Magnitude 6.6 - FIJI REGION

USGS Earthquake Hazards ^ | 17 November 2004

[bd476]

Magnitude 6.6 - FIJI REGION
2004 November 17 21:09:13 UTC

Preliminary Earthquake Report
U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center
World Data Center for Seismology, Denver

A strong earthquake occurred at 21:09:13 (UTC) on Wednesday, November 17, 2004. The magnitude 6.6 event has been located in the FIJI REGION. (This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.)

Magnitude	6.6
Date-Time	Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at 21:09:13 (UTC) = Coordinated Universal Time Thursday, November 18, 2004 at 9:09:13 AM = local time at epicenter
Location	19.965°S, 178.803°W
Depth	619.9 km (385.2 miles) set by location program
Region	FIJI REGION
Distances	75 km (50 miles) N of Ndoi Island, Fiji 355 km (220 miles) SE of SUVA, Viti Levu, Fiji 395 km (245 miles) WNW of NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga 1980 km (1230 miles) NNE of Auckland, New Zealand

[djf]

Correct. It is not the seismic magnitude of the quake, but the amount of water displaced. There have been a few large tsunamis generated because the sea floor fell by a few feet, but it was one heck of a large area of sea floor.

[bd476]

DJF, thanks for referring back to my post about tsunamis. I forgot that I had researched information about earlier tsunamis.

"Tsunamis can also be generated by local quakes such as the Papua New Guinea Tsunami in 1998 which struck after a 7.0 earthquake. The New Guinea Tsunami claimed approximately 3000 lives. "

A tsunami can be generated by sloughing off of the local shores, one problem looming ahead for the Pacific Northwest.

[oceanperch]

UHG.

[bd476]

Oops, I'm sorry, Oceanperch. Didn't mean to bring up a bad subject. It's always there reminding you, isn't it, especially after having just evacuated your home.

I sort of wish we had evacuation drills here. We just get earthquake reminders about food and water supplies and after a week of no new quakes everyone just forgets about it.

[oceanperch]

It's ok. I shoulda put a /Charlie Brown after my UHG!

Did you see the two in Kentucky?

I guess that is just to add to the mix of action. LOL

I don't remember anything in recent years in Kentucky. Kentucky?

[Esther Ruth]

Well, It seems pretty quiet near Missouri and Kentucky, just a few earthquakes in those areas, small ones, back to gardening now.

[Experiment 6-2-6]

I was out at sea in the South Pacific in '89..

For some reason, I didn't feel this one, either.