Magnitude-7.0 quake strikes Aegean Sea
A strong earthquake rattled Turkey and Greece today, causing significant damage and a tsunami that flooded parts of Seferihisar, Turkey, and the Greek island of Samos. By Jennifer Schmidt, …
M 7.0 quake rattles Turkey and Greece
A M 7.0 earthquake rattled Western Turkey and Eastern Greece today. The epicenter is located within the Aegean Sea, north of Samos. Reports of severe damaged in Izmir. …
Two moderate quakes rattle Batangas City
M5.0 and M4.4 quakes struck near Batangas City in the Philippines this morning. The region is at risk of strong shaking according to Temblor’s hazard model. The nearby 1994 …
Alaska’s double quakes exceed expectations
Last week’s magnitude-7.6 Alaska quake raises questions about the nature of aftershocks. By Elisabeth Nadin, Ph.D., Associate Professor, University of Alaska Fairbanks Citation: Nadin, E., 2020, Alaska’s double …
Large quakes make rocks jump
During large quakes, rocks can jump or shift from their initial locations. How far they traveled tells scientists how much the ground moved during rupture. By Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ph. …
Ridgecrest quake shook tall LA buildings up to 4 times more than expected
Ground motions in Los Angeles Basin show up to four times greater shaking than expected from the Ridgecrest earthquake. by Laura Fattaruso, M.S., Ph.D. Candidate, UMass Amherst (@labtalk_laura) …
Aleutian 12 month earthquake forecast
In the wake of the recent M7.8 and M7.6 earthquakes in Alaska, Temblor issued an earthquake forecast for the next 12 months, based on the background quake rate and …
Earthquake hazard maps may overestimate shaking dangers
Scientists working on the California Historical Intensity Mapping Project compare quake-shaking forecasts to measured shaking intensity, with some surprising results. By Julie Pierce Onos (@JuliePierceOnos) Citation: Pierce Onos, …
How do people use aftershock forecasts? The survey says…
Surveys reveal how different stakeholders used aftershock forecasts following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake in New Zealand. By D’Maia Curry, freelance science writer Citation: Curry, D., 2020, How do people …
M7.5 quake in Aleutian Islands
A M7.5 quake struck off the coast of Sand Point, Alaska today, triggering a tsunami warning for much of the Aleutian Islands. The quake struck in the middle of …
A ShakeOut focus on resilience
As millions of people participate in earthquake drills as part of the ShakeOut, resilience experts note the importance of preparation, especially for businesses. A new resilience webinar series was announced. …
Orta şiddetli deprem Orta Anadolu’da (Türkiye) büyük bir makaslama zonunun bulunduğunu hatırlatıyor
Orta Anadolu’nun (Türkiye) oldukça büyük bir bölümünü kesen hipotetik bir makaslama zonunda orta şiddette bir deprem oldu. Haluk Eyidoğan, Ph.D., Sismoloji Profesörü, İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi Citation: Eyidoğan, H., …
Moderate quake indicates large shear zone present in Central Turkey
A moderate quake struck on a hypothetical shear zone that cuts through a sizable portion of Central Turkey. By: Haluk Eyidoğan, Ph.D., Professor of Seismology, İstanbul Technical University …
Earthquake swarm rattles ground near new Calaveras Dam
A series of small earthquakes near the recently built Calaveras Dam replacement is a reminder of the significant seismic hazard at the new dam site. By Melissa L. Weber, …
Opinion: What fighting California wildfires teaches us about earthquake response
Ross Stein tells a story of how a group of residents saved their neighborhood from the recent CZU Lightening Complex Fire in this 3.5-minute video. By Ross Stein, Ph.D., …
Moderate quake rattles Los Angeles: A Q&A with Egill Hauksson and John Shaw
Two leading geoscientists weigh in on what the Sept. 18, magnitude-4.5 earthquake means for Los Angeles. “[This quake] tells us there may be even more active faults below the surface …
California’s Salton Sea rumbles again
An earthquake swarm south of the Salton Sea fired off hundreds of quakes in the past 24 hours, including a magnitude-4.9 jolt felt as far away as San Diego. …
Earthquake swarm near Salton Sea
A vigorous seismic swarm is in progress in the Brawley Seismic Zone, a fault band that connects the Imperial Fault with the San Andreas. The Zone has a history …
Himalayan range awaits large quakes
The faults bounding the Himalayan range front could produce great earthquakes, similar to those which struck the Aleutian arc during the twentieth century. By Akash Kharita, Indian Institute of …
Fault ‘scratches’ offer clues to rupture direction
Researchers have discovered a pattern in slickenlines — scratches on fault surfaces — that can be used to determine which way a fault ruptured in a past earthquake. By …
