Huge Quakes Strike From Mexico To New Guinea Today

The Earth with bricks falling around it.

Large earthquakes are occurring all over the Pacific Rim today.

The Earth is lighting up! Today, large quakes – very large quakes – rattled Mexico to New Guinea:

  1. 6.2  Balleny Island region
  2. 5.2  Balleny Island region
  3. 5.2  Sabtang, Philippines
  4. 5.6  Noatak, Alaska
  5. 5.6  Noatak, Alaska (#2)
  6. 6.6  Kirakira, Solomon Islands
  7. 7.5  Petatlan, Mexico
  8. 5.5  Balleny Island region
  9. 7.0  Papua New Guinea

No tsunami warning was issued, but local flooding and rising waves are to be expected within 100 km of the epicenters of these quakes.

 

More Quakes Shake South Pole

USGS small globe showing the Bellany Islands off Antarctica

The Balleny Islands off Antarctica – USGS

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake in the Balleny Island region north of Antarctica was followed 10 minutes later by a 5.2 magnitude quakeMinutes after that, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck on the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge.

This might not appear to be any big deal, except to the penguins, but when one pole shifts, the other pole follows. So, heads up, Northern Polar Regions – that’s Russia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland/Iceland. Possibly Japan and the Philippines.

USGS map of quake at South Pole

5.5 magnitude quake at the South Pole/Pacific-Antarctic Ridge – USGS

Large Earthquakes Continue To Rock The Pacific, Generating More Tsunamis

A picture of a temperature thermometer that says problem, emergency, crisis, disaster.

More large earthquakes have occurred near the Solomon Islands, generating a 4th tsunami warning.

Over the past 24 hours, large earthquakes have continued to shake the Pacific Rim, sending out more tsunami warnings.

A 4th tsunami warning for the Pacific Islands was issued after a 8.3 magnitude quake struck at Kirakira, Solomon Islands 23 hours ago. Since my last post, April 10, 2014, the following quakes have occurred:

  1. 5.3  Iquique, Chile (offshore)
  2. 8.3  Kirakira, Solomon Islands (tsunami warning issued for Pacific Ocean)
  3. 7.7  Kirakira, Solomon Islands
  4. 5.7  Kirakira, Solomon Islands
  5. 5.6  Kirakira, Solomon Islands
  6. 5.3  Papua New Guinea
  7. 5.9  Kirakira, Solomon Islands
  8. 5.0  Kirakira, Solomon Islands

When an earthquake occurs, I record the initial magnitude reading from the Pacific Disaster Alert Center in Hawaii. You will notice that USGS typically lowers these magnitudes, but I maintain that the initial seismograph reading is the most accurate.

A tropical beach with clouds raining over it.

Several large earthquakes have caused tsunami flooding along the Pacific island coasts.

Sea level readings did indicate that a tsunami was generated along the coasts near the earthquake epicenter. If damaging waves subside after two hours of the quake, local authorities can assume that the tsunami threat has passed. A danger to boats and coastal structures remains for several hours after a large quake due to rapid currents.

You won’t hear much about these tsunamis on US mainstream news, but they are very important to the people living in these island regions.