The 2010 Canterbury earthquake (also known as the Christchurch earthquake) was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on 4 September 2010 local time (16:35 3 September UTC)

The quake caused widespread damage and several power outages, particularly in the city of Christchurch. Two residents were seriously injured, one by a collapsing chimney and a second by flying glass. One person died of a heart attack suffered during the quake, although this could not be directly linked to the earthquake. Mass fatalities were avoided partly due to New Zealand’s strict building codes, although this was also aided by the quake occurring during the night when most people were asleep at home

The earthquake’s epicentre was 40 kilometres (25 mi) west of Christchurch, near the town of Darfield. The hypocentre was at a shallow depth of 10 km. A foreshock of roughly magnitude 5.8 hit five seconds before the main quake, and strong aftershocks have been reported, up to magnitude 5.4. The initial quake lasted about 40 seconds, and was felt widely across the South Island, and in the North Island as far north as New Plymouth. As the epicentre was on land away from the coast, no tsunami occurred

(from wikipedia)

Technorati Tags: canterbury, christchurch, new zealand

Earthquake questions are raised whenever an event has happened, or one predicted.

Earthquakes have enthralled both young and old, from the “great San Francisco” earthquake of 1906, or the tsunami of 2007, to the latest headlines from Haiti and Chile.

The word “earthquake” is generally used to refer to any event caused naturally or by man that creates seismic (shaking) waves generated at geological fault lines but also by volcanic activity and man-made mine blasts and nuclear experiments.

This initial rupture is called the hypocenter. If you throw a rock into a lake, the waves ripple outwards from where the rock entered the water, getting weaker and weaker the farther from the center. This ground level center, in earthquake terms, is called the epicenter which is directly about the hypocenter.

During an earthquake, typically the first seismic wave is a compression wave, which is fast moving and hits with a sudden thump. They are followed a few seconds later by a second kind of seismic wave, a transverse wave, and cause the rocking, swaying, and shaking motions. Quakes are often preceded by foreshocks, or followed by aftershocks, which can be quite damaging and dangerous. They can occur hours or even days before or after the actual earthquake itself.

The size of earthquakes is usually measured using the “Richter” scale (Charles Richter developed this in the 1920s at the California Institute of Technology). It compares the heights of the seismic waves out from the epicenter and quantifies the amount of seismic energy by assigning a single number.

Following is a list of Richter scale numbers with related explanations of their power and an estimate of occurrence (source Wikipedia):

• 2.0 Richter Magnitude: Micro earthquakes, not felt. Approximately 8,000 a day.
• 2.0-2.9 Richter Magnitude: Usually not felt, but recorded. About 1,000 a day
• 3.0-3.9 Richter Magnitude: Often felt, but infrequently cause damage. 49,000 a year.
• 4.0-4.9 Richter Magnitude: Noticeable shaking of indoor items, rattling noises but little likelihood of significant damage. 6,200 a year.
• 5.0-5.9 Richter Magnitude: Can cause major damage to poorly-constructed buildings over restricted regions (unlikely to cause more than slight damage to well-designed buildings). 800 a year.
• 6.0-6.9 Richter Magnitude: Destructive in areas up to about 100 miles across in populated areas. 120 a year.
• 7.0-7.9 Richter Magnitude: Usually cause serious damage over larger areas. 18 a year.
• 8.0-8.9 Richter Magnitude: Can cause very serious damage in areas several hundred miles across. 1 a year.
• 9.0-9.9 Richter Magnitude: Devastating in areas several thousand miles across. 1 per 20 years.
• 10.0+ Richter Magnitude: Of epic proportions. Never recorded.

Here are some well-known earthquakes, and their approximate Richter scale magnitudes:

• 0.5 Magnitude Equals The Power Of A Large Hand Grenade (approx.)
• 3.5 Magnitude Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, 1986
• 6.9 Magnitude San Francisco Bay Area Earthquake (CA, USA), 1989
• 8.0 Magnitude San Francisco Earthquake (CA, USA), 1906
• 8.5 Magnitude Sumatra Earthquake (Indonesia), 2007
• 9.5 Magnitude Valdivia Earthquake (Chile), 1960 (251 ZJ in this case)
• 10.0 Magnitude Never Recorded

This site will address other questions and answers about earthquakes.