Ocean acoustics confirm rising sea temperatures
Researchers devised a way to measure changes in ocean temperature using earthquakes. By mining historical seismic records, researchers got a glimpse of past ocean trends. By Shi En Kim …
M 5.3 in Central Turkey
A M5.3 quake struck Central Turkey this evening. Although the area has been relatively seismically quiet in the last century compared to other parts of the country, strong earthquakes …
M 4.5 in Southern California
A M4.5 shock rattled Southern California last night. Reports of shaking reached San Diego. The epicenter lies just a few miles from that of the damaging 1987 Whittier Narrows …
Preparing for an earthquake during a pandemic
COVID-19 infection rates would rise if a large earthquake occurred during the pandemic. Researchers say that the number of resulting new cases depends on whether authorities prepare now. By …
M 4.3 in western Turkey
A M4.3 quake shook western Turkey today. This event lies near the eastern tip of the 1912 M7.4 Ganos earthquake rupture area, a site perhaps brought closer to failure …
Baja quakes highlight seismic risk in northern Mexico
A magnitude-5.1 earthquake that recently occurred in Baja California, Mexico was felt as far as Los Angeles, California. What is the seismic risk imposed by the faults in Baja California? …
M 6.4 quake strikes Davao, Philippines
A M6.4 quake shook the island of Mindanao in the Philippines this evening. The quake struck just offshore. In December of last year, the nearby onshore M6.8 Davao del …
M 6.3 in Chile
A M 6.3 quake struck 40 km northwest of Ovalle, Chile this evening. The strong quake came on the heels of a M 6.8 shock that occurred last week …
M 6.8 in central Chile
A shallow M 6.8 quake rocked central Chile today. Several aftershocks have followed so far. M 7.0+ quakes are common in this region, which sits above the Peru-Chile Trench, …
The Great Quake Debate: an interview with seismologist and author Susan Hough
In the early 1900s, debate raged about Southern California’s earthquake risk. Intrigued by the adversaries, seismologist Susan Hough wrote a book about it. By Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ph.D (@DrAlkaTrip) …
M 4.5 quake in Jamaica
Some residents in central Jamaica were jolted awake this morning when a M4.5 quake struck the Island. Several faults — mostly strike slip — cut the region and occasionally …
Seismic sensors on the ground record auroras in the sky
A recent study shows that seismometers on the ground are behaving like magnetometers that record auroral activity in Alaska. By Jeng Hann Chong, Cal State University Northridge Citation: …
M 5.3 quake strikes Costa Rican coast
A M 5.3 quake shook the Pacific coast of Costa Rica today and was felt throughout the country. The region has hosted M 7+ quakes in the recent past …
Rural areas may suffer disproportionately in quakes
Location matters: Seismologists studying historical casualty estimates after large earthquakes suggest future rescue efforts should look for rural-area victims. By Melissa L. Weber, MA (@Melwriter) Citation: Weber, M., …
Pair of quakes strikes offshore Sumatra
A pair of earthquakes struck offshore Sumatra today. The first, a M 6.8, was followed by a M 6.9 approximately 6 minutes later. Both quakes likely struck along the …
M 6.6 quake in Samar
A M 6.6 quake struck in Samar, Philippines this morning. Some damage had been reported in nearby areas. The strike slip quake likely originated along a section of the Philippine …
Ground vibrations in the time of coronavirus
The quieting of seismic noise during the coronavirus lockdown may help scientists understand Earth’s natural vibrations. By Elizabeth Goldbaum, Science Writer (@EFGoldbaum) Citation: Goldbaum, E., 2020, Ground vibrations …
Rapid climate change caused Las Vegas fault to shake
A fault that lies beneath north Las Vegas has now been shown to have tectonic origins — with implications for seismic hazards in Las Vegas. New research reveals when and …
Salton Sea Swarm quiets down
An earthquake swarm under the Salton Sea appears to be calming down after a day, but scientists continue to keep a close eye on the region.
M 6.0 offshore Tanzania
Earthquakes are not uncommon in the East African Rift Zone, often originating, as in the case of today’s M6.0 offshore Tanzania, on a secondary branch of the rift. Shaking …
Salton Sea swarm continues
Some 26 hours after the M 4.6, the Bombay Beach seismic swarm continues. But more surprising is that much of the Brawley Seismic Zone, and parts of all the …
Swarm-like earthquake event strikes Southern California
A series of earthquakes have struck in the Salton Sea in Southern California. Events like this have occurred four times in the last 20 years. They are all swarm-like …
Magnitude-5.1 earthquake rattles southeastern U.S.
