis, Mo., and other communities in the central Mississippi River Valley region are vulnerable and at risk from severe ground shaking. This assessment is based on decades of research on New Madrid earthquakes and related phenomena by dozens of Federal, university, State, and consulting earth scientists.” |
| The report concludes that earthquakes can be expected in | |
| the future as frequently and as severely as in the past 4,500 years. It also emphasizes the need for continuing preparedness in the New Madrid region to protect public safety and ensure the social and economic resilience. Historic New Madrid earthquakes are shown in Figure 1. |
Recent Earthquakes
Thousands of damaging earthquakes of moment magnitudes greater than or equal to 5.0 occur annually
worldwide. Fortunately, most of these moderate-to-large earthquakes commonly occur in remote areas of
the world, with no buildings or people, and are therefore not destructive. In the following sections, only
moderate-to-large recent earthquakes that cause death and building damage are reported. Building
damage in such earthquakes offer important lessons for retrofit efforts in the United States.
Major Earthquakes in 2011
Japan Earthquake
The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake is a simplification of the official name “The 2011 off the Pacific Coast of
Tohoku Earthquake” by Japan Meteorological Agency. The western world often refers this earthquake as
“Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan”. The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku Earthquake of March 11, 2011
resulted from thrust faulting on or near the subduction zone plate boundary between the Pacific and North
America plates, where the Pacific plate moves approximately westwards with respect to the North America
plate at a rate of 83 mm/year (about 3¼ inch/year). The rupture originated about 24.4 km (15.2 miles) below
the surface. The rupture was bilateral, which spread away from the epicenter in both the north and south
directions, taking about 2 minutes to cover a total of 400 km (250 miles). The epicenter is at distances of
130 km (80 miles) east of Sendai, 178 km (110 miles) east of Yamagata and east-north-east of
Fukushima, and 373 km (231 miles) north-east of Tokyo. The earthquake was preceded by a series of
large foreshocks over the previous two days, beginning on March 9th with a magnitude 7.3 event
approximately 40 km from the epicenter of Tohoku Earthquake, and continuing with another three
earthquakes greater than magnitude 6.0 on the same day. A series of more than 125 aftershocks of
magnitude up to 7.9 struck an area about 150 km (90 miles) off the northeastern coast, about 440 km (270
miles) northeast of Tokyo. They struck at depths between 8 and 10 km (5 and 6 miles).
The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku Earthquake was more than 500 times stronger than the 2010 Haiti Earthquake
of magnitude 7.0. The sea floor was thrust up and seaward, creating a devastating tsunami that hit the
coast of Honshu within tens of minutes and propagated across the whole Pacific where a tsunami warning
was issued, hitting Hawaii and the coast of California in about 4 hours and 10 hours, respectively. The
earthquake followed by the tsunami mainly affected more than 2,100 km (1,300 miles) of the eastern
coastline along Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Iwate Prefectures. The height of observed tsunami was
above 7 m (23 ft) in Soma in Fukushima Prefecture and above 4.2 m (14 ft) in Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture
that washed far inland over fields, smashing towns, airports and highways in its way. The 2011 Tohoku
Earthquake (M 9.0) is considered to be fourth world-wide largest earthquake according to the United States
Geological Survey (USGS) after Chile Earthquake of 05/22/1960 (M 9.5), Prince William Sound Earthquake,
Alaska, of 03/28/1964 (M 9.2), and Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra Earthquake, Indonesia, of
12/26/2004 (M 9.1). All these earthquakes were followed by devastating tsunamis.
Major Earthquakes in 2010
Haiti Earthquake
For additional information, illustrations and earthquake pictures check my article on hubpages.
The Earthquake
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Caribbean island nation of Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, the
most powerful earthquake to hit Haiti in almost 200 years. The epicenter was 15 miles southwest of the
country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, at a depth of 6.2 miles below the ground surface. The event occurred on
the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system in southern Haiti which is an east-west trending left-lateral
strike slip fault. This fault system has not generated a major earthquake in recent decades although it may
be the likely source of historical large earthquakes in 1860, 1770, 1761, 1751, 1684, 1673, and 1618. The
earthquake was felt throughout Haiti, the Dominican Republic, southeastern Cuba, eastern Jamaica, and
in parts of Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. However, because the earthquake source was shallow, the
intensity of shaking was stronger and more localized at the region along the fault.
