What the hell is happening in the South Pacific? (earthquakes)

[OvB]

Again, today in Vanuatu, three more earthquakes occurred, a magnate 7.8, 7.1 and a 5.7. From what I hear they caused another small tsunami.

We remember the other earthquakes that happened about a week ago, and ever since then there have been smaller ones every day.

Here's the list in this region from the United States Geological Survey:
[quote]
MAG y/m/d time LAT LON Depth(km) region
MAP 5.7 2009/10/07 23:48:52 -13.489 166.408 29.5 VANUATU
[B]MAP 7.1 2009/10/07 23:13:49 -13.145 166.297 33.3 VANUATU[/B]
[B]MAP 7.8 2009/10/07 22:03:15 -13.052 166.187 35.0 VANUATU[/B]
MAP 5.0 2009/10/07 08:59:06 -16.568 -172.612 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.9 2009/10/07 05:08:56 -13.615 165.942 35.0 VANUATU
MAP 4.9 2009/10/07 02:08:59 -16.156 -173.660 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.7 2009/10/06 22:31:19 -15.653 -172.299 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.6 2009/10/06 20:55:18 -14.934 -173.941 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.7 2009/10/06 20:47:21 -15.925 -173.561 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.5 2009/10/06 20:01:54 -15.160 -173.637 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.4 2009/10/06 17:22:57 18.964 -107.444 61.8 OFF THE COAST OF JALISCO, MEXICO
MAP 2.7 2009/10/06 17:20:07 19.351 -155.288 26.0 ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
MAP 4.3 2009/10/06 12:28:20 -17.485 -178.863 585.6 FIJI REGION
MAP 4.9 2009/10/06 09:38:00 -16.373 -172.589 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.1 2009/10/06 09:33:37 -20.816 168.674 41.0 LOYALTY ISLANDS
MAP 4.6 2009/10/06 08:10:09 13.855 -90.586 95.3 OFFSHORE GUATEMALA
MAP 5.6 2009/10/06 01:59:39 -4.523 -104.910 10.0 CENTRAL EAST PACIFIC RISE
MAP 2.8 2009/10/05 23:46:20 18.908 -155.526 38.6 HAWAII REGION, HAWAII
MAP 4.9 2009/10/05 22:45:30 -15.264 -173.465 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.8 2009/10/05 18:52:43 -15.288 -173.702 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.6 2009/10/05 17:03:29 -18.776 169.223 250.2 VANUATU
MAP 4.8 2009/10/05 12:46:37 -16.926 -172.404 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.0 2009/10/05 09:22:50 -16.280 -173.070 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.7 2009/10/05 08:28:47 -16.187 -174.154 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.6 2009/10/05 07:12:34 -15.994 -171.918 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.7 2009/10/04 20:13:35 14.293 -92.317 28.8 OFFSHORE GUATEMALA
MAP 5.3 2009/10/04 17:09:55 -16.221 -173.451 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.4 2009/10/04 17:02:29 -15.120 -172.786 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.4 2009/10/04 09:10:29 -16.247 -173.243 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.7 2009/10/04 01:54:56 -17.460 -173.295 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.2 2009/10/03 07:16:59 -16.881 -172.986 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.6 2009/10/03 01:54:52 -14.505 -173.138 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.7 2009/10/02 22:48:28 -33.253 -178.986 19.7 SOUTH OF THE KERMADEC ISLANDS
MAP 5.3 2009/10/02 22:38:44 -17.808 -172.590 44.3 TONGA REGION
MAP 5.1 2009/10/02 20:03:02 -17.157 -172.667 10.0 TONGA REGION
MAP 4.7 2009/10/02 19:58:51 -14.730 171.948 601.9 VANUATU REGION
MAP 5.8 2009/10/02 15:47:13 -17.032 174.474 35.8 FIJI REGION
MAP 5.4 2009/10/02 12:08:31 -16.419 -172.679 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.4 2009/10/02 12:01:11 -15.363 -173.201 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.0 2009/10/02 11:09:34 -14.773 -173.438 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.9 2009/10/02 09:45:55 -14.883 -174.108 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.7 2009/10/02 06:30:39 -16.466 -173.363 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.9 2009/10/02 05:05:12 -15.916 -173.532 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.9 2009/10/02 04:42:07 14.760 -91.033 178.4 GUATEMALA
MAP 4.7 2009/10/02 02:52:58 -16.086 -173.338 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.1 2009/10/02 02:46:48 -16.732 -172.300 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.9 2009/10/02 02:13:57 -15.012 -172.504 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.1 2009/10/02 01:55:06 -14.490 -173.371 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
[B]MAP 6.1 2009/10/02 01:07:39 -16.327 -173.480 10.0 TONGA[/B]
MAP 4.8 2009/10/01 22:33:37 -16.421 -173.049 59.8 TONGA
MAP 4.8 2009/10/01 21:15:42 -16.338 -173.404 9.6 TONGA
MAP 5.4 2009/10/01 20:55:44 -12.291 166.430 85.5 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
MAP 5.3 2009/10/01 20:13:52 -15.550 -172.820 33.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.0 2009/10/01 18:40:17 -14.995 -173.433 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.4 2009/10/01 18:18:52 -15.064 -173.846 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.9 2009/10/01 15:34:33 -16.242 -173.441 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.0 2009/10/01 13:33:44 -15.446 -173.563 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.4 2009/10/01 10:51:07 -17.200 -172.789 10.0 TONGA REGION
MAP 5.0 2009/10/01 09:47:26 -16.270 -173.549 10.0 TONGA
MAP 4.9 2009/10/01 08:49:59 -16.596 -172.968 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 5.1 2009/10/01 07:24:08 -15.373 -173.106 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.7 2009/10/01 06:13:30 -15.229 -172.932 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
MAP 4.7 2009/10/01 05:44:19 -45.985 166.906 10.0 OFF WEST COAST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND, N.Z.
MAP 4.8 2009/10/01 03:41:58 -15.582 -173.610 10.0 TONGA
MAP 5.0 2009/10/01 00:30:22 -16.443 -172.443 10.0 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
[/quote]

