Representation matters in earthquake ‘felt reports’
Earthquake ‘felt reports’ can help determine where critical resources should be sent after a major quake. But these accounts may be biased toward those who have the means to report. …
Temblor Earthquake News
Magnitude-4.0 quake strikes in major Los Angeles fault zone
The Newport-Inglewood Fault Zone is the likely source of yesterday’s early morning quake that rattled many in the Los Angeles metro region. By Jennifer Schmidt, Ph. D., Temblor Earthquake …
Who is most vulnerable during a major Northern California earthquake?
A study shows that the most socioeconomically vulnerable communities in California are also most vulnerable to earthquakes; they’re likely to experience the greatest damage. By Olivia Box (@oliviafaybox) …
Exótica secuencia de terremotos observada en Nueva Zelanda
La misteriosa serie de terremotos ocurridos recientemente al norte de Nueva Zelanda pudo haber sido el resultado de una forma particular de activación de sismicidad. Por Héctor González-Huizar, Ph.D., …
Disappearance of ancient lake may explain earthquake gap in Southern California
New models add to the evidence that stress changes from prehistoric Lake Cahuilla helped trigger past large earthquakes. By Laura Fattaruso, M.S., Ph.D. Candidate, UMass Amherst (@labtalk_laura) Citation: …
High-rises at risk: Building codes underestimate Vancouver’s seismic hazard
State of the art simulations reveal that Vancouver’s tall concrete buildings are especially vulnerable to some types of seismic waves. By Shi En Kim (@goes_by_kim) Citation: Kim, S. …
New Zealand sees exotic earthquake sequence
A mystifying series of earthquakes that struck north of New Zealand last week may have resulted from a unique form of seismic triggering. By Hector Gonzalez-Huizar, Ph.D., Ensenada Center …
Oregon activates mobile earthquake warning system
“ShakeAlert,” the earthquake early warning program, is set to deliver alerts to the public in Oregon via mobile devices starting today. By Mariah C. Hoskins, Ph.D., Science Writer (@DrMCHoskins) …
Supercomputer creates over 700,000 years of simulated earthquakes
Researchers used supercomputers to create millennia of simulated earthquakes in Southern California, then studied what hazard these quakes might create. By Lauren Milideo, Ph.D., science writer (@lwritesscience) Citation: …
Connecting faults improves earthquake forecasting models
A recent study shows that seismic hazard analyses can be improved by connecting more faults in an earthquake forecasting model. By Jeng Hann Chong, Cal State University Northridge …
Petrinja earthquake moved crust 10 feet
A preliminary analysis shows that the fault that slipped in December’s destructive magnitude-6.4 Petrinja earthquake slipped about 10 feet (three meters). By Athanassios Ganas, National Observatory of Athens, Institute …
Earthquake lightning is grounded in rock slides
Recent lab experiments show that flashes of light seen during earthquakes come from rocks that fracture during landslides caused by shaking ground. By Melissa L. Weber, science writer (@Melwriter) …
Fuerte terremoto sacudió a San Juan
Un terremoto de magnitud-6.4 ocurrió cerca de San Juan, Argentina esta semana, pocos días después de que la ciudad conmemorara un nuevo aniversario del sismo que destruyera la ciudad 77 …
Strong quake rattles San Juan
A magnitude-6.4 earthquake struck near San Juan, Argentina, this week, just days after the city commemorated a destructive earthquake three quarters of a century earlier. By Carlos Costa, Ph.D., …
Fault slip angles reveal continuum of earthquake rupture speeds
Researchers show how a range of fault slip angles explains the observed continuum of earthquake rupture speeds, even those thought forbidden by classic theory. By Mariah C. Hoskins, Ph.D., …
The Central San Andreas creeps along without a major earthquake
Between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the San Andreas Fault releases stress by gradual movement. Scientists calculate fault slip from offset topography and discuss seismic hazard. By Chelsea …
Modern Modeling Determines Magnitudes of Historic Earthquakes
Researchers used a modeling approach to study the magnitudes of California’s largest historical earthquakes, finding that the 1906 San Francisco quake was magnitude-7.9. By Lauren Milideo, Ph.D., science writer …
Stress analysis shows slight increase in seismic hazard near Zagreb
We find that the Petrinja earthquake raised the chances of another large, damaging shock nearer to Zagreb by a factor of three, but the probability is still low, at about …
M 3.6 in San Francisco Bay Area
A M3.6 earthquake rattled the San Francisco Bay Area early this morning. The quake struck ~7 miles offshore and USGS data suggest that it accommodated right lateral strike slip …
Croatian earthquake causes significant damage
A magnitude-6.4 earthquake rattled Central Croatia on Tuesday, Dec. 29. Reports of significant damage highlight vulnerable construction in the region. By: Nenad Bijelić, Ph.D., EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de …
M 6.4 quake strikes Croatia
A damaging M6.4 earthquake rattled Croatia today, centered near Petrinja. It appears to have struck on a strike slip fault. This quake came a day after a M5.2 quake …
Kīlauea starts new eruptive cycle with a lava show
Kīlauea Volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii reawakened on Dec. 20 with a flourish, fountaining lava in its summit crater. Temblor talks with volcanologist Michael Poland about what the …
