The USGS said the quake hit at a depth of 51 kilometers off the eastern tip of Timor island, which is split between East Timor and Indonesia.

An AFP journalist in the East Timor capital, Dili, felt the earthquake and said that, although it lasted only seconds, “the jolt was quite strong.”

“I saw people rushing out of their homes and children running outside of the school,” the journalist said.

The earthquake was more violent around the town of Lospalos in the east of the country, but local authorities were still assessing the situation and did not give a breakdown of the damage or possible casualties.

The quake was also felt in Darwin, Australia, which lies across the Timor Sea from the epicenter.

Darwin resident Joel Willingale, who works in heavy manufacturing, said “it went on for about 30 seconds.”

“The whole room shook and slammed down,” he said.

“We only really feel the effects of a quake occasionally, usually in the Banda Sea. But this one was a big one.”

The Banda Sea lies north of Timor island.

To the north in Indonesia, the earthquake triggered panic and prompted people to evacuate buildings in the southwest of the Moluccas archipelago, according to the National Emergency Management.

Authorities did not report any damage or casualties.

The United Nations’ tsunami monitoring agency warned that the quake “could generate a tsunami affecting the Indian Ocean region.”

No national authority in the region has yet issued a tsunami warning, however.

“No #tsunami threat to Australia from #earthquake felt in Darwin, NT,” said Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology in a tweet.

East Timor and Indonesia sit on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

In February, a 6.2 magnitude quake killed a dozen people when it struck Indonesia’s North Sumatra.

In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude quake hit the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 people throughout the region, including about 170,000 in Indonesia.

East Timor has a population of about 1.3 million and is Southeast Asia’s youngest country, recently celebrating the 20th anniversary of its independence from Indonesia.

The mostly rural economy has been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the World Bank saying 42% of the population live below the poverty line.

Source: https://www.voanews.com/a/magnitude-quake-strikes-off-east-timor-/6591870.html

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Natalia Ruppert, a seismologist with the AEC in Fairbanks, said the earthquake hit at about 2:30 a.m. and was preceded and followed by more seismic activity.

“It triggered a very energetic sequence of aftershocks,” Ruppert said. “The largest aftershock was a magnitude 6.6 – about an hour after the magnitude 6.8 – at 3:40 a.m. today, and we are still recording seismic activity in that cluster.”

The center had recorded about 20 other earthquakes of magnitude 4 and above by about 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, she said.

“This is unusual,” she said. “We normally don’t see such an energetic sequence in such a quick succession.”

There’s no reason for Aleutian Island residents to be alarmed at the moment, according to Ruppert. But there is a chance this sequence could be followed by a larger earthquake. She said the AEC will continue to monitor the seismic activity.

Ruppert advises that people stay alert and pay attention to earthquake activity in the area in case the sequence develops into something more serious.

No tsunami alert has been issued and as of Tuesday morning, Ruppert said none of the activity is large enough to generate a tsunami.

As of about 2:30 p.m., the U. S. Geological Survey had published 21 “felt reports,” which are online surveys the public can use to describe the location, intensity and overall effect of earthquakes. Reports were submitted by people in Nikolski, Unalaska and Akutan.

Source: https://www.kucb.org/science-environment/2022-01-11/magnitude-6-8-earthquake-near-nikolski-part-of-energetic-seismic-cluster

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TAIPEI, Taiwan — A powerful earthquake struck Taiwan on Monday evening, shaking buildings in the capital and across much of the northern part of the island. There were no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake measured magnitude 6.2 and was centered at a depth of 28.7 kilometers (18 miles) below the ocean east of Hualien city on the island’s east coast.

Walls creaked as office buildings shook in Taipei, the capital. Lights swayed and mirrors and pictures fell to the floor.

The USGS said economic losses were expected to be low despite the strong shaking.

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/powerful-earthquake-shakes-northern-taiwan-82048866

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The earthquake, which struck at 11:20 a.m. local time on Tuesday, was centered in the Flores Sea, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Maumere, one of the largest towns on Flores Island, which is west of Timor-Leste (East Timor).

