Earth events - 13 January, 2013

5.5 magnitude earthquake strikes Gulf of California

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – A Mexico earthquake today 2013 has erupted in Sinaloa. The Mexico earthquake today Sunday, January 13, 2013 began within the hour. And while one of the strongest quakes to strike the country this month, the quake was not centered on land. Its epicenter, in contrast, was centered in the Gulf of California.

Officials tell news that a 5.5 magnitude Mexico earthquake began moments ago. Erupting at 9:28 am local time, the quake was shallow. USGS indicates to news that the quake began only six miles below sea level. As a result, the quake could be felt across the Sinaloa region.

USGS indicates to news that the Mexico earthquake was fifty-six miles from Ahome. The quake was sixty miles from the Sonora town of Huatabampo. Officials also tell news that the quake was seventy miles west of Los Mochis and roughly six hundred miles from Tijuana.

Today’s quake was close to the July and September quakes to strike the country. On July 18 last year, a series of quakes struck roughly fourteen miles from Baja California’s Guadalupe Victoria. The quakes were thirty-five miles from the Sonora town of San Luis Río Colorado and roughly one hundred miles from Tijuana. USGS also told news at the time that the quakes were roughly thirty miles from the Arizona community of San Luis.

http://news.lalate.com/2013/01/13/mexico-earthquake-today-2013-erupts-in-sinaloa/

Quake wakes northern Tasmania, but no reports of damage

The Australian,

13 January, 2013

RESIDENTS on Tasmania's northern coast have woken to tremors after a 3.4-magnitude earthquake struck 10km from the shore.

The earthquake, about 10 to 12 kilometres from Wynyard, hit at 7.21am (AEDT), sending short and sharp tremors to nearby Burnie and as far away as Launceston, said Geoscience Australia seismologist Jonathan Bathgate.

Mr Bathgate said the agency received around 100 calls from residents who felt the tremors.

“It's been fairly widely-felt across that section of Tasmania,” he said.

“They generally hear a loud noise and feel a sharp, sudden jolt.

“The phones have been just ringing constantly.

“I think it woke a few people up.”

Mr Bathgate said it was not uncommon to get earthquakes in the area which experienced a 3.6-magnitude earthquake in 2006 and a 3.8 in 2007.

He said an earthquake of this size, and so far from shore, was unlikely to have done any damage and no reports of damage had been received.

Burnie resident Lyn Paine said the tremor shook her house for 10 seconds.

“I just thought `what the heck is that?”' Ms Paine said.

“It felt like if a big truck goes past your house.

“It wasn't enough to lose pictures off the wall or anything.

“That's a pretty unusual thing for here - I've never experienced it.”

A Tasmania police spokesman said they had received calls reporting the tremor but no reports of damage.

 Large explosive eruption at Manam volcano sends ash plume to 45,000 ft altitude – 

An large eruption seems to have occurred this morning around 05:30 GMT from Manam volcano north of New Guinea. VAAC Darwin reported an ash plume rising to 45,000 ft (approx. 14 km) altitude.

A hot spot is visible on MODIS satellite data. For the moment, no precise other information about the nature of the eruption is available, as the island is remote and most of its population had been relocated after the last major activity in 2004

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/view_news/26523/Manam-volcano-Papua-New-Guinea-large-explosive-eruption-sending-ash-plume-to-45000-ft-altitude.html

4.6 earthquake near Mount Redoubt volcano rattles dozing Anchorage

Correction: There was never a tsunami warning issued for this event, as was incorrectly first reported here. The text below has been changed to reflect that fact. We regret the error.

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake struck deep beneath the Alaska Peninsula southwest of Cook Inlet early Sunday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey

.

The 3:45 a.m. shaker hit some 80 miles underground just across the inlet from communities along the western Kenai Peninsula. Data from the University of Alaska earthquake center pegged it 55 miles west of Nikiski but only a few miles from Mount Redoubt, an active volcano in Cook Inlet that last erupted in 2009.

Despite its depth and distance it was strong enough to rattle dishware and trigger car alarms in South Anchorage, about 115 miles northeast of the epicenter, according to data from the earthquake center

.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/46-earthquake-near-mount-redoubt-volcano-rattles-dozing-anchorage

(Major) Earthquakes list January 13, 2013 – Strong deep earthquake in Northern Chile

Strong deep earthquake in Northern Chile

The earthquake was felt by the people.

Max. shaking (Onemi Chile) MMI V (moderate shaking).
Universidad de Santiago reports a Magnitude of Ml5.5 at a depth of 89.9 km (revised)
Shaking intensities : Huara    V – La Tirana    V – Mamiña    V – Pica    V – Pozo Almonte    V
Alto Hospicio    IV – Camiña    IV – Cancosa    IV – Iquique    IV
Codpa    III – Cuya    III – María Elena    III – Pisagua    III
Arica    II
ER calls this earthquake not dangerous  (no serious damage or injuries)

Strong to moderate earthquake in a populated region of Papua New Guinea

Earthquakes are nothing special in PNG and also this one will not make any difference. Relatively far away from modern civilization, the wilderness area where the epicenter is located may be populated with primitive settlements with wooden or bamboo houses who proofed to resist even M7 earthquakes. Biggest danger in PNG are landslides.

