Not Another, Gosh: Vanuatu hit by large quake

[StevieTNZ]

A large earthquake has hit near Vanuatu, with tsunami waves possible within 300km of the epicentre.

The quake was 10km deep and hit shortly after 7.30am, NZ time.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/79430986/vanuatu-hit-by-large-quake

Happened ~30 mins ago, so information still coming in.

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

Ugh . . . large magnitude earthquakes are becoming more and more common.

 

[ebos]

As our detection technology gets better and as our population (and therefore technologists) become more numerous, it does seem as if things once uncommon are now appearing more frequently. However, a quick look at the stats usually dispels this feeling. And, of course, we do have flurries of activity at almost every level.

 

[ProfuselyQuarky]

True, but you don't need detection technology to notice a 7.0 magnitude earthquake :) Just sayin'.

I get what you're saying, though.

 

[davenn]

Ugh . . . large magnitude earthquakes are becoming more and more common.

no they are not ... the yearly averages haven't changed in the last 100 or so years

ON avg. there are around 18 x M7.0 - 7.9 events each year, that equals 1 event in that range every 21 days
for M 8.0 and greater 1 per year. Some years see 2 x M8+ events other years there are noneDave

 

[Astronuc]

USGS reports M7.0 - 1km SE of Norsup, Vanuatu

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us10005c88#general
2016-04-28 19:33:24 (UTC)

Location: Lat 16.074°S, Long 167.393°E
Depth: 27.2 km (16.9 mi)

It was in Malakula Island (also spelled Malekula) in Malampa province of Vanuatu, effectively under the town of Norsup.

 

[davenn]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/79430986/vanuatu-hit-by-large-quake

Happened ~30 mins ago, so information still coming in.

Hi Stevie

Yup, the Vanuatu area is keeping its name as a very seismically active region
This latest M 7.0 was onshore in the centre of the Island Archipelago, and this meant that a tsunami was unlikely

The distance from recent large events to the north of this one make it a new separate event rather than an aftershock.

cheers
Dave

 

[MRBlizzard]

Connecting the dots, is this a fault line?

 

[davenn]

Connecting the dots, is this a fault line?

Hi there

not in this case, the events ... main shock and aftershock events are actually showing the direction that the fault line dips at

The main fault line, that is, the plate boundary, is shown by the red line running roughly north - south in the above pic
This region is a subduction zone with seafloor west ( left) of that red line, diving down under the seafloor/land to the east (right) of the line

so in cross-section we see something like this ...
( a very quick and rough drawing) not to scale but will give you the idea

The black dots being the quakes
cheers
Dave

 

[Astronuc]

Yet another separate event in Sanma province at the mouth of Big Bay
M5.7 - 22km NW of Port-Olry, Vanuatu
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us10005dme#general

2016-05-04 14:36:25 (UTC)
Location: Lat 14.915°S, Long 166.900°E
Depth: 35.0 km (21.7 mi)

Vanuatu is a rockin' and a rollin' these days!