Yesterday’s magnitude-5.1 quake in western North Carolina was felt throughout the southeastern U.S. Although it came as a shock, a quake of this magnitude is not unexpected. By John …
M 5.1 rattles eastern U.S.
A M 5.1 earthquake rattled parts of the eastern US today. The quake struck outside of Sparta, North Carolina. Moderate magnitude quakes are not rare in this part of …
Some tectonic plates ‘wobble’ before major earthquakes
Scientists are getting new clues about seismic activity before large earthquakes along subduction zones by measuring tectonic wobbles in Japan and Chile. By Chelsea Scott, Ph.D., Assistant Research Scientist, …
M 5.1 aftershock in Puerto Rico
Aftershocks continue off the southern shore of Puerto Rico following a M6.4 quake in January of this year. Today, a M5.1 quake struck offshore, in an area that has …
Honshu quake swarm continues
A M5.4 quake struck off shore Japan yesterday. This quake is part of a continuing swarm of M5.0+ shocks along Honshu that began earlier this year, extending from Tokyo …
Fault geometry plays a role in San Andreas ruptures
Computer simulations help researchers understand the range of possible outcomes of a rupture when key details of the San Andreas Fault are still unknown. By: Shi En Kim (@goes_by_kim) …
Does Alaska’s magnitude-7.8 Simeonof earthquake finally close a seismic gap?
A magnitude-7.8 quake struck near the mostly uninhabited Shumagin Islands on July 22, 2020, potentially closing a large seismic gap along the Aleutian trench. By Elisabeth Nadin, Associate Professor, …
M 4.2 in San Fernando
Today’s M 4.2 quake likely struck on a ‘tear fault’ that connects portions of the 1971 San Fernando earthquake rupture. Today’s event is strike-slip, whereas the 1971 event was …
Hydrated oceanic crust supports benign plate movement at subduction zones
New research suggests that water-rich rocks present along subduction zone boundaries may cause these areas to ‘creep’ along without generating earthquakes. By Melanie Chan, @mellojellochan Citation: Chan, M. …
M 7.8 Aleutian Islands quake
A M 7.8 quake shook the Aleutian Islands this morning. The Alaska earthquake likely occurred along the subduction interface. The Aleutian arc is no stranger to large quakes, having …
M 4.2 in Central Visayas, Philippines
A shallow M 4.2 quake shook Cebu City, Central Visayas on July 17th. The region is at elevated risk of strong shaking, according to Temblor’s models. The M 7.1 …
Ancient rock structures guided rupture pathway in Australian quake
A recent study finds that ancient rock structures in Australia that formed over 500 million years ago determined the pathway of a 2016 earthquake. By Helen Santoro, freelance science …
Ridgecrest earthquakes could cause a San Andreas chain reaction
The 2019 Ridgecrest quakes stressed the Garlock Fault. If it ruptured in a large shock, it would likely trigger a San Andreas earthquake north of Los Angeles. By Ross …
M 5.1 quake in Venezuela
A shallow magnitude-5.1 earthquake struck the Boconó Fault in Venezuela today, and was felt as far away as Caracas. This right-lateral transform fault ruptured in large, damaging earthquakes 6 …
Earthquake swarm in central Idaho
A swarm of earthquakes has shaken central Idaho over the past month, with two M4.0 quakes striking in the past 24 hours. This region has seen large quakes in …
M 5.1 quake in NE Colombia
A M 5.1 quake struck NE Colombia tonight. This quake is likely another event in the “Bucaramanga nest,” one of the highest concentrations of intermediate depth seismicity in the …
Crowdsourcing Earthquake Early Warning Systems
Smartphone usage may provide a global earthquake early warning system through crowdsourced motion detection with the MyShake app. By Melissa L Weber, M.A., freelance science writer (@Melwriter) Citation: …
M 6.6 quake offshore Java
A deep M 6.6 quake struck north of Java today. Shaking was felt throughout the island. The quake was deep enough to lie on the megathrust. Although likely unrelated, …
Subducting plate angle dictates tsunami threat during large earthquakes
Researchers link subducting plate angle to earthquake events that produce larger than normal tsunamis — helpful information for future tsunami risk awareness. By: Danielle Woodring, M.S., structural geologist/science writer …
Tree rings and statistics team up to date earthquakes
