Tuesday, March 20, 2012

(UPDATE: M.7.4) Magnitude 7.6 Earthquake in Mexico

(UPDATE: Now, USGS says it was M.7.4 earthquake.)
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The earthquake was 17.5 kilometers deep (for more, go to USGS). Damage unknown. There was a M.5.1 aftershock about 30 minutes later.

From CBS Houston (3/20/2012):

MEXICO CITY (CBS Houston) – A magnitude 7.6 earthquake has struck near Acapulco, Mexico, a favorite tourist destination.

The United States Geological Survey reports that the quake’s epicenter was 11 miles underground and 115 miles from Acapulco, in the Oaxaca region, where President Obama’s 13-year-old daughter Malia is reportedly staying for spring break.

“You can definitely have some pretty significant damage for the region,” USGS geophysicist Julie Dutton told CBS Houston, adding they have seen aftershocks in the magnitude 5.0 range since the initial quake.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says there is no tsunami threat for the region.

Reuters reports that buildings shook and people fled into the streets in Mexico City.

Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard took to Twitter to say that “no serious damage” has been reported in the schools and that there is no visible damage from an aerial view.

There are no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.

3 comments:

Apolline said...

EMSC and USGS give even 7.8...

arevamirpal::laprimavera said...

Now it's down to 7.4.

Atomfritz said...

CBS' updated source article now says "...800 residential building collapses, though the survey is still incomplete."
So there is really quite some damage in spite of what the first reports suggest.

No matter whether 7.4, 7.6 or 7.8.
USGS writes in a factsheet about earthquakes in Californian regions:
"For the next 30 years there is a 10% probability of a magnitude 8 to 9 quake somewhere..."
( http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3027/fs2008-3027.pdf )

The odds seem to improve considerably now.
Maybe betting for a San Onofre blow-up could be a wise investment, at least better than hoping for compensations :-)

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