Haiti earthquake is once gain nature’s fury. Does it gotta do anything with global warming?.. and where was the more casualities ever recorded after natural disaster??

Technorati Tags: casualities, earthquake, global warming, haiti, natural disaster

With hurricane season upon us, news reports have explained what BP plans to do if a hurricane hits the gulf area by evacuating the area. However, no one has explained what happens to the oil in the gulf itself when a hurricane passes through. Specifically, would the hurricane suck up the oil into it’s twister and potentially bring it further inland than the already oil-soaked beaches?

Technorati Tags: beaches, bp, gulf area, hurricane season, news reports, twister

Are new buildings built to withstand earthquakes??

Technorati Tags: earthquakes, new buildings

How is the magnitude of an earthquake recorded?

If you can answer, could you try to do it like an excellence/A+ style question, using the words ‘seismograph’ and ‘seismogram.’

Technorati Tags: earthquake, magnitude, seismogram, seismograph, style question

I’ve heard that maybe the Plum River Fault Line does, but I can’t find anything to back that up. If you could site your source(s) that would be great! Thanks!

Technorati Tags: fault line, plum river

If an iron core asteroid the size of mount everest hit the middle of pacific ocean, how far inland into california coast will the tidal wave go?
Ok,Ok, tsunami

Technorati Tags: california coast, iron core, mount everest, pacific ocean, tidal wave, Tsunami

I have always wondered that.

What was the name of the hurricane?
To make this question easier to find online, I’m noting for a search engine to find: Another form of this question is: What is the furthest north a hurricane has gone?

Technorati Tags: furthest north, Hurricane, search engine

I liove in Bowie MD.Should I move to higher ground because of hurricane earl?Should I pack food and supplies for a month?Should I fill my car up with fuel?

Technorati Tags: bowie md, higher ground, hurricane earl

A professor once told me that in Europe they used to measure Earthquakes by the reactions of the animals

Technorati Tags: animals, earthquakes, europe

How are earthquake proof buildings constructed and how do they work? What are the advantages of them and how do we work through the disadvantages?

Thank You

Technorati Tags: earthquake proof

destination of the cruise Ex: a cruise ship scheduled to leave Baltimore this past Saturday heading to Bermuda where a hurricane is in progress at this time. Is the trip cancelled, diverted to another destination or does it cruise on as scheduled ?

Technorati Tags: bermuda, cruise ship, Hurricane

How do you find out? Is a warning just letting you know there might be a tornado, or that there WILL be a tornado??
Whats the delay between a warning and the tornado hitting?

Im English. And i love tornadoes

Technorati Tags: Tornado, tornadoes

Thank you for answering

Could the Philadelphia area sustain a cat 3
hurricane? Has it ever happened before? What
are the chances of that happening?

Technorati Tags: cat 3, Hurricane, philadelphia area

High rise buildings like Taipei 101 and recently Burj Khalifa … etc how these big buildings protect themselves from earthquake of small range. what must civil engineers do to prevent this shaking.

Technorati Tags: civil engineers, earthquake, high rise buildings, khalifa, taipei 101

Please give me at least three examples. Except for the seismograph(seismic waves), echo sounding, and geophysics.. Please give me other than that. I need it for my homework. Please.

Technorati Tags: homework, least three examples, seismic waves, seismograph

I know there is a word for a forming tornado, its not a tornado yet cause it hasn’t touched the ground. Does anyone know the word?

Technorati Tags: Tornado

anwser as quick as you you can type it is homework

Technorati Tags: homework

I want to help people … disaster relief or counsel. I wouldn’t expect money but maybe food and board. Are there any companies, ministries, organizations I can do that with? I am 35 year old office worker and most programs appear to be for young people.

Technorati Tags: disaster relief, money, office worker

we were give a puzzle problem to solve and here it is..

"And the Earth Moved"
Seismographs are sensitive instrument for detecting earthquakes. They consists of large mass suspended by springs. When an earthquake happens, the disturbance travels through the earth, making the instrument vibrate. However, the mass tends not to move because of its inertia. This difference in movement is simplified and written out as a trace.

can you explain why most places in the world receive two traces for each single earthquake event? Can you also explain why a few places detect only one?