A recent paleoseismic study used a new method to identify the timing of past earthquakes that occurred in the Monterey Bay area prior to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. …
Imaging from 22,000 small earthquakes reveals fault zone intricacies
New high-res 3D images of a fault zone show how fluid movement causes an earthquake swarm. By Julie Pierce Onos (@JuliePierceOnos) Citation: Pierce Onos, J. 2020, Imaging from …
Magnitude-5.9 quake is the latest and largest in Tokyo seismic swarm
Six magnitude-5.0+ shocks have struck greater Tokyo since April 1st, part of a larger swarm that extends north to Hokkaido, at a rate that is about three times higher than …
El temblor de la Crucecita demuestra el riesgo a la ocurrencia de Terremotos en México
Durante esta semana, un terremoto de magnitud 7.4 golpeó la costa del estado de Oaxaca, México. Al igual que eventos previos, este terremoto demuestra la existencia de un complejo sistema …
La Crucecita earthquake illustrates quake risk in México
A magnitude-7.4 quake struck just offshore of Oaxaca, México this week. This and previous quakes highlight complex faulting and remind us of earthquake risk in the area. By Aaron …
M 5.8 near Lone Pine, CA
A M 5.8 quake struck today near the southern end of the Owens Valley Fault Zone. Retrospectively, it appears yesterday’s nearby M 4.6 quake was a foreshock. The damaging …
Oaxaca shaken by M 7.4 quake
Today’s M 7.4 megathrust Oaxaca Earthquake was likely promoted by the deeper 2017 M 8.2 Tehauntepec quake. Here is the forecast Temblor submitted to the Willis Research Network in …
Don’t panic, prepare! Delhi earthquakes remind citizens of risk
By Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ph.D (@DrAlkaTrip) Delhi’s citizens anxiously await a bigger shock during an ongoing swarm-like earthquake sequence, though swarms rarely include a larger event. Citation Tripathy-Lang, Alka, …
M 5.0 offshore Java
The Yogyakarta region of Indonesia was shaken by a M 5.0 quake at 2:33 am local time. The deep quake struck ~75 km offshore. Parts of Java is at …
M 4.2 near Perry, Oklahoma
A M 4.2 quake hit near Perry, Oklahoma last night. This is not unexpected in this region. Oklahoma has experienced several M 4+ earthquakes per year, including a M …
Temblor Stands with Black Lives Matter
By Ross S. Stein and Volkan Sevilgen Temblor was founded on the principle that everyone, everywhere, should be able to learn their seismic risk. For the safety and financial …
Magnitude-5.9 quake strikes the eastern end of the North Anatolian Fault
By: Haluk Eyidoğan, Ph.D., Professor of Seismology, Istanbul Technical University A moderate earthquake struck the Bingöl province in eastern Turkey on Sunday. The quake occurred at the intersection between …
M 5.9 quake in eastern Turkey
A M 5.9 quake struck eastern Turkey today. The quake occurred near the intersection of the Eastern and Northern Anatolian Faults. A M 6.8 quake occurred nearby in 1949, …
M 5.2 in western India
A M 5.2 quake struck in western India today. The quake appears to be a late aftershock of the M 7.7 Gujarat (Bhuj) earthquake in 2001. This aftershock is …
Five Puget Sound cities likely to feel strong shaking in a megaquake
By: Ian Stone, Ph.D. candidate, University of Washington (@NoisyRocks) Cascadia has experienced major earthquakes in the past. Should another occur today, the region’s cities would feel intense shaking — …
Challenges of earthquake early warning
By: Miguel Neves, Ph.D. Candidate, Georgia Institute of Technology (@Waves2Miguel) A new study examines the challenges of earthquake early warning systems, such as latency, and how to improve the …
M 5.2 in Elâzığ, Turkey
A M 5.2 aftershock struck the Elâzığ region in Eastern Turkey today. The region experienced a damaging M 6.8 quake in January. Today’s quake is just one of several …
M 5.5 Ridgecrest aftershock
Today, the largest aftershock of the 2019 M7.1 Ridgecrest sequence since July 6 struck at the south end of the rupture zone. It’s likely a right-lateral strike-slip earthquake, perhaps …
Apparent earthquake swarm in Delhi area
An apparent seismic swarm is in progress near Delhi. The quakes are not occurring on any known fault, and depths are uncertain. Swarms like this are not typically followed …
Deep M 6.8 quake ENE of Antofagasta
An ~90km deep M6.8 quake struck in Chile today. It seems to have originated on the slab interface, according to the USGS Slab2 model. But, the focal mechanism is …
M 4.7 quake strikes offshore Haiti