Indonesia’s seismological agency BMKG put the preliminary magnitude for Tuesday’s quake at 7.4. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), however, put the magnitude at 7.3, down from an earlier reading of 7.6. Both said the earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 12 to 18 kilometers (7 to 11 miles).

Tsunami warnings were immediately issued for nearby coastlines, prompting scores of people to flee to higher ground. The warnings were later downgraded to tsunami advisories, which were canceled at 1:25 p.m. after only small tsunami waves had been recorded.

The USGS estimates that up to 21 million people could have felt Tuesday’s earthquake, of which 347,000 people may have felt “moderate” shaking and “strong” shaking for about 2,000 people. Homes were reportedly damaged on Selayar Island, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.

Indonesia is on the so-called ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent and large earthquakes.

A 9.1-magnitude earthquake, one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded, struck off the west coast of Sumatra in December 2004, causing a massive tsunami that struck countries across the Pacific Ocean. At least 227,898 people were killed.

Source: https://bnonews.com/index.php/2021/12/powerful-quake-southern-indonesia-tsunami-alert-canceled/

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Here are the latest updates:

Update 8:10 a.m. EDT Sept. 24: According to the agency, the second quake, which occurred shortly before 8 a.m. EDT Friday, was centered about 113 miles west-southwest of Adak at a depth of 24.6 miles.

No information about possible damage or injuries was immediately available. Authorities have not issued any tsunami watches or warnings in the area.

Read more here.

Original report: A 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck near Alaska’s Andreanof Islands overnight, the U.S. Geological Survey is reporting.

According to the agency, the quake, which occurred about 3 a.m. EDT Friday, was centered about 113 miles west-southwest of Adak at a depth of 23.6 miles. Officials warned that aftershocks could be on the way.

No information about possible damage or injuries was immediately available. Authorities have not issued any tsunami watches or warnings in the area.

Read more here. https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000fe0g/executive

Source: https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending/alaska-earthquake-magnitude-55-quake-reported-near-andreanof-islands/ZFCZQ6VHRZH7REHZ4FOSEYMU7Q/

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Residents scrambled to higher ground or to evacuate coastal towns late Wednesday and early Thursday after a massive earthquake struck off Alaska’s coast, triggering aftershocks and now-canceled tsunami warnings.

Pat Branson, mayor of Kodiak, the major city of Alaska’s Kodiak Island, told CNN the magnitude 8.2 earthquake was the strongest in the area since the 1960’s. The quake triggered the area’s third evacuation in 18 months.

If the magnitude 8.2 estimate holds, the quake may be the most powerful in North America since a magnitude 8.7 earthquake in Alaska, Brian McNoldy, senior research associate at University of Miami’s Department of Atmospheric Science, said on Twitter.

Wednesday’s quake hit 56 miles east southeast of Perryville, Alaska, at about 8:15 p.m, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake was felt throughout the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak, the Alaska Earthquake Center said.

At least two strong aftershocks with preliminary magnitudes of 6.2 and 5.6 occurred within a half hour of the first quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Based on preliminary seismic data, the earthquake may have caused light to moderate damage and probable moderate shaking.

The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center early Thursday canceled a tsunami warning issued for parts of the state.

“Remember, strong and unusual currents may continue for several hours,” a tweet from the center said. “If you have damage, please report it to your local officials.”

The tsunami warning was canceled after waves of less than one foot arrived onshore, The Anchorage Daily News reported.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center previously issued a notice saying the potential threat to Guam and American Samoa was still under investigation. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center later alerted that no significant tsunami is expected and California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska are “all clear.” A tsunami warning issued for Hawaii was also canceled.

Kodiak police advised residents to move to higher ground following the earthquake and added the local high school was open as an evacuation location.

People took to social media to share videos of themselves evacuating homes and moving to higher ground amid blaring warning sirens.

In Sand Point, Alaska, Patrick Mayer, superintendent of schools for the Aleutians East Borough, told the Anchorage Daily News he was sitting in his kitchen when the shaking started.

