The 2016 Chiloé earthquake with a magnitude of Mww 7.6 struck 225 kilometres (140 mi) south-west of Puerto Montt in southern Chile at 11:22 local time, 25 December.[1][2] The earthquake triggered a tsunami warning on coasts located up to 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from the quake's epicentre, generating massive evacuation across the Greater Chiloé Island, after advice from the Chilean government.[2] Although there was damage in some parts of the island, the government reported no casualties.
Earthquake
The earthquake occurred as a result of shallow thrust faulting in southern Chile. At the location of the earthquake, the oceanic Nazca plate converges with and subducts beneath the South America plate in an east-northeast direction, at a rate of approximately 73 mm/yr. The location, depth and shallow thrusting focal mechanism solution[3] all indicate this earthquake likely occurred on the subduction zone interface.[1]
Tsunami
A tsunami with a maximum height of 0.44 m (1.4 ft) was observed on Chiloé Island.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "M7.6 – 39 km SSW of Puerto Quellón, Chile". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved December 25, 2016.
- ^ a b "Chile earthquake triggers tsunami warning". BBC News. 25 December 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
- ^ "M 7.6 – 41 km SW of Puerto Quellon, Chile --- Focal mechanism solution". United States Geological Survey.
- ^ "Tsunami Event: CHILOE, CHILE". ngdc.noaa.com.
External links
- The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.
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