I didn't feel it - 43 miles from the epicenter - but tonight's 4.7 (initially reported to be 5.0) earthquake is the latest in a string of tremblers to his Southern California in the last few weeks. It lasted 10-15 seconds. Two aftershocks - including a 3.1
No major injuries. There has been some structural damage - people fled cinemas and their homes. The ceiling fell in at a theater in Long Beach. Minor damage in peoples' homes - fallen pictures, ornaments etc. Friends who felt it say it was very strong. A rumbling followed by a jolt and and a bang. Not the usual rolling motion. Scary, they say. Once again, dog owners report that their animals noticed first.
GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF.
Geographic coordinates: 33.940N, 118.337W
Magnitude: 5.0 Ml
Depth: 13 km
Time near the Epicenter: 17 May 2009 20:39:36
Location with respect to nearby cities:
2 km (1 miles) E (91 degrees) of Lennox, CA
2 km (1 miles) SSE (157 degrees) of Inglewood, CA
3 km (2 miles) NNE (23 degrees) of Hawthorne, CA
15 km (10 miles) SSW (213 degrees) of Los Angeles Civic Center, CA
A timely reminder that the Big One is overdue. The end of the San Andreas fault was not experienced a major rupture for at least 250 years. The San Andreas fault runs for roughly 1287km (800 miles) through western and southern California in the US. It marks the meeting point of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. The two plates either side of the San Andreas fault are moving past each other at a rate of about 25mm each year - the fault's "slip rate." If all the strain was released at once, it would have enough energy to unleash a magnitude-8 earthquake - roughly the size of the devastating 1906 quake in San Francisco. Quakes are predicted to occur on the southern part of the fault every 200-300 years.
Duck, cover and hold.
QUAKE HISTORY
July 29, 2008: 11:42 am: 5.4 Chino Hills Earthquake, the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area experienced its largest earthquake in years as a magnitude 5.4 event occurred 8.5 miles beneath the Chino Hills. This earthquake was felt across much of southern California, and as far away as Las Vegas, Nevada. I was at a movie memorabilia auiction preview at the time and filming!
Monday January 17, 1994: 0430 PST 6.7 - Northridge: Sixty people were killed, more than 7,000 injured, 20,000 homeless and more than 40,000 buildings damaged in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino Counties.
April 18, 1906: 7.8 - One of the greatest earthquakes ever to hit California. Damage was extensive in San Francisco, and was increased perhaps tenfold by raging fires. Total damage was estimated at over $500 million. Seven hundred people died. The earthquake occurred on a blind thrust fault, and produced the strongest ground motions ever instrumentally recorded in an urban setting in North America. Damage was wide-spread, sections of major freeways collapsed, parking structures and office buildings collapsed, and numerous apartment buildings suffered irreparable damage.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Santa Barbara folks go home
An evacuation order has been lifted in the California town of Santa
Barbara where a fast moving wildfire has destroyed more than 13 square
miles. More than a third of the blaze is now contained although fire
officials are warning that it will take several days to put it
completely out. A dramatic change in the weather helped firefighters
gain the upper hand over this ferocious blaze. A blanket of cool,
moist air flowed in from the ocean and quelled the flames. At one
stage 30 thousand people were evacuated from their homes, but they've
now been allowed to return. Tragically some families discovered that
they no longer had a home. Firefighters are warning that the danger
isn't completely over. They describe the weather conditions are
fickle, and while the fire is still burning, there's a danger the
flames could be fanned by fresh winds. There's still no word on the
cause of the fire, which is expected to burn for several more days.
Barbara where a fast moving wildfire has destroyed more than 13 square
miles. More than a third of the blaze is now contained although fire
officials are warning that it will take several days to put it
completely out. A dramatic change in the weather helped firefighters
gain the upper hand over this ferocious blaze. A blanket of cool,
moist air flowed in from the ocean and quelled the flames. At one
stage 30 thousand people were evacuated from their homes, but they've
now been allowed to return. Tragically some families discovered that
they no longer had a home. Firefighters are warning that the danger
isn't completely over. They describe the weather conditions are
fickle, and while the fire is still burning, there's a danger the
flames could be fanned by fresh winds. There's still no word on the
cause of the fire, which is expected to burn for several more days.
Looking better in Santa Barbara
The early morning marine layer brought better news for Santa Barbara
-- the fire is now 30 per cent contained and the mandatory evacuation
orders have been lifted. But the blaze is still a "sleeping giant,"
according to one official, and if the winds kick up again, the flames
could spread.
-- the fire is now 30 per cent contained and the mandatory evacuation
orders have been lifted. But the blaze is still a "sleeping giant,"
according to one official, and if the winds kick up again, the flames
could spread.
Fog helps fire fighters
A thick layer of fog along the California coast will help firefighters
battling the Santa Barbara blaze today. It's 20 deg F cooler than
yesterday and the fire is now moving away from the city. But he blaze
is still only 10% contained and the authorities are warning an
additional 23,000 people should be ready to leave at a moment's
notice. 30,000 have already been evacuated.
battling the Santa Barbara blaze today. It's 20 deg F cooler than
yesterday and the fire is now moving away from the city. But he blaze
is still only 10% contained and the authorities are warning an
additional 23,000 people should be ready to leave at a moment's
notice. 30,000 have already been evacuated.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Cool Santa Barbara weather but fire rages on
More than 30 thousand people have now been ordered to leave their
homes in the California town of Santa Barbara, where a wildfire is
burning out of control. At least 75 homes have been destroyed and
firefighters are struggling to contain the blaze. More than 12
thousand properties in Santa Barbara are under a compulsory evacuation
order. The fierce fire, which started on Tuesday, is proving extremely
difficult to get under control. At one point the front edge of the
fire stretched for five miles – rapidly consuming the tinder dry brush
in its wake. One official likened the fire to a 'blowtorch." The main
problem for firefighters has been the sudden changes in the wind speed
and direction. Local residents have been forces to sleep in community
centers and schools, not knowing whether they'll have a home to return
to. More than two thousand firefighters are battling the blaze from
the ground and the air. A DC-10 jet has been dumping huge loads of
fire retardant over the blaze. There's one glimmer of hope. The
weather forecast is for much cooler temperatures – a change that
should help the firefighters although it's still likely to take
several days to get the blaze fully contained.
homes in the California town of Santa Barbara, where a wildfire is
burning out of control. At least 75 homes have been destroyed and
firefighters are struggling to contain the blaze. More than 12
thousand properties in Santa Barbara are under a compulsory evacuation
order. The fierce fire, which started on Tuesday, is proving extremely
difficult to get under control. At one point the front edge of the
fire stretched for five miles – rapidly consuming the tinder dry brush
in its wake. One official likened the fire to a 'blowtorch." The main
problem for firefighters has been the sudden changes in the wind speed
and direction. Local residents have been forces to sleep in community
centers and schools, not knowing whether they'll have a home to return
to. More than two thousand firefighters are battling the blaze from
the ground and the air. A DC-10 jet has been dumping huge loads of
fire retardant over the blaze. There's one glimmer of hope. The
weather forecast is for much cooler temperatures – a change that
should help the firefighters although it's still likely to take
several days to get the blaze fully contained.
Santa Barbara fires - "all hell broke loose"
The Santa Barbara fire suddenly took a turn for the worse early today. According to Fire Chief Andrew DiMizio: "All hell broke loose" as flames rushed down steep canyons. 30,000 people have been evacuated and the blaze is moving towards city limits. Once again strong winds and searing temperatures are hampering the fire fighting effort. A wildfire of this ferocity, in the spring, is very unusual. It does not bode well for Southern California for the rest of the year. Developing...
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