“It started to go and just didn’t stop,” he told the newspaper. “It went on for a long time and there were several aftershocks, too. The pantry is empty all over the floor, the fridge is empty all over the floor.”

Mayer said he evacuated to the local school, which was located on higher ground.

Jeremy Zidek, a spokesman for the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, told the newspaper he expects any damage from the earthquake may be revealed later in the morning.

The Anchorage Daily News reported that the earthquake was the third major quake in the area in 13 months.

Alaska is located along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, which is a horseshoe-shaped geological disaster zone and hotbed for tectonic and volcanic activity.

The state was previously hit by the strongest earthquake ever recorded in North America: the 9.2-magnitude Good Friday earthquake in 1964 that led to 131 deaths and $2.3 billion in property loss, according to the USGS.

Contributing: The Associated Press.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alaska earthquake: Tsunami warning lifted after 8.2 magnitude quake

Source: https://news.yahoo.com/alaska-earthquake-may-most-powerful-123242517.html

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The most powerful was an 8.1 quake that hit some 620 miles northeast of New Zealand on Friday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Two earlier quakes registered magnitude 7.4 and magnitude 7.3.

Small tsunami waves were seen later Friday, but there were no reports of serious damage or casualties.

Jennifer Eccles, an earthquake expert at the University of Auckland, said the 8.1 temblor was at the top end of the scale for those involving only the Earth’s ocean crust.

“This is about as big as it gets,” she said.

While the quakes triggered warning systems and caused traffic jams and some chaos in New Zealand as people scrambled to get to higher ground, they did not appear to pose a widespread threat to lives or major infrastructure.

Following the 8.1 quake, civil defense authorities in New Zealand told people in certain areas on the East Coast of the North Island on Friday morning that they should move immediately to higher ground and not stay in their homes. They said a damaging tsunami was possible.

John Fitzgerald, left, scans the horizon from high ground for any sign of a tsunami on Friday near Waitangi, New Zealand. Peter De Graaf/New Zealand Herald Via AP

New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency tweeted, “People near coast from the BAY OF ISLANDS to WHANGAREI, from MATATA to TOLAGA BAY, and GREAT BARRIER ISLAND must MOVE IMMEDIATELY to nearest high ground, out of all tsunami evacuation zones, or as far inland as possible,” they wrote.

“Hope everyone is ok out there,” New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern wrote on Facebook.

A tsunami watch, which had been issued for Hawaii, was canceled Thursday afternoon. There was also no threat to the U.S. West Coast.

Officials in New Zealand had issued an advisory for coastal areas after the first shallow, powerful earthquake struck off its northeastern coast Thursday night.

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A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 has struck a lake along the Russia-Mongolia border, seismologists say. Only few details are currently available.

The earthquake, which struck at 5:33 a.m. local time on Tuesday, was centered in Lake Khövsgöl in northern Mongolia, about 55 kilometers (34 miles) from the border with Russia, or 288 km (179 mi) southwest of Irkutsk.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.8, making it one of the strongest earthquake to ever hit the region around the lake. It struck at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers (6 miles).

The area is not heavily populated but is home to a number of villages near the lake, including Hatgal and Turt, which have a combined population of up to 5,000 people. Details about possible damage or casualties were not immediately known.

A strong 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck just north of Lake Khövsgöl in April 1950, causing damage in nearby villages.More recently, in December 1991, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck to the west of the lake.

If you felt the earthquake, let us know where you are and what you experienced by sending us an email: tips@bnonews.com

This is a breaking news alert. Please check back or follow @BNONews on Twitter as details become available. If you want to receive breaking news alerts by email, click here to sign up. You can also like us on Facebook by clicking here.

Source: https://bnonews.com/index.php/2021/01/strong-earthquake-hits-russia-mongolia-border/

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Until Susie Baker looked up and saw all the hanging aisle signs swinging back and forth.

“Then I thought I heard a sound … and the floor was moving,” said Baker, a checker at the store.

