[machogirl]

Thank you. I just saw that on the usgs feed. That must have been felt.

[Errant]

Not much news on the damage yet. Here is another article:

http://news.lalate.com/2013/09/24/pakistan-earthquake-today-2013-7-8-strikes-awaran/

ST LOUIS (LALATE) – A 7.8 Pakistan earthquake today 2013 has just hit Awaran. The Pakistan earthquake today 2013 September 24, 2013 began moments ago. Damage assessment is pending, reports local news.

Officials tell news that a 7.8 magnitude Pakistan earthquake today just hit locally at 4:29 PM local time. The quake was shallow, however. USGS indicates to news that the quake started only nine miles below ground level. As a result the quake could be felt in regions near Oman.

USGS indicates to news that the quake was forty-three miles northeast of Awaran. The quake was seventy-one miles northwest of Bela and roughly one hundred six miles from Uthal. Reps tell news that the quake started one hundred eight miles from Kharan, Pakistan and roughly five hundred miles from Muscat, Oman.

UGSS has previously told news about earth formations and possible fault lines in the region. “Off the south coast of Pakistan and southeast coast of Iran, the Makran trench is the present-day surface expression of active subduction of the Arabia plate beneath the continental Eurasia plate, which converge at a rate of approximately 20 mm/yr.”

The same area has produced deadly quakes before. “Although the Makran subduction zone has a relatively slow convergence rate, it has produced large devastating earthquakes and tsunamis. For example, the November 27, 1945 M8.0 mega-thrust earthquake produced a tsunami within the Gulf of Oman and Arabia Sea, killing over 4,000 people. Northwest of this active subduction zone, collision of the Arabia and Eurasia plates forms the approximately 1,500-km-long fold and thrust belt of the Zagros Mountains, which crosses the whole of western Iran and extends into northeastern Iraq.” They add that “Collision of the Arabia and Eurasia plates also causes crustal shortening in the Alborz Mountains and Kopet Dag in northern Iran.” For continuing coverage click HERE.