Casualties
There is no way of knowing the death toll or causalities (injuries and fatalities) after few weeks of such a
catastrophic earthquake. However, the death toll rises up to 230,000 as of February 9th according to USA
Today. One third of the Haiti's 9 million people needed emergency aid according to the International
Federation of the Red Cross. Many hundred thousands are still homeless and sleeping in the streets. This
put Haiti earthquake as one of the deadliest quakes in the last four decades. The latest of such
catastrophic quakes was the May 12, 2008 magnitude 7.9 Sichuan earthquake in China which is
considered to be the third deadliest quake. According to the US Geological Survey on Sichuan earthquake;
at least 69,195 people killed, 374,177 injured and 18,392 missing and presumed dead. More than 45.5
million people in 10 provinces and regions were affected. At least 15 million people were evacuated from
their homes and more than 5 million were left homeless.
Building Damage
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere with more than 80% of its population lives below the
poverty line. The earthquake caused severe damage and destruction in the Port-au-Prince area which is
densely populated. Haiti's President issued a desperate appeal for international aid following the
earthquake stating that the tremor was catastrophic and is unimaginable, and that the Parliament, the tax
office, schools, and hospitals have collapsed. Other collapsed or severely damaged buildings include the
UN peacekeeping mission, the presidential palace, the national cathedral, and the main prison. Haiti most
likely does not have a building code where substandard design, inadequate materials, and shoddy
construction practicescontributed to the collapse of buildings. Even newer construction has been
developed to withstand the vertical loads of hurricanes but not the lateral loads of earthquakes. The load
path, and the engineering design and connection detailing concepts for hurricanes and earthquakes are
completely different. Many buildings collapsed just like pancakes as builders put the reinforced concrete
roof on top of low-grade bricks, construction buildings collapsed because builders or owners were trying to
cut costs by skimping on cement, adding excessive water, and reducing the amount of reinforcing steel.
Thousands of damaging earthquakes of moment magnitudes greater than or equal to 5.0 occur annually
worldwide. Fortunately, most of these moderate-to-large earthquakes commonly occur in remote areas of
the world, with no buildings or people, and are therefore not destructive. In the following sections, only
moderate-to-large recent earthquakes that cause death and building damage are reported. Building
damage in such earthquakes offer important lessons for retrofit efforts in the United States.
Major Earthquakes in 2011
Japan Earthquake
The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake is a simplification of the official name “The 2011 off the Pacific Coast of
Tohoku Earthquake” by Japan Meteorological Agency. The western world often refers this earthquake as
“Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan”. The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku Earthquake of March 11, 2011
resulted from thrust faulting on or near the subduction zone plate boundary between the Pacific and North
America plates, where the Pacific plate moves approximately westwards with respect to the North America
plate at a rate of 83 mm/year (about 3¼ inch/year). The rupture originated about 24.4 km (15.2 miles) below
the surface. The rupture was bilateral, which spread away from the epicenter in both the north and south
directions, taking about 2 minutes to cover a total of 400 km (250 miles). The epicenter is at distances of
130 km (80 miles) east of Sendai, 178 km (110 miles) east of Yamagata and east-north-east of
Fukushima, and 373 km (231 miles) north-east of Tokyo. The earthquake was preceded by a series of
large foreshocks over the previous two days, beginning on March 9th with a magnitude 7.3 event
approximately 40 km from the epicenter of Tohoku Earthquake, and continuing with another three
earthquakes greater than magnitude 6.0 on the same day. A series of more than 125 aftershocks of
magnitude up to 7.9 struck an area about 150 km (90 miles) off the northeastern coast, about 440 km (270
miles) northeast of Tokyo. They struck at depths between 8 and 10 km (5 and 6 miles).
The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku Earthquake was more than 500 times stronger than the 2010 Haiti Earthquake
of magnitude 7.0. The sea floor was thrust up and seaward, creating a devastating tsunami that hit the
coast of Honshu within tens of minutes and propagated across the whole Pacific where a tsunami warning
was issued, hitting Hawaii and the coast of California in about 4 hours and 10 hours, respectively. The
earthquake followed by the tsunami mainly affected more than 2,100 km (1,300 miles) of the eastern
coastline along Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Iwate Prefectures. The height of observed tsunami was
above 7 m (23 ft) in Soma in Fukushima Prefecture and above 4.2 m (14 ft) in Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture
that washed far inland over fields, smashing towns, airports and highways in its way. The 2011 Tohoku
Earthquake (M 9.0) is considered to be fourth world-wide largest earthquake according to the United States
Geological Survey (USGS) after Chile Earthquake of 05/22/1960 (M 9.5), Prince William Sound Earthquake,
Alaska, of 03/28/1964 (M 9.2), and Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra Earthquake, Indonesia, of
12/26/2004 (M 9.1). All these earthquakes were followed by devastating tsunamis.
