I don’t believe in Biblical damnation nor do I believe that the Mayan Calendar stopping in 2012 signals the end of the world. But you got to wonder a bit when it is one earthquake after another! Over the last several months the number of quakes and volcano eruptions world-wide seem more than the usual. There are earthquakes around the world every single day. Often these are small ones, 2-3 in magnitude. But to have so many larger quakes especially around the Ring of Fire is a bit unusual. The most recent large quake was Sunday afternoon in Baja, Mexico. Yes it was felt throughout Southern California and the Southwest. Although I did not feel it while I was driving to UCLA with my son for his baseball lesson. But it was certainly the talk of Monday morning!
Whether we are talking Haiti, Japan, Chile, or Baja, Mexico there have been a lot of magnitude 5 and above quakes in recent months. Not to mention the Iceland Volcano and Russian Volcano eruptions.
Here is a list of recent magnitude 5 or higher quakes in the last week from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
| MAG | UTC DATE-TIME y/m/d h:m:s |
LAT deg |
LON deg |
DEPTH km |
Region | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAP | 5.5 | 2010/04/05 22:36:58 | -19.918 | -68.773 | 109.5 | TARAPACA, CHILE |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/05 14:40:17 | -0.212 | 125.060 | 69.7 | MOLUCCA SEA |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/05 13:33:05 | 32.640 | -115.801 | 0.0 | BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO |
| MAP | 5.0 | 2010/04/05 12:11:01 | -0.133 | 125.156 | 10.0 | MOLUCCA SEA |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/05 11:23:41 | -42.633 | 124.900 | 10.0 | SOUTH OF AUSTRALIA |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/05 11:14:15 | 32.662 | -115.807 | 13.1 | SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
| MAP | 6.2 | 2010/04/05 10:05:43 | -0.169 | 125.012 | 10.0 | MOLUCCA SEA |
| MAP | 5.0 | 2010/04/05 07:29:13 | 17.926 | -81.548 | 10.0 | CAYMAN ISLANDS REGION |
| MAP | 5.0 | 2010/04/05 03:15:24 | 32.628 | -115.806 | 0.1 | BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/05 01:25:35 | 32.167 | -115.103 | 6.0 | BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO |
| MAP | 5.2 | 2010/04/05 00:07:08 | 31.994 | -114.951 | 10.0 | SONORA, MEXICO |
| MAP | 5.7 | 2010/04/04 23:25:06 | 32.203 | -115.201 | 16.6 | BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO |
| MAP | 5.3 | 2010/04/04 23:15:10 | 32.040 | -115.240 | 10.0 | BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO |
| MAP | 7.2 | 2010/04/04 22:40:41 | 32.128 | -115.303 | 10.0 | BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/04 20:28:05 | -17.197 | -176.994 | 23.0 | FIJI REGION |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/03 22:33:44 | -2.207 | 100.084 | 44.1 | KEPULAUAN MENTAWAI REGION, INDONESIA |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/03 02:19:53 | 25.834 | 128.516 | 6.6 | RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN |
| MAP | 5.3 | 2010/04/03 01:35:34 | -31.282 | -176.869 | 10.0 | KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION |
| MAP | 5.0 | 2010/04/02 23:15:31 | 0.796 | 126.466 | 100.6 | MOLUCCA SEA |
| MAP | 5.9 | 2010/04/02 22:58:09 | -36.194 | -72.771 | 30.9 | BIO-BIO, CHILE |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/02 19:34:13 | -35.984 | -72.582 | 47.5 | MAULE, CHILE |
| MAP | 5.2 | 2010/04/02 10:24:49 | 16.984 | 147.463 | 48.0 | MARIANA ISLANDS REGION |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/02 03:50:23 | -24.737 | -176.124 | 33.7 | SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/04/02 02:42:08 | -7.671 | 127.514 | 177.8 | KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA |
| MAP | 5.0 | 2010/04/01 19:43:01 | -34.118 | -71.951 | 19.7 | LIBERTADOR O’HIGGINS, CHILE |
| MAP | 5.6 | 2010/04/01 15:46:51 | -61.213 | 153.913 | 10.0 | BALLENY ISLANDS REGION |
| MAP | 5.0 | 2010/04/01 14:07:31 | 30.153 | 69.584 | 35.0 | PAKISTAN |
