More Earthquakes

[Christina]

Earthquake strongest for 116 years22/02/2007 5:20:03There are no reports of significant damage following a rare cluster of earthquakes across Auckland, however emergency services were kept busy dealing with alarms which had been triggered.The first quake was recorded at 8.24pm, and measured 3.7 on the Richter scale. The second and most powerful measured 4.5 and occurred at 9pm. It was the largest to hit the city in 116 years. The final was magnitude 3.8 at 11.23pm.Seismologists say the quakes were all located 30 kilometres east of Orewa, at depths ranging from six to 15 kilometres. The 9pm tremor was was unusually shallow at 15kms deep. Dr Bryan Field does not believe the cluster is a precursor for a larger earthquake.http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=112788

 

[Christina]

The observation that crustal stress and the fundamental infrasonic resonant harmonics indicate the Pacific-North American plate boundary is now in a continuous high stress state. As a result, over stepping of stress to many secondary faults is increasing. The offshore California region is currently feeling the effects of this increase. During the past 24 hours, seismic events ranging from M3.1 to M3.7 were epicentered in offshore areas. The first was epicentered in Central California near San Simeon (M3.7). A second small seismic event was epicentered west of La Jolla, CA. Late tonight, another small earthquake was also epicentered near San Simeon, CA. An increase in deep crustal energy at the Pacific Plate's Stress Center. A preliminary M6.7 earthquake epicentered in Molucca, Indonesia seemed to have placed some further emphasis upon this latest observation. The North American Plate Boundary. A nearly four month in duration Rare Nucleation of Stress Event (NSE) continues to be in full effect at the Cajon Pass, which is the heart of a major stress build-up along the (Mojave Segment) Southern San Andreas Fault between Palmdale and San Bernardino, CA. The Northern San Jacinto Fault Zone absorbs much of this stress as it nucleates off the Plate Boundary near Wrightwood, CA.