8.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Chile

[goldcatt]

A point of (hopefully only) historical interest. In 1906 San Francisco had a 7.7 EQ on April 18th; and Santiago, Chile an 8.6 event on Aug 17th. Related or not, todays event should suggest to all to be prepared for mother nature, especially those living in California.

Yeah was up early this AM and caught the news.

I was surprised to hear that the strongest earthquake ever recored, 9 point something on the Richter happened in Chile in 1960.

Wow. Tough place to live. Are they near a big fault or something??? Anyone know.

To answer your question: YES.

They live near and on one of the most active and dangerous groups of faults in the world. They have a major earthquake every decade or so, a massive one every 25 - 75 years on average. They also have some of the world's most active volcanoes and a massive, young and still growing mountain chain. You don't shove all that rock up into the sky without building up a lot of energy - which has to let loose on a regular basis.

The Chileans are experienced and sophisticated when it comes to geologic threats in general, they live with them every day. This is huge, and those affected will need plenty of help. But this isn't a Haiti situation.

 

[Political Junky]

This was 32 times more powerful than the Haiti quake.
Correction: I just heard on the news that the Chile quake was 500 times greater energy than the Haiti quake.

 

[Meister]

I sure hope the death toll doesn't come in anywhere close to what Haiti's was. There is a a lot of devastation, but my prayers are with that country today.





I heard that George Bush was seen off the coast of Chile right before the quake. Hmmmm

 

[goldcatt]

There is going to be a massive amount of damage particularly in coastal areas affected by subsidence, probably liquefaction and tsunami, and the death toll will grow. The preliminary moment magnitude of 8.8 places this as one of the top 10 strongst quakes in recorded history, after all.

But Chile is experienced, unlike Haiti. They've had an even larger quake in living memory and the opportunity to learn from that experience, unlike Haiti. They deal with major quakes on a regular basis, unlike Haiti. They fully understand the threat and the science behind how these forces work and can predict with a reasonable degree of certainty what will be needed, unlike Haiti. This means they have preparations and plans in place, unlike Haiti. They will need help. But they are not entirely helpless - unlike Haiti.

 

[Political Junky]

Chile is definitely not a third world nation as Haiti is. Building codes are good and it's a very prosperous nation.

 

[hjmick]

We've really got to stop testing that secret tectonic weapon. First Haiti, now Chile. Chavez is going to have an apoplectic fit...

 

[007]

We've really got to stop testing that secret tectonic weapon. First Haiti, now Chile. Chavez is going to have an apoplectic fit...

Maybe we could distract them if we used our catastrophic weather machine.

 

[Avatar4321]

No. Different faults. But, I still plan to update our EQ supplies and buy another case or two of water this morning.

They may be different faults, but that doesn't mean that when an earthquake releases pressure on one fault, that it doesn't effect other faults.

 

[Skull Pilot]

How come the president isn't on TV asking us to send money to Chile??

 

[Avatar4321]

A 6.3 aftershock just hit Argentina.

I'm not against helping any country in need, but you really have to have concerns over the financial stability of the U.S. after Obama's massive spending spree.

Next, there will be disastrous problems in Hawaii (and elsewhere) from the Tsunamis.

America is ill-equipped to financially handle disasters in our own country now or in the future...there will be disasters here...count on it.

Absolutely we have yet to recover from the great Bush disaster.
We do not yet even have a recovery plan.

I've got a recovery plan. But I think right now we should focus on charity for these people.

 

[Avatar4321]

We've really got to stop testing that secret tectonic weapon. First Haiti, now Chile. Chavez is going to have an apoplectic fit...

Yeah, well im sure he realizes we were really aiming for him.

 

[goldcatt]

No. Different faults. But, I still plan to update our EQ supplies and buy another case or two of water this morning.

They may be different faults, but that doesn't mean that when an earthquake releases pressure on one fault, that it doesn't effect other faults.

Only in interacting fault systems, like New Madrid and Cottage Grove in Missouri and Illinois, or San Andreas and Haywood in the San Francisco Bay area. There is no interaction between the San Andreas or any other fault system affecting the US and the fault systems centered on the Peru-Chile Trench plate boundary off the Chilean coast. Which is what generated this quake.

Let's not cause anyone to panic where it's not called for, ok?

 

[uscitizen]

A 6.3 aftershock just hit Argentina.

I'm not against helping any country in need, but you really have to have concerns over the financial stability of the U.S. after Obama's massive spending spree.

Next, there will be disastrous problems in Hawaii (and elsewhere) from the Tsunamis.

America is ill-equipped to financially handle disasters in our own country now or in the future...there will be disasters here...count on it.

Absolutely we have yet to recover from the great Bush disaster.
We do not yet even have a recovery plan.