When preparing for earthquakes, don’t forget the small ones
A recent study concludes that small- to moderate-sized earthquakes are greater contributors to earthquake hazard and risk than large earthquakes. By D’Maia Curry, freelance science writer Citation: Curry, …
Dispatches from AGU
Friday’s coverage of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2020 Fall Meeting focuses on preparing for cascading hazards, searching for unusual subduction zone earthquakes and helping illuminate earthquake hazard in Haiti. …
American Geophysical Union meeting brings student research to light
Welcome to Temblor’s coverage of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2020 Fall Meeting! Today (Thursday, December 10, for those keeping track), we focus on student-led research that our readers might …
M6.1 earthquake in Taiwan
A M6.1 earthquake struck Taiwan late last night off the island’s eastern coast. Shaking was felt as far away as Hong Kong. The region sits on a relatively complex …
Surface deformation observed in moderate Greek quake
By Sotiris Valkaniotis, Ph.D., Koronidos Str., Greece and Athanassios Ganas, Ph.D., National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Geodynamics Citation: Valkaniotis, S., and Ganas, A., 2020, Surface deformation observed in …
M5.0 quake strikes Eastern Turkey
By: Haluk Eyidoğan, Ph.D., Professor of Seismology, İstanbul Technical University Citation: Eyidoğan, H., 2020, M5.0 quake strikes Eastern Turkey, Temblor, http://doi.org/10.32858/temblor.142 A M5.0 earthquake struck Thursday in …
To find a Black Swan event, think about the unthinkable
Rare catastrophic events prove hard to predict, but catastrophist Gordon Woo posits a methodical way to think through just how bad future disasters might be. By Alka Tripathy-Lang, Ph.D., …
M 6.1 earthquake offshore Chile
A M 6.1 earthquake struck offshore of Central Chile yesterday. The quake occurred on the edge of the rupture extent of the 2010 M 8.8 Maule earthquake. Large earthquakes …
Hospitals can coordinate to save lives after an earthquake
A new method helps hospitals prepare to promptly treat the most severely injured patients right after a major earthquake. By, Elizabeth Goldbaum, Science Writer (@EFGoldbaum) Citation: Goldbaum, E, …
İzmir’de, 30 Ekim Ege Denizi depreminden kaynaklanan bina hasarlarının nedenleri incelendi
İzmir’de 30 Ekim depreminde birçok bina çöktü. Şehir genelinde potansiyel deprem yer hareketlerinin belirlemesinin daha iyi yapılması ve deprem şartnamesine uyum, kuvvetli deprem yer hareketlerine dayanıklı binaların tasarlanmasını sağlayacaktır. …
Forensic analysis reveals the causes of building damage in İzmir in the Oct. 30 Aegean Sea earthquake
Several buildings in İzmir collapsed during the Oct. 30 earthquake. Code compliance with better assessments of potential ground motion throughout the city would ensure the design of buildings to withstand …
California coalition kicks off resilience webinar series this week
Natural hazards don’t have to become natural disasters if you properly prepare. That’s called resilience. And it’s the focus of a free year-long webinar series that starts this week. …
Ancient earthquake’s ruins may signal future quakes near Dead Sea Fault
Multidisciplinary research on archaeological sites in Israel suggests a different fault than originally thought damaged the city in the eighth century and may rupture again. By Vanessa Vieites, science …
Ready-to-roll rocks improve seismic hazard models
Researchers use precariously balanced rocks to reduce uncertainties in seismic hazard models for California’s Central Coast. By Akash Kharita, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee Citation: Kharita, A., 2020, …
Samos (Sisam) depreminin 48 saat sonrasında neler biliyoruz?
Ege Denizi adalarından Samos, 116 yıl sonra yeniden büyük bir depremle sarsıldı. Yazar: Margarita Segou, Ph.D., Birleşik Krallık Jeoloji Kurumu Alıntı: Segou, M., 2020, Samos depreminin 48 saat …
M3.6 quake shakes northeastern U.S.
A M3.6 quake shook the northeastern U.S. yesterday, including major cities such as Boston and New York. Although earthquakes of this magnitude are rare in this part of the …
A surprisingly weak fault led to a massive earthquake
A team of scientists puts together the whole picture on what caused the extreme magnitude and slip during the 2011 magnitude-9 Tohoku earthquake, and overturns a long-held scientific law. …
Fault responsible for Samos earthquake identified
Preliminary data indicate that the fault that ruptured in the Samos earthquake slipped 6 feet (1.8 meters). By Athanassios Ganas, National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Geodynamics Panagiotis Elias, National …
Τι ξέρουμε 24 ώρες μετά το σεισμό της Σάμου?
Το νησί της Σάμου χτυπήθηκε από δυνατό σεισμό μετά από 116 χρόνια Δρ. Μαργαρίτα Σέγκου, Βρετανική Γεωλογική Υπηρεσία παραπομπή: Σέγκου, Μ., 2020, Το νησί της Σάμου χτυπήθηκε από …
Earthquakes in Turkey support two disparate models of earthquake initiation
By Miguel Neves, Ph.D. Candidate, Georgia Institute of Technology (@Waves2Miguel) A new study based on earthquakes in the Marmara Sea, Turkey, showed how a moderate earthquake initiated and suggests …
What do we know 48 hours after the Samos earthquake?
The Aegean Sea island of Samos is struck by another large earthquake after 116 years. By Margarita Segou, Ph.D., British Geological Survey Citation: Segou, M., 2020, What do …
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, …
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., …
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 …