[winoneforthegipper]

the Caribbean late had a fault slip this afternoon.

4.6 along the the boundary of the north American plate.

Quake Map

http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/neic_thck_l.html

Plate Map

http://www.oas.org/pgdm/document/BITC/papers/gibbs/gibb0201.gif

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

Those “faults slips” in the Chile region are Subduction variety. They are most known for relieving Tectonic stresses.

The most devastating types that have done the most damage are Megathrust variety. (usually 9.0 or larger) They create the closest wave frequency which does the most structural damage and creates the largest Tsunami's. (Not to be confused by landslide events like Lituya Bay.)

The 1964 Alaska Quake was so devastating because it was was a Subducted (Ocean floor) Megathrust of over 9.2. This explains the less than spectacular Tsunami hype that hit Hawaii last weekend.