Tsunami warning for Fiji, New Zealand03/05/2006 18:38 - (SA)
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Los Angeles - A massive earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 rocked Tonga in the Pacific early on Thursday - US monitors issued a tsunami warning for New Zealand and Fiji.
The US Geological Survey said a "great" quake struck at 4:26 am local time (15:26 GMT) in the middle of the islands that make up Tonga. Eight is the highest level on its measuring scale.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center called on New Zealand and Fiji to take immediate action against a possible giant wave caused by the quake.
The epicenter was 155km south of Neiafu island and 160km northeast of Nuku'Alofa, the main island, the USGS said.
The quake was recorded 16km below the Earth's surface.
"We have a tsumani warning for Fiji and New Zealand and for the rest of the Pacific we have a tsumani watch," said Pacific Tsunami Warning Center oceanograher Nathan Becker.
"That means a tsunami is likely and New Zealand and Fiji should take the appropriate action," he told AFP.
1 comment:
Eight is the highest level on its measuring scale.
Richter TNT for Seismic Example
Magnitude Energy Yield (approximate)
-1.5 6 ounces Breaking a rock on a lab table
1.0 30 pounds Large Blast at a Construction Site
1.5 320 pounds
2.0 1 ton Large Quarry or Mine Blast
2.5 4.6 tons
3.0 29 tons
3.5 73 tons
4.0 1,000 tons Small Nuclear Weapon
4.5 5,100 tons Average Tornado (total energy)
5.0 32,000 tons
5.5 80,000 tons Little Skull Mtn., NV Quake, 1992
6.0 1 million tons Double Spring Flat, NV Quake, 1994
6.5 5 million tons Northridge, CA Quake, 1994
7.0 32 million tons Hyogo-Ken Nanbu, Japan Quake, 1995; Largest Thermonuclear Weapon
7.5 160 million tons Landers, CA Quake, 1992
8.0 1 billion tons San Francisco, CA Quake, 1906
8.5 5 billion tons Anchorage, AK Quake, 1964
9.0 32 billion tons Chilean Quake, 1960
10.0 1 trillion tons (San-Andreas type fault circling Earth)
12.0 160 trillion tons (Fault Earth in half through center,
OR Earth's daily receipt of solar energy)
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