Smaller (>2.9) earthquakes happen daily, as you can see the greater majority of these earthquakes are 4.3-5.7, which are considered light or moderate. These types happen around 6,000-800 times a year.

So facepunch, what do you think is going on here? This shit normal for this region and just now getting media coverage? or is mother earth having some indigestion?

[ksenior]

The end of the world!

[raccoon12]

Transform boundaries

[Hunterbrute]

2012 man, its the end of the world.

[PassTheBong]

Tectonic plates bumping into each other

They're getting awfully old.

It's like a puzzle, being left in the rain. It will eventually disintegrate. It's just... IT will take a [b]lot[/b] longer for the plates to disintegrate.

[OvB]

[QUOTE=Jessesmith1;17717473]Tectonic plates bumping into each other

They're getting awfully old.

It's like a puzzle, being left in the rain. It will eventually disintegrate. It's just... IT will take a [b]lot[/b] longer for the plates to disintegrate.[/QUOTE]

Yes, but does this region regularly produce 7.0+ magnitude earthquakes? No place that reside along faults are safe from earthquakes but you don't hear about any greater than 7 too often.

oh wow, emotes in the quote.

[PassTheBong]

[QUOTE=OvB;17717507]Yes, but does this region regularly produce 7.0+ magnitude earthquakes? No place that reside along faults are safe from earthquakes but you don't hear about any greater than 7 too often.[/QUOTE]

More room dividing the plates, more friction, harder the bang when they collide.

[Latias]

:tinfoil:

It's a conspirasea

[Boatplugs]

[url]http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=460468[/url]

Must be it.

[gamefreek76]

California is about due for a big one.

[Hunterbrute]

[QUOTE=gamefreek76;17717555]California is about due for a big one.[/QUOTE]

Yeah God will punish those sodomites.

[OvB]

Google Earth is telling me another one happened. This time a 7.7.

This is what it's telling me:
[quote]
Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009 23:13:49 UTC
Thursday, October 8, 2009 10:13:49 AM at epicenter
Depth: 33.30 km (20.69 mi)
[/quote]

And the other two I mentioned.
[quote]Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009 22:03:15 UTC
Thursday, October 8, 2009 09:03:15 AM at epicenter
Depth: 35.00 km (21.75 mi)
[/quote]

[quote]Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2009 22:18:26 UTC
Thursday, October 8, 2009 09:18:26 AM at epicenter
Depth: 35.00 km (21.75 mi)
[/quote]

Subduction zone must be pissed off.