Thanks in advance

Technorati Tags: earth, earthquake, earthquakes, inertia, places in the world, puzzle, seismographs, sensitive instrument, thanks in advance, traces

i have this dream i was in a beach and seeing a dark skies and wind so strong it is start to make a tidal wave. all the people in the beach were running but i was just cant move. i was standing watching the wave being then i saw my crush (well i was to proposed to her in real life but she likes someone else) then we just stared and i look back and saw the waters rushing towards me. what does this mean..?

Technorati Tags: cant move, dark skies, tidal wave

So I’m 13 and I’ve tried to edit this ( I’ve tried to put some commas in as well) I’m wondering if it catches your attention it’s supposed to be the beginning of my story but I’m kind of unsure of it. Is it good or bad? By the way if your a very hard core religious person I’d suggest you don’t read this.

“ You don’t know how hard it is! My wives always die!” Satan pouted.
“ So? Is it my fault that you take a fancy to mortal women!” God muttered back.
I stood there stiff, and as still as a statue holding their tray of delicious smelling cakes, and serving them hot, steaming tea.
I wondered if the two ever got tired of bickering. It was always the same nonsense “ You never pay me enough respect.”, “ You forgot to bow when passing by my statue!” or “ The mortals find me more handsomer than you.” A million years, and their bickering never seized.

Every decade the two would meet up for a “friendly” meeting. Discussing how life was, who was there latest wife, and of course how humanity would survive and progress which wasn’t as important as the other subjects. I was just the small angelic maid who stood there, not moving or breathing serving tea.

It wasn’t the best job in fact, I had nothing to brag about however, I was paid pretty well. The only down side was having to stand there and listen to their constant arguing.
“ I never get to have any new prophets or messiahs.” complained Satan.
“ That’s because you don’t need any. Your prophets are too powerful! The last on almost caused the earthquake in Haiti last January!” God explained wearily. “ I’m the one who needs the prophet!”
“ You sicken me the least you could do is grant me the simple wish of giving me a prophet!”
“ In your dreams!”
They were arguing again soon they’d be yelling I thought grimly. Though I was forbidden to speak much or mess with the argument or try to split it up much less.
“ I never wanted to be lord of the dead! I told you all I wanted was to have a huge empire!” He yelled back at God.
“ Oh sorry mister I need it all. You should have taken my offer I presented you to become one of my angels wouldn’t that have been enough for you?” God questioned I could see in his eyes he was losing patience.” Anyways you sinned.” he added a moment later.
“ Oh well I didn’t want to be considered one of the thousands of archangels of yours!”
They began yelling about prophets and, who should really be granted the messiah. I began to lose patience this wasn’t a peaceful meeting this was more like a war meeting.
“ Maybe you should both get a prophet. Twins.” I couldn’t believe it but I found the words easily slipping out of my mouth. The two froze having heard me. Realizing I’d broken one of my rules I nervously stuttered “ S-sorry my lords I meant more tea.”
“ Now that doesn’t sound like an awful idea Abigail” God said he stroked his beard.
“ Sounds pretty good to me.” Satan agreed.
A nervous sigh of relief escaped my lips so I wasn’t going to be terribly punished after all. That was how the birth of Elisabeth and Jason Hope was decided. Two unknowing but powerful messiah’s. I should have felt great but I knew that the fate I’d bestowed on them with that one outspoken comment.
Would forever haunt me.

Technorati Tags: cakes, commas, decade, dreams, earthquake, god, haiti, job, messiahs, million years, mortal women, mortals, nonsense, prophet, prophets, religious person, satan, simple wish, tea

Do you think there are buildings in China that can hold 9 Richter magnitude??! can you give pictures do these buildings? when I said building I don’t mean Stonehenge or the Pyramids I mean somewhere where people live and it’s at least 15 meters height.
kay kay, I really do believe your information is not correct. In China , new expensive buildings should be able to take at least 7!

Technorati Tags: china, kay kay, pyramids, richter magnitude, stonehenge