Thursday, October 9News That Matters

Tag: earthquake

Small Mexico City Earthquakes Reveal Big Risks for Buildings

Small Mexico City Earthquakes Reveal Big Risks for Buildings

Breaking News, Disasters, Fact Check
A recent swarm of small, shallow earthquakes in Mexico City has raised new concerns about how moderate earthquakes might impact the city buildings. Researchers found that even relatively weak earthquakes produced surprisingly strong ground shaking prompting them to explore potential damage in future scenarios. In a study published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America Miguel Jaimes and Gerardo Suárez from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México modeled the expected damage from moderate earthquakes in three key regions of the Mexico City basin. Their scenarios were based on past earthquakes including a 2023 event in La Magdalena Contreras the 2018 San Juan de Aragón earthquake and the 1995 Milpa Alta and 1985 Juchitepec earthquakes. Their findings highlight the criti...
Study Warns of Unexpectedly Strong Shaking from Moderate Earthquakes in Mexico City

Study Warns of Unexpectedly Strong Shaking from Moderate Earthquakes in Mexico City

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Fact Check
A new study has revealed that moderate earthquakes in Mexico City could cause significant damage to buildings, depending on the region’s underlying geology. The findings, published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America by Miguel Jaimes and Gerardo Suárez of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, highlight the risks posed by local seismic activity beyond the well-known large subduction earthquakes. Mexico City has recently experienced swarms of small, shallow earthquakes, particularly in 2019 and 2023, which generated unexpectedly strong ground shaking. These events prompted researchers to investigate how shaking from a moderate earthquake with a magnitude up to 5.5 might impact buildings across different parts of the city. Geology MattersDamage Varies by Region ...
China Shaanxi Earthquake Deadliest Disaster in History Killed 830,000 people

China Shaanxi Earthquake Deadliest Disaster in History Killed 830,000 people

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Thoughts & Talks
On January 23, 1556, China experienced the deadliest earthquake in recorded history, claiming an estimated 830,000 lives. The massive 8.0-magnitude quake struck the provinces of Shaanxi and Shanxi, causing widespread destruction and altering the course of history. The disaster, also known as the Jiajing Earthquake, after the ruling emperor of the Ming dynasty, devastated entire cities. Homes, city walls, and infrastructure collapsed as the ground cracked open. The effects were felt far beyond the epicenter, reaching as far as China’s southern coast. Historical records describe how the quake triggered landslides, floods, and ground fissures that swallowed entire settlements. The Yellow and Wei rivers reportedly turned clear for days due to the upheaval. The aftermath led to famine, di...
Mild Earthquake Jolts Dhaka Bangladesh Coastal Regions Feel Stronger Tremors

Mild Earthquake Jolts Dhaka Bangladesh Coastal Regions Feel Stronger Tremors

Breaking News, Disasters
A 5.1-magnitude earthquake was felt in Dhaka and several parts of Bangladesh at 6:40 a.m. on Tuesday. The tremor, originating in the Bay of Bengal near India, had minimal impact in Bangladesh, according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department. Officials from the department’s Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center classified it as a moderate quake, with its epicenter located underwater near West Bengal and Odisha. While the tremors in Bangladesh were mild, coastal districts experienced stronger shaking due to their proximity to the epicenter, which was 501 kilometers away. The earthquake was more intense along the coastal regions of West Bengal and Odisha, where residents reported noticeable tremors. Authorities have not reported any major damages or casualties. From News De...
Delhi-NCR Jolted by 4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Residents Evacuate High-Rises

Delhi-NCR Jolted by 4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Residents Evacuate High-Rises

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
In the early hours of Monday, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake shook Delhi-NCR, sending residents into a state of alarm. The National Center for Seismology confirmed the earthquake struck at 5:36 am, with its epicenter located near Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education in Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi, at a shallow depth of five kilometers. The tremors were felt across Delhi, Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad, prompting residents of high-rise buildings to evacuate as a precaution. The region has a history of small tremors, with a similar 3.3 magnitude quake recorded in 2015. Local leaders quickly responded to the situation. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi and the Delhi Police used social media to urge residents to remain calm and prioritize safety. Authorities assured that emergenc...
State of Emergency Declared in Santorini as Earthquake Swarm Intensifies