| MAP | 5.2 | 2010/04/01 12:53:08 | -34.521 | -71.725 | 11.2 | LIBERTADOR O’HIGGINS, CHILE |
| MAP | 5.1 | 2010/03/31 12:27:35 | -42.157 | 82.403 | 10.0 | MID-INDIAN RIDGE |
| MAP | 5.0 | 2010/03/30 19:29:14 | -31.457 | -178.497 | 35.0 | KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION |
| MAP | 6.6 | 2010/03/30 16:54:48 | 13.609 | 92.884 | 41.7 | ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION |
| MAP | 5.2 | 2010/03/30 05:16:15 | -31.274 | -178.792 | 89.0 | KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION |
| MAP | 5.6 | 2010/03/30 01:02:51 | 43.298 | 138.424 | 7.0 |
EASTERN SEA OF JAPAN
|
If you go back beyond just the week–here is a list of significant quakes in 2010
- Magnitude 7.2 BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO April 04, 2010 ]
- Magnitude 4.4 GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA March 16, 2010
- Magnitude 6.7 OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE March 16, 2010
- Magnitude 6.5 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN March 14, 2010
- Magnitude 6.9 LIBERTADOR O HIGGINS, CHILE March 11, 2010
- Magnitude 6.1 EASTERN TURKEY March 08, 2010
- Magnitude 6.8 SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA March 05, 2010
- Magnitude 6.6 OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE March 05, 2010
- Magnitude 8.8 OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE February 27, 2010
- Magnitude 7.0 RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN February 26, 2010
- Magnitude 6.9 CHINA-RUSSIA-NORTH KOREA BORDER REGION February 18, 2010
- Magnitude 3.8 ILLINOIS February 10, 2010
- Magnitude 5.9 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA February 04, 2010
- Magnitude 6.2 BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA February 01, 2010
- Magnitude 5.9 HAITI REGION January 20, 2010
- Magnitude 4.0 OKLAHOMA January 15, 2010
- Magnitude 7.0 HAITI REGION January 12, 2010
- Magnitude 6.5 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA January 10, 2010
- Magnitude 4.1 SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA January 07, 2010
- Magnitude 6.8 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 05, 2010
- Magnitude 7.1 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 03, 2010
- Magnitude 6.6 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 03, 2010
I don’t think there is some Divine conspiracy theory here. But I do think that there is increased activity. You just have to look at the lists to see that. So what’s a person to do? If you live in earthquake prone Southern California (or Northern California, or along the New Madrid Fault (Hey you who live in Memphis and Western Tennessee and Arkansas and Missouri and Western Kentucky) then I suggest it is time to make sure you have an earthquake plan!
Where is your flashlight? Are the batteries fresh? How about a radio with batteries or better yet a crank handle. Do you know how to turn off your gas in your home or apartment? Do you have water and food stored up? Do you keep your gas tank full? Do you have someone you can call out-of-state and rendezvous plan with your family members? Do you have a first aid kit available? Is your water heater secure and bookshelves anchored?
Link to this page at the USGS for important information on Earthquake Preparedness. There are seven important documents that will have you and your family ready to shake, rattle and roll with the punches of Mother Nature in an earthquake.
We have all seen the devastating pictures of Haiti in the aftermath of the horrible January earthquake. Let’s be prepared for the next big one in our neck of the woods. It was only 16 years ago that the Northridge quake did so much damage here in Los Angeles. San Francisco too has had its earthquake woes through the years.
The time to get prepared is now. Not during an earthquake event. All these earthquakes in 2010 though has gotta make you wonder!
Today is the seventh day of counting of the omer. Which is one week of counting the omer.