It was the force of the most powerful earthquake to strike the Gem State since 1983, a magnitude 6.5 temblor that jolted people across Idaho and three neighboring states. No injuries or damage were immediately reported.

The quake was centered 73 miles northeast of Meridian, near Boise, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and, for some, conjured up memories of the state’s worst such natural disaster, the 6.9 magnitude Borah Peak earthquake nearly four decades ago that killed two people and resulted in millions in damages, according to the Idaho Geological Survey.

“At first I thought it was thunder, weird thunder, but then the house was moving and I realized this is an earthquake — a really big earthquake,” said Melissa Hawkins, 44, who lives in northwest Boise with her family. “It felt like it was in Boise.”

The prolonged shaking, Hawkins said, brought back childhood memories of the Borah Peak quake, which also hit in a remote part of Idaho but was felt in the capital city. She remembers lights in the house swinging then and saw that same phenomenon Tuesday.

“I was yelling at the kids to get in the doorways. They didn’t know what was going on,” she said.

Elisa Bullock said she and her husband were on their back deck in Boise trying to cut their dog’s nails when the ground began shaking.

“It’s probably the least-safe place in our house and we just stood there,” she said. “When it stopped, I looked at Brandt and yelled, ‘Get in a door jam.’ We will be implementing earthquake drills starting tomorrow.”

There were no initial reports of damage, the Boise Police Department said on Twitter while acknowledging, “Yep we felt it too.”

“Stay safe out there Boise,” the tweet said. “Call us if you need us.”

There were reports that the earthquake was felt in Coeur d’Alene, Twin Falls and Hailey in Idaho; Spokane, Washington; Missoula and Bozeman, Montana; and Salt Lake City in Utah.

“It felt like the whole house was shaking,” said Jim Tracy, 81, who was looking at model airplanes on his computer at a friend’s house in McCall. “It lasted so long I knew that it was a big one.”

Another McCall resident, Linda Humpherys, 73, was stunned by the quake.

“You know how it feels when you are sitting on a plane and someone behind you starts kicking your seat? That’s what I was feeling, but I was on my bed,” she said. “Then the chandelier was shaking back and forth.”

Some 375 miles away in Evaro, Montana, near Missoula, Shannon Patton felt the ground shaking, too.

“I actually thought I was having a dizzy spell, to begin with due to my migraine,” Patton said in an email. “Our light fixtures were shaking and one of our signs on our pantry door almost fell off.”

A 4.8 magnitude aftershock, centered southwest of Challis, followed about an hour later, the USGS said on Twitter. Smaller aftershocks continued into the evening hours.

The Borah Peak earthquake is the largest ever recorded in Idaho — both in magnitude and property damage, according to the IGS. The towns of Challis and Mackay took the brunt, with 11 commercial buildings and 39 private homes suffering major damage.

Contributing: Cherrill Crosby, Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon); Wyatt Buchanan and Alia Rau, Arizona Republic; Steve Coogan, USA TODAY; The Associated Press.

Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/31/earthquake-idaho-the-whole-house-rattling/5100853002/

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A strong 6.9-magnitude earthquake has struck the Kuril Islands off northeastern Japan, seismologists and residents say. Shaking was felt in parts of Hokkaido island but officials said there was no threat of a tsunami.

The earthquake, which struck at 7:33 p.m. Japan time on Thursday, was centered near Etorofu, one of the islands in the Kuril Islands, or 270 kilometers (230 miles) northeast of Nemuro, a city in northeast Japan.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake measured 6.9 and struck at a depth of 142 kilometers (88 miles), making it a relatively deep earthquake. Japan’s Meteorological Agency put the magnitude at 7.0.

Light shaking from the earthquake could be felt on Hokkaido island, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami.

There are 56 islands in the Kuril Islands but most of them are minor rock formations. The islands are part of what is called the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin which is prone to frequent and large earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions also occur frequently.

Source: https://bnonews.com/index.php/2020/02/strong-earthquake-hits-off-northeast-japan-no-tsunami-threat/

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