State of Emergency Declared in Santorini as Earthquake Swarm Intensifies

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
The Greek government has declared a state of emergency on the island of Santorini as the region experiences a relentless series of earthquakes. The "earthquake swarm," which began as minor tremors in late January, has escalated into a significant seismic event, shaking the island multiple times a day. The tremors are also affecting nearby islands in the Aegean Sea, with some quakes occurring just minutes apart. Escalating Seismic Activity Over the past two weeks, seismologists have recorded thousands of earthquakes, with as many as 30 daily exceeding magnitude 4.0. The largest so far, a magnitude 5.1 quake on February 6, was felt in Athens, Crete, and even parts of Turkey, more than 240 kilometers away. The earthquakes, occurring at depths of less than 10 kilometers, are shallow enou...
Earthquake Hotspots: Why Suburban Areas Face Greater Devastation

Earthquake Hotspots: Why Suburban Areas Face Greater Devastation

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
A vast majority of earthquakes occur within the infamous Ring of Fire, a seismic hotspot encircling the Pacific Ocean. Yet, when these earthquakes strike, the areas that experience the most intense shaking aren’t always the ones that suffer the worst destruction. Recent research has uncovered a hidden factor contributing to earthquake devastation: migration patterns and housing vulnerabilities. The 1999 Chi-Chi Earthquake: A Case Study Taiwan’s catastrophic Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999, which claimed over 2,400 lives, presented an unexpected pattern of destruction. Contrary to expectations, the worst damage was not in the bustling city centers but in the suburbs and outer regions. Similar trends have been observed in earthquakes that hit China, Chile, and Nepal, raising questions about...
Hidden Risk Behind Earthquake Destruction: How Migration Shapes Disaster Impact

Hidden Risk Behind Earthquake Destruction: How Migration Shapes Disaster Impact

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check
A new study has uncovered a hidden factor behind the devastating impact of earthquakes in suburban areas migration. Researchers at the University of Washington found that workers moving from rural regions to city outskirts often live in low-quality housing, making them more vulnerable to destruction when a major quake strikes. The study, published in Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, analyzed the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in Taiwan, which killed over 2,400 people. Surprisingly, the most severe damage was not in city centers but in suburban areas where migrants had settled. Similar patterns were observed in past earthquakes in China, Chile, and Nepal. Lead researcher Tzu-Hsin Karen Chen explained that many migrants do not officially update their residence, leading to underestim...
Earthquake Hotspots: Why Suburban Areas Face Greater Devastation

Earthquake Hotspots: Why Suburban Areas Face Greater Devastation

Breaking News, Disasters, Fact Check, Learning & Developments
A vast majority of earthquakes occur within the infamous Ring of Fire, a seismic hotspot encircling the Pacific Ocean. Yet, when these earthquakes strike, the areas that experience the most intense shaking aren’t always the ones that suffer the worst destruction. Recent research has uncovered a hidden factor contributing to earthquake devastation: migration patterns and housing vulnerabilities. The 1999 Chi-Chi Earthquake Case Study Taiwan’s catastrophic Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999, which claimed over 2,400 lives, presented an unexpected pattern of destruction. Contrary to expectations, the worst damage was not in the bustling city centers but in the suburbs and outer regions. Similar trends have been observed in earthquakes that hit China, Chile, and Nepal, raising questions about wh...
Earth Sixth Ocean in the Making Africa’s Dramatic Rift Signals a New Era

Earth Sixth Ocean in the Making Africa’s Dramatic Rift Signals a New Era

Breaking News, Environment, Fact Check
A stunning geological event unfolding in East Africa could forever reshape the continent and the world. The East African Rift, a massive crack running through Ethiopia and beyond, is not just a scientific curiosity; it marks the early stages of a process that will eventually split Africa in two, creating a brand-new ocean. A Rift That Could Change the World Since 2005, a 35-mile-long fissure has been expanding across Ethiopia’s deserts. Scientists confirm that this rift is caused by the slow but powerful movement of tectonic plates, the enormous slabs of Earth’s crust that have shaped the planet for billions of years. The Somalian plate is gradually drifting away from the larger Nubian plate at a rate of a few millimeters per year  minuscule shift in human terms, but a monumental for...