Skip to search.

Hi, Christine o You are signed in as: christine_magno@y... o Profile o Account Info o Sign Out Help

Upgrade to the Safer IE9

Notifications Help

Mail Yahoo!

Yahoo! News

Search Web Search

Home Philippines o Local News o The Nation o Opinion World o Asia o Europe o U.S. o Mideast / Africa Business o Economy o Stocks o Personal Finance

Technology o Internet o Gadgets o Social Media TRAVEL o Destinations o Travel Tips o Galleries o Deals Fit To Post o The Inbox o Parallaxis Sports OMG! She Candidate Profiles Community Voices Cool & Clean Voters Photos Videos Weather

Angry Ring of Fire sets off series of earthquakes around the Pacific
By Scott Sutherland

Posts Email

By Scott Sutherland | Geekquinox Sat, May 25, 2013

Email 0 Recommend 115

Tweet 0

Share0

Print

The Pacific Ring of Fire experiences hundreds of earthquakes every dayAn angry 'Ring of Fire' has been setting off quite a few earthquakes around the Pacific Ocean over the past day, and it seems to be concentrating its ire on just a few specific areas. There have been over 300 earthquakes around the edges of the Pacific Ring of Fire over the past day the Ring of Fire being the 40,000-km-long, vaguely horseshoe-shaped region around the eastern, northern and western sides of the Pacific Ocean where numerous earthquakes happen ever day with a little over 70 that were strong enough to be felt. This isn't really strange overall, as that represents a fairly average day according to the U.S. Geological Survey earthquakes website, but what is a little usual about it is that, instead of being spread out a bit more around the 'ring', over three-fourths of them, including several of the strongest, are clustered in just three areas. [ Related: Two earthquakes shake southern Ontario, Quebec, U.S. ] It started yesterday afternoon, at 1:19 p.m. Eastern Time, when a magnitude 7.4 quake struck southwest of the island of Tonga, in the South Pacific, which was followed up by three significant aftershocks of magnitude 6.5 down to 5.0, and then another 5.8 aftershock this morning. Despite the power of the quake, it was likely only lightly felt in nearby Tonga, and perhaps in Fiji, and no tsunami warnings were issued. Then, last night at around 11:47 p.m. Eastern Time, residents around Greenville, California had a rude shock when a magnitude 5.7 quake rattled the area. There were no damages or injuries reported, but the quake has been followed by nearly 50 aftershocks since then most fairly light, but one early this morning registered as magnitude 4.9 and the aftershocks are continuing into this afternoon. The strongest of these earthquakes took place at around 1:45 a.m. Eastern Time, when a powerful magnitude 8.3 quake struck under the Sea of Okhotsk, off the coast of eastern Russia. The quake was very deep in the earth's crust, about 600 kms down, so it was only felt lightly in nearby communities and it didn't touch off any tsunami warnings. However, it now ranks as the strongest earthquake so far this year, and it could be the strongest earthquake ever recorded at that depth below the ground beating out the magnitude 8.2 quake on June 9, 1994, in Bolivia, that was at a depth of 647 km. Is this significant? Should we be worried about a 'Big One' happening soon?

Anyone living in earthquake-prone areas should be prepared with a plan and probably disaster supplies, but just because an earthquake happens in an area doesn't mean another one will happen there, or further along the same fault line, or even around the same tectonic plate. In some cases, small tremors have happened before a larger quake, but that's never been a reliable way of predicting them, as smaller quakes happen all the time. Aftershocks are, of course, common after an earthquake, but even those can't be accurately predicted. Although there is research being put into forecasting earthquakes (such as the hints that the behaviour of ants might indicate when one may be about to strike), the science just isn't there yet. Most earthquake prediction now simply uses 'risk levels', which basically state the chance an area has to experience one, based on what has happened in the area in the past. [ More Geekquinox: Forecasters warn of extremely active hurricane season ] Comparing what we've had so far this year to what happened by this time last year... although we're running behind in the total number of significant (5.0+) earthquakes (592 this year, compared to 779 last year), we've already beaten last year's total for quakes of magnitude 6.0 or stronger (70 this year, compared to 65 last year). Also, although less than 1% of the quakes felt in most years are the more powerful ones (magnitude 7.0+), so far for 2013, we're running at over 1.5%. So, we're definitely seeing a higher proportion of stronger quakes this year, and sadly we've had more than double the number of fatalities from earthquakes so far as well (293 this year so far, compared to 140 by this time last year). Whether or not that will be balanced out by the rest of the year being more sedate is yet to be seen, though. Geek out with the latest in science and weather. Follow @ygeekquinox on Twitter! @yahooph on Twitter and Facebook

Email 0 Recommend 115

Tweet 0

Share0

Print

Yahoo! recommends

Huawei Ascend G510 to hit Philippine retail shops at P5,990 The Android phone, which is carried by Sun Cellular for weeks now, is finally heading for the retail shops.

Paulo Coelho tells Pinoys: 'Your souls lead to the gates of heaven'

After an American novelist drew ire by calling Manila the "gates of hell," a popular Brazilian author pacified Filipinos anger by telling them they knew the way to heaven.

One more week of beach weather, Pagasa says

You still have at least a week to take advantage of the last few days in the dry season, state weather bureau Pagasa said.

Globe unveils what it calls 'the best-ever MySuperPlan'

Subscribers get full flexibility with more contract-period options to choose from.

Meet PH's poorest congressman

Anakpawis party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano remained the poorest congressman in the 15th Congress, a document from the House of Representatives showed.

