Earthquake - Magnitude 7.6 - South of the Fiji Islands

usgs.gov ^ | December 9, 2007

[HAL9000]

The following is a release by the United States Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center: An earthquake occurred 345 km (215 miles) N of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands; 600 km (370 miles) SSW of NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga; 1395 km (870 miles) NE of Auckland, New Zealand; 1830 km (1130 miles) NNE of WELLINGTON, New Zealand at 12:28 AM MST, Dec 9, 2007 (7:28 PM local time in .). The magnitude and location may be revised when additional data and further analysis results are available. This earthquake is located in a remote area and no damage or casualties are expected.

[DB]

Well at least it was out in the middle of nowhere.

[Cementjungle]

These things will only get worse if we don’t pay more carbon taxes.

[444Flyer]

:

[Nextrush]

The biggest news in Fiji right now seems to be a hurricane passing over the eastern parts of the islands.

[exnavy]

Any reports of tsunami?

[HAL9000]

This report say a tsunami is not expected -

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4317859a6407.html

[Strategerist]

It’s way too deep for a tsunami.

[djf]

Even when there is a great earthquake (>Mag 8) tsunamis are relatively rare.

The reason is if the plates just slip past each other in a horizontal fashion, there is no relative distortion of the form of the ocean. Kinda like if you took a kitchen plate and put water on it and moved it sideways. The water might fall off, and probably will, but it won’t make great waves.

But if part of the crust sinks - or rises dramatically - that can have the effect of displacing tens of thousands of cubic kilometers of water.

I think historically there have even been a few cases where the sea floor fell not much - maybe just a couple feet - yet caused pretty large surges.

And face it, if you get hit by a tsunami, is it better if you get hit by one that’s only ten feet rather than fifty feet? Makes for a bad hair day either way.

I try to pay attention, I live near Seattle, where the cascade zone has a history of massive events. The Juan De Fuca plate is subducting under North America, at the same time as the Pacific plate is rotating counter clockwise. I was here during the 7.0, I was here when St. Helens went.

The last major event was I think in 1699. It was suspected because of written records in Japan. It was confirmed by studies of sediments in deep sea trenches off the coast. (when a major quake happens, sediments fall down off the edge of underwater cliffs, and they have a very specific timing and signature).

Estimates are that parts of the Pacific Northwest fell twenty feet. There are still regions of the Oregon coast where forests from that time become uncovered if the tide is at a low extreme and a storm moves in.

[Joya]

Ping.

[ThreePuttinDude]

....sediments fall down off the edge of underwater cliffs...

sshhhhhh....if the libs hear ya', we'll have to fund the cleanup of the trench's..

[bd476]

Thanks for the ping, Cindy.

Earthquake Ping List:

The following is a release by the United States Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center:

The magnitude and location may be revised when additional data and further analysis results are available.

• This earthquake is located in a remote area and no damage or casualties are expected.
  
  
• No Tsunami warnings are in effect.

Magnitude 7.8 - SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS



Magnitude 7.8

Date-Time Sunday, December 09, 2007 at 07:28:20 UTC
Sunday, December 09, 2007 at 07:28:20 PM at epicenter
Location 25.872°S, 177.517°W
Depth 149.2 km (92.7 miles)
Region SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS
Distances

375 km (235 miles) N of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
570 km (355 miles) SSW of NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga
1425 km (880 miles) NNE of Auckland, New Zealand
1845 km (1150 miles) NNE of WELLINGTON, New Zealand

[Man50D]

And face it, if you get hit by a tsunami, is it better if you get hit by one that’s only ten feet rather than fifty feet?

My understanding is its usually a series of tsunamis, not just one.

[ExGeeEye]

Too bad Karl Rove quit. Whoever is using the Halliburton/BFEE Disaster Machine to try to target the Eco-Warriors on Bali forgot to adjust the sights along the ley lines.

No one will take this seriously, right?

[SnarlinCubBear]

Thanks for the post - very informative.

[Jabba the Nutt]

Tsunamis can also be caused by landslides. Earthquake-caused tsunamis are maximum about 30 feet high. Landslide-caused waves/tsunamis can be 1,700 feet high or higher, Lituya Bay, Alaska.

[Cold Heart]

Kind of reminds of the hurricane reports that stated the hurricane passed safely out to sea. I was on a ship at the time.

[djf]

A wave is a wave is a wave - it has many peaks and troughs spread out over time and space. Usually- but not always - the very first part is the biggest and most destructive.

There was an interesting report that came when the Sumatra event happened.

Crusty old fisher dude is down by the water getting his nets ready.

Looks out towards the water and sees something he never saw before - the waves, instead of moving in, and rising and falling on the coast, were moving sideways. Water looked like nunununu, sideways waves.

He immediately headed for higher ground, had enough time, survived, but lost everything when the main wave hit.

[Global2010]

Thanks for the ping bd.

The USGS ping to the e mail does not always come through.

[Man50D]

A wave is a wave is a wave - it has many peaks and troughs spread out over time and space.

One wave does not contain several troughs and peaks. It is the troughs that separate each wave. You also don't factor in time and direction. The Tsunamis that struck Banda Aceh in Indonesia were several minutes apart while other Tsunamis went in different directions striking Malaysia, Southern India and Sri Lanka at different times. Your vague definition lumps all these distinctly different waves into one and occurring at the same time.