A shallow M 4.7 quake struck today on the Septentrional Fault off Cap-Hatien in northern Haiti. Though small, two great quakes likely ruptured the fault in 1842 and 1887. …
M 4.6 earthquake near New Delhi
A M 4.6 quake struck northwest of India’s capital, New Delhi today. The region experienced a widely felt M 3.8 in April. Today’s shock occurred beneath the Delhi-Hardwar ridge, …
Fiber-optic cables help track soil properties, liquefaction potential
By: Shi En Kim (@goes_by_kim) Researchers repurpose underground fiber-optic cables for measuring soil properties in urban areas, which helps scientists determine how the soils — and thus the buildings …
M 5.6 quake and 5.0 aftershock strike New Zealand
Two large earthquakes struck offshore New Zealand over the weekend. The region hosts a number of large faults capable of generating major quakes. The South Island is transected by the …
M6.5 Tonopah event ruptured two faults
The M 6.5 Tonopah event appears to include a main left-lateral rupture on an E-W fault, and a secondary right-lateral rupture on a N-S Fault. This type of sequence, termed …
M5.0 quake in the Philippines
A M5.0 quake struck just off the eastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines at a depth of approx 48 km according to the USGS. The region lies wedged between …
M 4.8 quake rattles Santiago
A widely-felt magnitude-4.8 earthquake ruptured at the southern edge of Santiago today. The event likely struck on the megathrust that lies 90 km beneath Santiago. …
Tonopah quake likely occurred on left-lateral fault
It is beginning to appear that a 20-25 km long left-lateral strike-slip fault, perhaps fully unmapped before the earthquake, is responsible for the 15 May rupture. There is just one …
Implications of the Tonopah magnitude-6.5 earthquake for worldwide seismic hazard assessment
By: Ross S. Stein, Ph.D. (Temblor, Inc., CEO) Shinji Toda, Ph.D. (International Research Institute for Disaster Science, Tohoku University) Volkan Sevilgen, M.Sc. (Temblor, Inc., CTO) The magnitude-6.5 quake provides …
Magnitude-6.5 earthquake rattles Nevada and California
By Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ph.D (@DrAlkaTrip) A shallow earthquake struck near the California-Nevada border in the early morning hours on May 15, 2020, waking people as far away as the …
Strong Nevada earthquake felt in San Francisco Bay Area, Bakersfield and Las Vegas
A magnitude-6.5 quake struck a remote part of Nevada today, but was felt in the San Francisco Bay area, Bakersfield, and Las Vegas. Based on its aftershocks and focal mechanism, the event probably struck on an unnamed left-lateral fault, or perhaps the Emigrant Peak Fault.
Seismic hazard increased following 2019 Ridgecrest event
By: Christian Fogerty, Science Writer (@ChristianFoger1) Seismologists used a recently developed model to forecast aftershocks following the recent Ridgecrest earthquake sequence. Their findings revealed a short-term increase in seismic …
Earthquake swarm underway beneath Greater Tokyo
Yesterday’s M5.8 is the latest in a series of M5+ quakes to rattle greater #Tokyo since the beginning of the year. The long-term rate of M5+ quakes within 100 km …
M 5.3 quake in Philippines
Three widely felt earthquakes shook the Philippines today, but it’s unclear if they triggered each other. They appear to have struck on the twin subduction zones that formed the islands. …
M 5.6 quake in Japan
Another quake struck beneath the Tokyo metro region just after 10 pm local time on May 4th. This quake, a M 5.6, is the latest in a swarm that has …
M 3.3 in Los Angeles Metro
A M 3.3 quake rattled parts of the northern Los Angeles metro area last night. The region is at risk of strong shaking, according to Temblor’s models. Los Angeles has …
M 5.3 offshore Puerto Rico
A series of M 4+ aftershocks struck this morning off shore of Puerto Rico, south of Ponce, with the largest being a M 5.3. These quakes follow the M 6.4 …
M 6.6 earthquake offshore Crete
Today’s magnitude-6.6 was far enough offshore to cause no damage. But this thrust event likely struck on or just above the Hellenic Arc megathrust zone, which ruptured in AD 365 …
Volcanic lightning helps aviators avoid hazardous ash
By Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ph.D. (@DrAlkaTrip) A remote Alaskan volcano erupted for nine months, repeatedly disrupting aviation traffic. How can lightning help minimize ash hazards for aircraft? Citation Tripathy-Lang, …