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Powerful earthquakes shake Indonesian coast, kill 2 people
(CNN) -- At least two people were killed after four earthquakes struck within an hour's time near the northern coast of Papua, Indonesia, midday Wednesday, authorities said. A fifth and sixth quake hit the region a few hours later.
"Two people dead, 20 houses collapsed" on the island of Yapen, according to Papua police spokesman Wachyono, who goes by a single name. There were also reports of fires burning, he added.
A 6.4 magnitude quake quake struck at 12:06 p.m. local time, followed by a more powerful 7.0 magnitude quake 10 minutes later, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Within the next 42 minutes, a 5.1 magnitude quake also rattled the region, along with a magnitude 6.2 quake. Weaker quakes of magnitude 4.9 and 4.8 hit the area after 3 p.m.
The epicenters of the earthquakes were clustered within 90 kilometers (56 miles) of each other and some 180 kilometers (110 miles) north of Enarotali, Indonesia.
"People ran out of their houses and headed for higher ground in fear of a tsunami," said Denni Siregar, the police chief of Yapen Island sector, which lies near the epicenters. "There's no injuries reported yet but at least one house is damaged."
A tsunami watch that was issued by the Indonesian Meteorological Agency was later lifted.
Indonesia is on the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude underwater earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people in 14 countries.
The tsunami, which washed away entire communities, caused nearly $10 billion in damage and more casualties than any other tsunami in history, according to the United Nations. Indonesia was among the hardest hit nations.
"Two people dead, 20 houses collapsed" on the island of Yapen, according to Papua police spokesman Wachyono, who goes by a single name. There were also reports of fires burning, he added.
A 6.4 magnitude quake quake struck at 12:06 p.m. local time, followed by a more powerful 7.0 magnitude quake 10 minutes later, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Within the next 42 minutes, a 5.1 magnitude quake also rattled the region, along with a magnitude 6.2 quake. Weaker quakes of magnitude 4.9 and 4.8 hit the area after 3 p.m.
The epicenters of the earthquakes were clustered within 90 kilometers (56 miles) of each other and some 180 kilometers (110 miles) north of Enarotali, Indonesia.
"People ran out of their houses and headed for higher ground in fear of a tsunami," said Denni Siregar, the police chief of Yapen Island sector, which lies near the epicenters. "There's no injuries reported yet but at least one house is damaged."
A tsunami watch that was issued by the Indonesian Meteorological Agency was later lifted.
Indonesia is on the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude underwater earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people in 14 countries.
The tsunami, which washed away entire communities, caused nearly $10 billion in damage and more casualties than any other tsunami in history, according to the United Nations. Indonesia was among the hardest hit nations.
It's always so sad when things like this happen. And there does seem to be an awful lot of natural disasters now doesn't there. I wonder though....I am fairly confident there have been other years like this one, but suspect we just didn't know. We have information at our finger tips now, and of course easy access to all the happenings in the world. I bet this is no worse then it was in years past. We are just more aware of it.
Yes, we are definitely getting them one right after another.
Quake hits near Alaska
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 16, 2010 6:32 a.m. EDT
(CNN) -- A magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit off the coast of southeastern Alaska Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake was about 11 miles deep (19 km) and hit in the Gulf of Alaska at 6:33 p.m. local time, the USGS said.
There was no tsunami watch or warning issued, according to the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.
Quake hits near Alaska
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 16, 2010 6:32 a.m. EDT
(CNN) -- A magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit off the coast of southeastern Alaska Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake was about 11 miles deep (19 km) and hit in the Gulf of Alaska at 6:33 p.m. local time, the USGS said.
There was no tsunami watch or warning issued, according to the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.
I heard that India was hit by 2 earlier in the week ...we were hit by a 5.7 the night before last at 9.20pm my windows shook so much I thought they wre going to shatter ...This has certainly been the Year of the Earthquake .yes I remember that bad one in 2004 so many killed ...
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