I've got a recovery plan. But I think right now we should focus on charity for these people.

Yep on the victims of the Bush disaster.

 

[Avatar4321]

No. Different faults. But, I still plan to update our EQ supplies and buy another case or two of water this morning.

They may be different faults, but that doesn't mean that when an earthquake releases pressure on one fault, that it doesn't effect other faults.

Only in interacting fault systems, like New Madrid and Cottage Grove in Missouri and Illinois, or San Andreas and Haywood in the San Francisco Bay area. There is no interaction between the San Andreas or any other fault system affecting the US and the fault systems centered on the Peru-Chile Trench plate boundary off the Chilean coast. Which is what generated this quake.

Let's not cause anyone to panic where it's not called for, ok?

I have no desire to cause a panic. I simply dont believe there isnt atleast some indirect relationship between what happens in different parts of the world.

 

[Avatar4321]

Absolutely we have yet to recover from the great Bush disaster.
We do not yet even have a recovery plan.

I've got a recovery plan. But I think right now we should focus on charity for these people.

Yep on the victims of the Bush disaster.

So you are actually going to blame Bush for this? And I thought I was exagerating.

 

[goldcatt]

For anyone watching this story, CNN is running coverage from a Hawaiian TV station with video feed from Honolulu and Hilo. Interesting stuff, their cameras haven't picked it up yet but just in the last couple minutes they are receiving reports of receding water in some locations. No wave yet, but the receding water would be the first step if they can confirm it. Here's hoping it's tiny.

 

[Samson]

For anyone watching this story, CNN is running coverage from a Hawaiian TV station with video feed from Honolulu and Hilo. Interesting stuff, their cameras haven't picked it up yet but just in the last couple minutes they are receiving reports of receding water in some locations. No wave yet, but the receding water would be the first step if they can confirm it. Here's hoping it's tiny.

I hope the get some good surfing videos on the North Shore.

 

[Old Rocks]

Chile sets on one of the most active subduction zones in the world. As such, it can and does get quakes exceeding 9. Here in the States, we have one two areas with that kind of quakes. Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest.

The last time a 9+ quake let go in Alaska was on Good Friday, 1964, and Anchorage was devestated.

The last time the Pacific Northwest Subduction Zone let go, it was a 9.5, and in the Straight of Juan de Fuca, put driftwood 500 ft up hillsides. That was on January 29, 1700, if I am remembering the date correctly. From the evidence, the quake let go from the junction off Cape Mendecino, to the North end of Vancouver Island.

But that is still not the most dangerous quake zone for the US. Were the New Madrid quakes happen today as they did in 1812, the damage would be in the trillions of dollars. And we would be in need of other nations help in initial search are rescue efforts.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Wow, an earthquake almost 1000 times more powerful than the one in Haiti, and hardly anyone feels like talking about it.

I guess everyone's waiting for the media to tell them how much they should care about this one before they put too much effort into it

Chile had a bad quake in the 60's. My understanding is like LA, they've built more to codes. I'm praying that the toll will show the reasoning behind those codes. Haiti was a basketcase before the quake, it didn't help matters thus the attention.

i heard that their new buildings were still standing with minimal damage...but things change as more news comes in.....here where i am at in Orange County there not very many high rises...5-6 stories would be a tall one.... Cal Tech works with the Scientists in Japan on building Earthquake safe buildings....and together they have advanced that science alot in the last 20 years...

 

[Harry Dresden]

A point of (hopefully only) historical interest. In 1906 San Francisco had a 7.7 EQ on April 18th; and Santiago, Chile an 8.6 event on Aug 17th. Related or not, todays event should suggest to all to be prepared for mother nature, especially those living in California.

Yeah was up early this AM and caught the news.

I was surprised to hear that the strongest earthquake ever recored, 9 point something on the Richter happened in Chile in 1960.

Wow. Tough place to live. Are they near a big fault or something??? Anyone know.

To answer your question: YES.

They live near and on one of the most active and dangerous groups of faults in the world. They have a major earthquake every decade or so, a massive one every 25 - 75 years on average. They also have some of the world's most active volcanoes and a massive, young and still growing mountain chain. You don't shove all that rock up into the sky without building up a lot of energy - which has to let loose on a regular basis.

The Chileans are experienced and sophisticated when it comes to geologic threats in general, they live with them every day. This is huge, and those affected will need plenty of help. But this isn't a Haiti situation.

and they have a had like 5 6 pointer aftershocks from what i heard....if this is true....as someone who has been in a few of these things....and much smaller ones.....YIKES!!!....earthquakes are an adrenaline rush when they are 5 pointers....i can imagine what a friggin 8 pointer must be like...WOW.....