Major Earthquakes in 2010
Haiti Earthquake
For additional information, illustrations and earthquake pictures check my article on hubpages.
The Earthquake
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck the Caribbean island nation of Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, the
most powerful earthquake to hit Haiti in almost 200 years. The epicenter was 15 miles southwest of the
country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, at a depth of 6.2 miles below the ground surface. The event occurred on
the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system in southern Haiti which is an east-west trending left-lateral
strike slip fault. This fault system has not generated a major earthquake in recent decades although it may
be the likely source of historical large earthquakes in 1860, 1770, 1761, 1751, 1684, 1673, and 1618. The
earthquake was felt throughout Haiti, the Dominican Republic, southeastern Cuba, eastern Jamaica, and
in parts of Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. However, because the earthquake source was shallow, the
intensity of shaking was stronger and more localized at the region along the fault.
Casualties
There is no way of knowing the death toll or causalities (injuries and fatalities) after few weeks of such a
catastrophic earthquake. However, the death toll rises up to 230,000 as of February 9th according to USA
Today. One third of the Haiti's 9 million people needed emergency aid according to the International
Federation of the Red Cross. Many hundred thousands are still homeless and sleeping in the streets. This
put Haiti earthquake as one of the deadliest quakes in the last four decades. The latest of such
catastrophic quakes was the May 12, 2008 magnitude 7.9 Sichuan earthquake in China which is
considered to be the third deadliest quake. According to the US Geological Survey on Sichuan earthquake;
at least 69,195 people killed, 374,177 injured and 18,392 missing and presumed dead. More than 45.5
million people in 10 provinces and regions were affected. At least 15 million people were evacuated from
their homes and more than 5 million were left homeless.
Building Damage
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere with more than 80% of its population lives below the
poverty line. The earthquake caused severe damage and destruction in the Port-au-Prince area which is
densely populated. Haiti's President issued a desperate appeal for international aid following the
earthquake stating that the tremor was catastrophic and is unimaginable, and that the Parliament, the tax
office, schools, and hospitals have collapsed. Other collapsed or severely damaged buildings include the
UN peacekeeping mission, the presidential palace, the national cathedral, and the main prison. Haiti most
likely does not have a building code where substandard design, inadequate materials, and shoddy
construction practicescontributed to the collapse of buildings. Even newer construction has been
developed to withstand the vertical loads of hurricanes but not the lateral loads of earthquakes. The load
path, and the engineering design and connection detailing concepts for hurricanes and earthquakes are
completely different. Many buildings collapsed just like pancakes as builders put the reinforced concrete
roof on top of low-grade bricks, construction buildings collapsed because builders or owners were trying to
cut costs by skimping on cement, adding excessive water, and reducing the amount of reinforcing steel.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Major Earthquakes of 2009
Aquila Earthquake
Major Earthquakes of 2008
Sichuan Earthquake
Aquila Earthquake
| On April 6, 2009, a powerful earthquake of moment magnitude Mw = 6.3 struck central Italy, near the | |
| medieval town of Aquila, about 55 miles northeast of Rome. It was felt throughout central Italy. |
| At least 287 people killed, 1,000 injured, 40,000 homeless and 10,000 buildings seriously | |
| damaged or destroyed in the Aquila area according to the United States Geological Survey. |
| Most buildings are very old and degraded masonry construction. They were constructed without | |
| following seismic codes and standards. Most buildings have not been retrofitted including public hospitals and schools because of lack of funding. However, some structures have been retrofitted and have generally been successful in withstanding earthquake forces with minor-to-moderate structural damage. |
| The high-profile Hotel Duca Degli Abruzzi was a classic ’soft-story’ structure according to | |
| Degenkolb Engineers. The collapsed building was an old reinforced concrete building with a completely open parking level underneath. |
Major Earthquakes of 2008
Sichuan Earthquake
| On May 12, 2008, a catastrophic earthquake of moment magnitude Mw = 7.9 jolted eastern Sichuan | |
| province about 960 miles southwest of Beijing, China. It was felt in much of central, eastern and southern China, including Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. Also felt in parts of Bangladesh, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. |
| According to the United States Geological Survey, at least 69,195 people killed, 374,177 injured and | |
| 18,392 missing and presumed dead. More than 45.5 million people in 10 provinces and regions were affected. At least 15 million people were evacuated from their homes and more than 5 million were left homeless. |
| An estimated 5.36 million buildings collapsed and more than 21 million buildings were damaged | |
| in Sichuan and elsewhere. The total economic loss was estimated at 86 billion US dollars. |