Rescue operations in these remote areas only start with M7.5+ earthquakes and even than, rescuers have to use trails and have to walk sometimes many days to reach the epicenter area. That is considered “part of life” in Papua New Guinea.

Strong earthquake in the Gulf of California, Mexico

Preliminary readings are reporting a M5.7 to M5.9 earthquake
The epicenter was located in the middle of the Gulf which means that both coasts (Baja California and Mexico) will have been shaken but will normally not have damage or injuries

68 miles (110 km) W of Ahome, Sinaloa, Mexico
69 miles (111 km) E of Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico
80 miles (129 km) SSW of Huatabampo, Sonora, Mexico
80 miles (129 km) W of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
617 miles (993 km) SE of Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico

Update 16:43 UTC : The initial Magnitudes should finally be a lot weaker as both Geofon and EMSC are respectively reporting M5.3 and M5.2. There were more powerful earthquakes in the same area in 2012 without generating damage too.

Update 16:47 UTC : SSN Mexico (the Mexican seismological agency) is reporting a Magnitude of 5.5 at a depth of 10 km. Epicenter location is also in the middle of the Gulf of California

SRC	Location	UTC Date/time	M	D	INFORMATION
ER	I Felt A (not Listed) Strong Earthquake	Jan 13 23:59 PM	4.6	0.1	MAP	I Felt It
DGF	Northern Chile	Jan 13 21:23 PM	5.5	90.0	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	Tarapaca, Chile	Jan 13 21:23 PM	5.5	83.7	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Tarapaca, Chile	Jan 13 21:23 PM	5.3	80.0	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Northern Chile	Jan 13 21:23 PM	5.3	79.0	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	Near The South Coast Of New Guinea, Papua New	Jan 13 17:53 PM	5.3	33.7	MAP	I Felt It
Kopi - Woke me up
EMSC	Near S Coast Of New Guinea, Png.	Jan 13 17:53 PM	5.3	40.0	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Near S. Coast Of New Guinea, Png.	Jan 13 17:53 PM	5.1	13.0	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Gulf Of California	Jan 13 17:50 PM	4.7	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Gulf Of California	Jan 13 17:50 PM	4.7	2.0	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Off W Coast Of Northern Sumatra	Jan 13 16:41 PM	4.8	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Off West Coast Of Northern Sumatra	Jan 13 16:41 PM	4.8	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	Gulf Of California	Jan 13 16:28 PM	5.6	10.1	MAP	I Felt It
los mochis sinaloa - felt it twice, about 15 minutes apart
GEOFON	Gulf Of California	Jan 13 16:28 PM	5.7	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Gulf Of California	Jan 13 16:28 PM	5.5	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Negros, Philippines	Jan 13 13:08 PM	4.7	40.0	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Negros, Philippines	Jan 13 13:08 PM	4.7	31.0	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	Negros, Philippines	Jan 13 13:08 PM	4.7	47.8	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	Southern Alaska	Jan 13 12:44 PM	4.7	131.3	MAP	I Felt It
Kenai, Alaska - Seemed to last for a long time?
EMSC	Southern Alaska	Jan 13 12:44 PM	5.0	141.0	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Southern Alaska	Jan 13 12:44 PM	4.9	117.0	MAP	I Felt It
WCATWC	80 Miles Ne Of Iliamna Alaska	Jan 13 12:44 PM	4.6	153.0	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Aegean Sea	Jan 13 08:55 AM	4.7	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	Aegean Sea	Jan 13 08:55 AM	4.6	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Aegean Sea	Jan 13 08:55 AM	4.9	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	South Sandwich Islands Region	Jan 13 07:24 AM	5.0	83.0	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	South Sandwich Islands Region	Jan 13 07:24 AM	4.9	99.3	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	South Sandwich Islands Region	Jan 13 07:24 AM	5.0	83.0	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	Off The Coast Of Libertador O'higgins, Chile	Jan 13 05:50 AM	4.6	13.7	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Off Coast Of O'higgins, Chile	Jan 13 05:50 AM	4.6	2.0	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Near East Coast Of Honshu, Japan	Jan 13 03:17 AM	5.0	49.0	MAP	I Felt It
USGS	Near The East Coast Of Honshu, Japan	Jan 13 03:17 AM	5.0	45.5	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Near East Coast Of Honshu, Japan	Jan 13 03:17 AM	5.1	10.0	MAP	I Felt It
GEOFON	Banda Sea	Jan 13 00:45 AM	4.6	146.0	MAP	I Felt It
EMSC	Banda Sea	Jan 13 00:45 AM	4.6	146.0	MAP	I Felt It