2010 Pichilemu earthquakes
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 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (March 2010) |
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| UTC time | ?? |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 6.9 Mw |
| Depth | 35 kilometres (22 mi) |
| Epicenter | 34°55′12″S 71°57′00″W / 34.920°S 71.950°W |
| Areas affected | Chile |
| Max. intensity | MM VIII |
A 6.9 earthquake occurred on March 11, 2010 in Chile.[1][2] No Pacific-wide tsunami warning was issued by Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, although that Center did warn of the possibility of local tsunamis within 100 kilometers of the epicenter (very roughly, the Chilean coast between Concepción and Santo Domingo/San Antonio).[3]
Although media relate to the earthquake as aftershock of the February earthquake[4][5], a preliminary geological summary given by the USGS [6] considers it an independent earthquake. Though being triggered by the change of regional stress caused by the February earthquake, the March event was not an immediate adjustment to February's thrust fault rupture between the Nazca- and the South American plate, but caused by normal faulting inside one of those plates.
Within 6 hours, 9 aftershocks took place, of these 2 were of magnitude 6 or greater and 7 between magnitude 5 and 6.
The earthquake took place shortly before Sebastián Piñera was sworn in at the Chilean congress in Valparaíso, where the shaking was clearly felt.
Damages reported by the Chilean media include a collapsed pedestrians crossing over the Ruta 5, north of Rancagua[7]
See also
References
- ^ Magnitude 6.9 - LIBERTADOR O'HIGGINS, CHILE, U.S. Geological Survey, March 11, 2010.
- ^ New Chile quake as Pinera sworn in as president, BBC News, 11 March 2010.
- ^ TSUNAMI INFORMATION BULLETIN, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, March 11, 2010.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ Geological summary by the USGS
- ^ http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=402909 El Mercurio online