[Smoot]

Lol at the

MAP 4.9 2009/10/02 0512 -15.916 -173.532 10.0 TONGA

part.

[Ordinos]

Mini earthquakes happen after earthquakes, but that 2 of a ig magnitude.... just... wow.

[Amber902]

Its the 07er and 06ers fault sillt

[Sgt. Napalm]

It's the Rapture.

[venn177]

[QUOTE=OvB;17717444]Again, today in Vanuatu, three more earthquakes occurred, a magnate 7.8, 7.1 and a 5.7. From what I hear they caused another small tsunami.

We remember the other earthquakes that happened about a week ago, and ever since then there have been smaller ones every day.

Here's the list in this region from the United States Geological Survey:

[b]Smaller (>2.9) earthquakes happen daily[/b], as you can see the greater majority of these earthquakes are 4.3-5.7, which are considered light or moderate. These types happen around 6,000-800 times a year.

So facepunch, what do you think is going on here? This shit normal for this region and just now getting media coverage? or is mother earth having some indigestion?[/QUOTE]

Holy shiiiiiiiiit. Anything greater than 2.9 is daily? THE WORLD SHALL END SOON

[DPennington]

The emotes stop me from taking your post seriously OP.

[KorJax]

[QUOTE=OvB;17717507]Yes, but does this region regularly produce 7.0+ magnitude earthquakes? No place that reside along faults are safe from earthquakes but you don't hear about any greater than 7 too often.

oh wow, emotes in the quote.[/QUOTE]

Places that get earthquakes often will never have really powerful earthquakes due to the plates relieving tension before anything super big can build up.

It's the places that sit on a fault line that hasn't had a quake in 30 years that have the big ones.

[ASmellyOgre]

It is a supervolcano that is about to erupt.

[urhr]

God is pissed

[Figgis Fiddis]

I'm moving to Madagascar before this spreads

[DOG-GY]

[QUOTE=urhr;17718778]God is pissed[/QUOTE]
Who?

[OvB]

[QUOTE=KorJax;17718685]Places that get earthquakes often will never have really powerful earthquakes due to the plates relieving tension before anything super big can build up.

It's the places that sit on a fault line that hasn't had a quake in 30 years that have the big ones.[/QUOTE]

Well ya, faults put out tiny ones daily that barley register. It's just that recently this area has been having frequent 5-7.0 magnitudes. 7.0 is classified as a major one. The 1906 San Fransisco earthquake was around 7.7-8-3. As mentioned before California due for a massive one.

Though now that I think about it the 4-5's are probably just the aftershocks from the bigger ones. It's still kind of odd to have 3 large earthquakes in such small vicinity of each other.

Should we take this as a warning for other possible seismic activity around the world? Maybe California will bust it's nut in a few years.

[paradox621]

Ask Professor Facepunch, PhD in whatever the fuck you'd like to know.

Seriously though, tectonic plates. Regular activity. Just that, until recently, nobody really heard of nor gave a fuck about earthquakes on the other side of the world.

[Waals Vander]

[QUOTE=raccoon12;17717464]Transform boundaries[/QUOTE]

convergent

[haloguy234]

A fat kid just collapsed halfway across the world. No need to worry about anything.

[Tractorlord]

[QUOTE=ASmellyOgre;17718757]It is a supervolcano that is about to erupt.[/QUOTE]

[img]http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Gif/Vanuatu/Maps/map_vanuatu_volcanoes.gif[/img]

Any of these?

Edit:
[url]http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.php[/url]

2 more just hit.

[avergejoe]

The first big one is the main earthquake, the two after are aftershocks which will probably continue for another week or so getting gradually less powerful. Almost all earthquakes have aftershocks.

[OvB]

[QUOTE=avergejoe;17718994]The first big one is the main earthquake, the two after are aftershocks which will probably continue for another week or so getting gradually less powerful. Almost all earthquakes have aftershocks.[/QUOTE]

After shocks are usually smaller than the initial quake though, these are all large earthquakes.

Earthquakes this size only happen about 18 times a year, and 8.0mag happen about once per year. I just find it odd that three happen so close to each other in such short time. I'm not saying it's the end of the world.