Smart Flexibundles to be available to postpaid subscribers starting May 26

These Smart bucket packages give subscribers greater control over their plans.

Carlos Celdran to Filipinos: Keep calm and ignore Dan Brown

Amid brewing uproar over Dan Brown's "gates of hell" reference to Manila, cultural activist Carlos Celdran sees the author's desrciption is only an exaggeration that should nonetheless encourage Filipinos to get their act together.

Comelec proclaims early party-list winners

Fourteen early winners in the party-list race have been named Friday even as the protracted count of votes continues.

Can new law change 'Filipino time'?

"Filipino time" may soon no longer refer to Pinoys' habit of being late.

Dan Brown calls Manila 'gates of hell'; MMDA cries foul

A top-selling novelist's new work which alludes to Manila as the "gates of hell" may be fiction, but a Cabinet official is still taking offense.

Purple Thumb Videos

1 - 6 of 24 prevnext
o

Carmina speaks about Grace Poe victory

o

Grace Poe links win to 'FPJ magic'

o

Aquino support pushed Team PNoy up, Cayetano says

o

Poe endorser Carmina Villaroel speaks of Grace's victory

o

Cayetano vows to probe slow poll results

o

Franklin Drilon's surprise

o o o o o o

More Editors note:Yahoo! Philippines encourages responsible comments that add dimension to the discussion. No bashing or hate speech, please. You can express your opinion without slamming others or making derogatory remarks.

Most Popular

PH defense companies fight for buy Filipino By Norman Sison, VERA Files It was not your usual errand. Several days ago, the head of the security force tasked with protecting President Aquino, toured a small three-storey plant in a Manila suburb that manufactures M4 assault rifles, the Continue reading

Paulo Coelho tells Pinoys: 'Your souls lead to the gates of heaven'

After an American novelist drew ire by calling Manila the "gates of hell," a popular Brazilian author pacified Filipinos anger by telling them they knew the way to heaven.

Time matters little to worlds fastest jigsaw puzzle maker By Maria Feona Imperial, VERA Files Perhaps for breaking a world record, she has already found the answer to every jigsaw puzzle ever made. But Georgina Gil-Lacuna has one more left unresolved: the puzzle of time. And she likes it Continue reading

Justice Carpio: appeal to world opinion vs Chinese defiance to rule of Commentary By Ellen Tordesillas Here we go again. This time its over Ayungin Reef (Renai Reef to the Chinese.) The Philippine Navy reported sightings of Chinese ships in the vicinity of Ayungin shoal as early as first week of May, Continue reading

Philippine official urges China to be 'responsible and positive force'

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Warning that escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) "could lead to conflict," Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario urged China at a foreign policy forum in Tokyo to act responsibly instead of resorting to aggression in the wake of its its rapid rise as an economic and military power in the Asia-Pacific.

Today on Yahoo!
1 - 8 of 35 prevnext

Karylle, Marian meet after 'cold war'

What really happens on the wedding night

Whose path Julia Barretto will follow

What's strange in series of Pacific quakes

Gerald on Maja: 'Wala naman dapat itago'

Jed Salang won't talk about failed marriage

K-Stew's surprising post-breakup friend

Demi Moore rocking bikini even at 50

o o o o o o o o

More from Yahoo! Philippines

News For You

Coco sugar sweetens Philippine town's finances ANN - Sun, May 26, 2013 Davao, south Philippines (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - The gathering of coconut sap has always been the domain of tuba gatherers in the country but in a small village in Misamis Oriental, south Philippines, family members were seen lending each one a helping hand in performing the task.

Ivanovic struggles as Federer, Serena wait in wings AFP News - 21 hours ago

Ana Ivanovic, the 2008 champion, struggled into the French Open second round Sunday as Roger Federer and Serena Williams, with 32 Grand Slam singles titles between them, waited to start their campaigns.

Federer faces Spanish winning machine at French Open AFP News - Sun, May 26, 2013

Roger Federer begins his 54th consecutive Grand Slam tournament at the French Open on Sunday when he faces a Spanish winning machine who, for once, is not called Rafael Nadal.

Latest Galleries
1 - 8 of 16 prevnext

Meet the daredevil 'slackliner'

Huawei Ascend G510

Let El Nido take your breath away

Who was the richest congressman in 2012?

Sample pictures taken with the HTC One

Pinoy to graduate with honors from U.S. Air Force Academy

Up close and personal with the HTC One

Who was the richest senator in 2012?

o o o o o o o o

View more photos POLL Are you ready for the rainy season? Poll Choice Options

Yes.

No.

I don't care.

Vote See results 3 days remaining

The latest from Travel

1 - 4 of 19 prevnext

Let El Nido take your breath away

Head north for your summer getaway

Spend a day at the museum

Family-Friendly Nuvali
o o o o

More

Yahoo! News

Home Philippines World Business Technology

TRAVEL Fit To Post Sports OMG! She

All Yahoo! News

Yahoo! Products

OMG! SHE Sports Fit To Post Email

See all Yahoo! Products

Trending Now
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. UFC Nina Garcia French Open Ariella Arida League of Legends

6. Aga Muhlach 7. UEFA Champions League 8. Robbie Rogers 9. Work Abroad 10. Masinloc Zambales Copyright 2013 Geekquinox Copyright 2013 Yahoo! Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved. | Yahoo! News Network |

Help / Suggestions Privacy Policy Terms of Service Intellectual Property Rights Policy