Papua New Guinea earthquake... 7.5

USGS NEIS bulletin ^ | 9/8/02 | USGS

[2sheep]

The following is a release by the United States Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center: A major earthquake occurred about 60 miles (95 km) west-northwest of Wewak, New Guinea, Papua New Guinea or about 520 miles (840 km) northwest of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea at 12:44 PM MDT today, Sep 8, 2002 (Sep 09 at 4:44 AM local time in Papua New Guinea). A PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE OF 7.5 WAS COMPUTED FOR THIS EARTHQUAKE. The magnitude and location may be revised when additional
 data and further analysis results are available. No reports of damage or casualties have been received at this time; however, this earthquake may have caused substantial damage and casualties due to its location and size. For additional information, see the USGS NEIC web page
  NEIC: Near Real Time Earthquake List  [Also note many other quakes around the Pacific Rim.]

                   Updated as of Sun Sep 8 19:49:28 UTC 2002.
 DATE-(UTC)-TIME       Latitude  Longitude  Depth  Magnitude  Q   COMMENTS
 yyyy/mm/dd  hh:mm:ss  degrees   degrees    km

 2002/09/08  18:44:26  3.23S     142.87E    33.0   7.5        A   NEAR N COAST NEW GUINEA, PNG.

USGS NEIC: Earthquake Bulletin: NEAR N COAST NEW GUINEA, PNG.

[PianoMan]

bump

[tubebender]

I need more information than provided here. I have 8 bottles of good wine to consume if the Big Kahuna is headed this away. Our house is barely 100 feet above sea level.

[Howlin]

The last time they had one this big it was HUGE! Swamped!

[Howlin]

Tens of thousands died in '98.

[P8riot]

Yeah, I know. If there is another Tsunami, It could be just as devastating.

[Big Bunyip]

The earthquake could do as much damage as a long line of corrupt and incompetent governments. The country's well along the way to falling to pieces.

[cmsgop]

A posting I found on the net

Posted by Wilfred Lus from (128.1.3.67, 128.1.2.245) via proxy webcache2-moresby.online.net.pg (202.1.54.28) on Sunday, September 08, 2002 at 16:01:34 :

Preliminary information as follows:

Earthquake felt strongly at Wewak, strongets in living memory of 50-y-o-priest. Wewak Hospital three deaths reported. I expect greatest damage may be west of Wewak in Suain area. Aitape will get radio reports from Suain after 0730 local time (2130 UT).

At Wewak bookshelves fell over, we can expect damage to water storage tanks needing replacement, other damage too early in the day here for reports to be gathered. At Aitape town, sea was observed to recede then rise again repeatedly, maximum height above normal sea level 1.5 m (preliminary estimate).

This was continuing at 7 am (2100 UT). No reports yet from Sissano area until radio sched at 0730 local. Earthquake felt at Vanimo. In Maprik water tanks bursted.

I'll keep you posted if significant new info is received. Wilfred Lus Geology Dept UNIVERSITY OF PNG

[cmsgop]

Source ..... http://www.niugini.com/wwwboard/

[capitan_refugio]

I am working off of memory here, but I think the 1998 earthquake was associated with significant seafloor displacement, possibly an undersea landslide. This quake has a hypocentral depth of 33+/- kilometers, or roughly 18 to 20 miles deep (I am unsure of the water depth in the trench area). So the opportunity for significant seafloor displacement due to fault rupture is minimal.

The seimic shaking, in and of itself, is not likely to cause a large tsunami.

[CJ Wolf]

Prayers for all as well.

[WaterDragon]

Bttt!!!!

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Oh, thanks!

[Howlin]

Now that you brought that up, I am sure you are correct.

[Howlin]

The earthquake could do as much damage as a long line of corrupt and incompetent governments. The country's well along the way to falling to pieces.

Would it be possible for us to EVER have ONE THREAD without you doom and gloomers carping about the government?

[shaggy eel]

,,, in fact, earthquakes are a minor consideration in PNG. The place is a frontier. I have a cousin who's on a five year contract there and the tales he tells me about the place make me glad I've only flown over it.

[Howlin]

But isn't it beautiful?

[shaggy eel]

,,, from the air, I've never seen such a lush and dark green dense jungle. Maybe that's beauty. However, if you're a whitey working there, you are armed, the doors of your SUV have kevlar lining and the cops don't mind if you ice "rascals" - local armed gangs of criminals who are kept out of compounds by barbed wire and high security measures. It's the back door to the world but if you stay out of card games you come out of the experience with a good bank balance.

[PoisedWoman]

Swell place!

A neighbor of mine had been WW2 pilot, stationed in PNG. He could curl your hair with stories of deadly bugs, snakes, and even treacherous natives not far removed from cannibalism. A well-fed healthy American serviceman, he picked up some bacteria there that infected his gums and caused all of his teeth to fall out at 22. Shaggy, tell your friend for me to use gallons of Listerine, if not stronger stuff.

[shaggy eel]

,,, these days the water filters catch most everything down to 3 microns, so there's less risk, I guess. Still, like you say, they have everything that creeps and crawls and a shirt can rot out from sweat in a week or so if you're in the jungle.

I spend my days on a major faultline with a superb view of Wellington harbour and I figure I could be doing a lot worse.

[Howlin]

I need to get our more, don't I? Or at the very least, read your posts more carefully!