A Very Big Earthquake

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
NO. 7-234
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
AUG 22, 2007
NEIC/WDCS-D QUICK EPICENTER DETERMINATIONS
UTC TIME LAT LONG DEP GS MAGS Q SD GAP STA F-E REGION AND COMMENTSHRMNSEC MB Msz USED

AUG 15

234057.9 13.354S 76.509W 39G A 0.9 29 274 NEAR THE COAST OF CENTRAL PERU. MW 8.0 (GCMT), 8.0 (GCMT). ME 7.5 (GS). At least 650 people killed and 1600 injured in the Ica-Lima-Pisco area. Extensive damage at Chincha Alta, Ica and Pisco. Widespread communications and power outages ocurred in the area. Relief efforts were hindered by cracks in the Panamerican Highway. Possible earthquake lights were observed in the area. Broadband Source Parameters (GS): Dep 39 km; Radiated energy 4.2*10**15 Nm. Complex earthquake. Depth based on first event. Centroid, Moment Tensor (GCMT): Centroid origin time 23:41:59.0; Lat 13.76 S; Lon 76.97 W; Dep 33.3 km; Half-duration 23.0 sec; Principal axes (scale 10**21 Nm): (T) Val=1.12, Plg=67, Azm=106; (N) Val=-0.04, Plg=12, Azm=347; (P) Val=-1.09, Plg=20, Azm=253; Best double couple: Mo=1.1*10**21 Nm; P1: Strike=324, Dip=27, Slip=64; NP2: Strike=172, Dip=66, Slip=103. Scalar Moment (PPT): Mo=1.4*10**21 Nm.

This is a sad thing and pity. A lot of people died and there have been aftershocks - big quakes like that often have that effect. On the other hand, this is a very siesmically unstable area. I can't imagine anyone there does not know this. As usual, this is something that can get me started on the overpopulation in the world. People wouldn't live in these areas if there were more space. At least, I always think so. But inevitably, all parts of the world have their issues. Look at the Yucatan Penninsula. Would you live there with the number of hurricanes that tear their way across that little spit of land?! I would not. Who needs to worry June through October?

Wikipedia:

"The cities of Pisco, Ica and Chincha Alta in the Ica Region, and San Vicente de Cañete in the Lima Region were most affected, but the earthquake was also felt in the capital Lima, where the quake broke windows in downtown sectors of the city, as well as various other Peruvian cities, including Pucallpa, Iquitos, Contamana, Trujillo and Cajamarca. Seventeen people died when a church in the city of Ica collapsed and 70 were injured. They were attending mass at the time the earthquake started. About 85,000 homes were destroyed. The city of Pisco, which is 260 km (160 mi) southeast of Lima, has contributed more than 200 people to the death toll and about 80% of the city was destroyed. The government reported 510 deaths.

A magnitude 5.8 aftershock occurred at 19:02 local time, centered 113 kilometres (70 mi) northeast of Chincha Alta. At 19:19 local time, another 5.9 magnitude aftershock occurred, centered 48 kilometres (30 mi) south-southwest of Ica. At least a dozen aftershocks of magnitude 5.0 or greater have been recorded.

The day after, survivors who could not be accommodated in local hospitals in Pisco were taken to Lima by airplane, arriving there later that night. On Sunday, August 19, President of Colombia Álvaro Uribe arrived in Ica.

Tectonic summary
This earthquake occurred at the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, which are converging at a rate of 78 mm (3.1 in) per year. The earthquake occurred as thrust faulting on the interface between the two plates, with the South American Plate moving up and seaward over the Nazca Plate. Experts say this kind of earthquake is produced about once every 100 years.

Coastal Peru has a history of very large earthquakes. The August 15 shock originated near the source of two previous earthquakes, both in the magnitude 8 range occurring in 1908 and 1974. This earthquake is south of the source of a magnitude 8.2 earthquake that occurred in northern Peru in 1966 and north of a magnitude 8.3 earthquake that occurred in 2001 near Arequipa in southern Peru. The largest earthquake along the coast of Peru was a magnitude 9 that occurred in 1868. It produced a tsunami that killed several thousand people along the South American coast and also caused damage in Hawaii.

Tsunami warnings
A tsunami warning was issued for Peru, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and even as far as Hawaii following the earthquakes, but it was later cancelled, although some areas of the port city of Callao were evacuated. Tsunami warnings were also made for Panama and Costa Rica, and a tsunami watch was posted for Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Honduras. All alerts were cancelled after a 25 centimetre (10 in) tsunami came ashore.

A tsunami warning was also issued by the Japan Meteorological Agency stating that waves higher than 20 centimetres (8 in) could reach Japan's northern island, Hokkaidō, on Thursday, August 16, around 19:00 UTC (Friday, 04:00 JST)."

I'm putting together clothes for Mario to take to be given to the earthquake victims there. I like that. I have plenty of clothes to give, so at least I'm doing the right thing with them.