2016 Solomon Islands earthquakes

Seismic events December 2016 May 2024 8 December 2016 Solomon Islands earthquake >1 minute 10.681 S 161.327 E dms type:event_dim:200km inline,title 2016-12-08 17:38:46 611831246 us20007z80 9 December 2016 04:38 M 7.8 - 69km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands.jpg 40.0 km 7.8 ww yes San Cristobal-New Britain Trench Oblique-reverse 1000+ buildings damaged or destroyed 8 0.43 metres Yes ww yes 6.5ww yes 6.9 1 dead On 9 December 2016 at 4:38 a.m. (UTC +11) local time (17:38:46 UTC), the Solomon Islands region was rocked by an ww7.8 earthquake, centred 30 km off San Cristobal Island, about 61 km southwest of Kirakira, the capital of Makira-Ulawa Province.Reuters 9 December 2016 Solomon Islands Earthquake Triggers Tsunami Alert In South Pacific NDTV https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/magnitude-7-7-earthquake-hits-solomon-islands-region-at-risk-of-tsunami-1635744 1 December 2020 Initially registering magnitude 8.0, later downgraded to 7.8, the temblor prompted tsunami warnings that kept countries surrounding the Coral, Tasman and Solomon Sea on high alert, but was later cancelled. A large aftershock of magnitude 6.9 occurred shortly afterwards. This earthquake was largely felt, waking many residents who later ran to high ground for fears of a potential tsunami.9 December 2016 Magnitude 7.8 quake hits off Solomons RNZ https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/319981/magnitude-7-point-8-quake-hits-off-solomons 1 December 2020 The earthquake killed a child and affected some 34,000 people in Makira, South Malaita and Guadalcanal Island where many had lost their homes or had no access to basic needs.Reid Kathryn 21 August 2018 Solomon Islands: Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and floods https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/solomon-islands-earthquakes-tsunamis-volcanoes-floods-facts#:~:text=How%20damaging%20was%20the%202016%20Solomon%20Islands%20earthquake%3F,-The%20Solomon%20Islands&text=A%20magnitude%207.8%20undersea%20earthquake,capital%20of%20Makira%2DUlwara%20Province.&text=People%20fled%20to%20higher%20ground,for%20fear%20of%20a%20tsunami. 1 December 2020 World Vision Earthquakes are common in this region, with little or no fatalities. This earthquake is tied with three other magnitude 7.8 earthquakes for the second largest earthquake of 2016.Breslin Sean 8 December 2016 7.8 Earthquake Strikes Solomon Islands; Tsunami Watch Canceled for Hawaii The Weather Channel https://weather.com/news/news/solomon-islands-earthquake 1 December 2020 On 17 December, Solomon Islands would be rattled again by a 7.9 magnitude earthquake, this time 54 km east of Taron, Papua New Guinea.M 7.9 - 54km E of Taron, Papua New Guinea https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us200081v8/executive USGS-ANSS USGS 21 March 2021 Geological setting The Australian Woodlark, Solomon Sea and Pacific plates are converging at a rate of 97 mm/yr.Kaustubh Thirumalai, Frederick W. Taylor, Chuan-Chou Shen, Luc L. Lavier, Cliff Frohlich, Laura M. Wallace, Chung-Che Wu, Hailong Sun & Alison K. Papabatu 30 June 2015 Variable Holocene deformation above a shallow subduction zone extremely close to the trench https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279629789 Nature Communications 6 7607 10.1038/ncomms8607 26123872 4491809 2015NatCo...6.7607T 8275538 free The earthquake was a result of interaction between the Australian and Pacific plates along a subduction zone. Subduction of the Australian Plate has also given rise to volcanoes in the region. This region of the world lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where 90 percent of all earthquake and volcanic activity is concentrated here.Hanna, O'Sullivan Jason, Donnie 8 December 2016 Solomon Islands tsunami threat over after 7.8 quake CNN https://edition.cnn.com/2016/12/08/asia/solomon-islands-earthquake/index.html 1 December 2020 Earthquake The earthquake occurred along the boundary interface where the Australian and Pacific Plates make contact. Focal mechanism suggests this event was a result of oblique-reverse faulting.M 7.8 – 69km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us20007z80/executive 1 December 2020 US Geological Survey The earthquake did not rupture to the trench, terminating at a depth of 20 km, with its epicenter at 40 km. An average slip has been estimated at 5 meters.Solomon Islands Tsunami on Dec. 8, 2016 https://iisee.kenken.go.jp/staff/fujii/Solomon2016/tsunami.html 1 December 2020 The earthquake may also be a deep compressional intraslab event occurring on a fault located within the subducting plate; known as intraplate earthquakes because they happen in a plate rather than at the boundary of two.Lingling Ye Thorne Lay Thorne Lay Hiroo Kanamori Hiroo Kanamori The 25 March 2020 MW 7.5 Paramushir, northern Kuril Islands earthquake and major (MW ≥ 7.0) near-trench intraplate compressional faulting Earth and Planetary Science Letters 2021 556 116728 10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116728 2021E&PSL.55616728Y 233944154 free Tsunami The main earthquake triggered tsunami warnings directed at Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tuvalu and Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia, issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. In New Caledonia, people were ordered to evacuate and leave for higher ground. Warnings for American Samoa and Hawaii were cancelled shortly after.8 December 2016 Large earthquake strikes off Solomon Islands DW https://www.dw.com/en/large-earthquake-strikes-off-solomon-islands/a-36699408 1 December 2020 The International Tsunami Information Center warned of tsunamis between 1 and 3 meters. However, the highest waves were measured at only 0.43 meters (1.41 feet) on Marika Island.Tsunami Event Information SOLOMON ISLANDS https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/tsunami/event-more-info/5630 1 December 2020 NOAA NCEI Aftershocks A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck about four hours after the initial quake, and later a 6.9 one day after the mainshock.M 6.5 – 79km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us20007zbn/executive 1 December 2020 US Geological SurveyM 6.9 – 92km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us20007zlq/executive 1 December 2020 US Geological Survey The 6.9 aftershock prompted new tsunami warnings with forecasted waves of 0.30 meters (0.98 feet).10 December 2016 Solomon Islands recover from 7.8-magnitude quake amid continuing aftershocks National Thailand https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30301852 1 December 2020 Aftermath Phone and electricity lines were cut-off throughout the country in the immediate aftermath.8 December 2016 Solomon Islands tsunami warning lifted after powerful 7.8 quake BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-38257353 1 December 2020 On Malaita Island, there were reports that between 35 and 40 buildings had been damaged.9 December 2016 Damage assessment after M7.8 earthquake in Solomon Islands The Watchers https://watchers.news/2016/12/09/solomon-islands-earthquake-damage-december-2016/ 1 December 2020 In Guadalcanal, the collapse of a home killed one person.Solomon Islands: Earthquake – Dec 2016 https://reliefweb.int/disaster/eq-2016-000128-slb 1 December 2020 In Kirakira, many homes, a hospital, a church, and the World Vision office sustained serious damage.Significant Earthquake Information https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/event-more-info/10218 1 December 2020 NOAA NCEI Damage at the hospital forced the evacuation of 20 people.Perry Nick 9 Dec 2016 World Vision says hundreds affected by Solomon Islands quake PhysOrg https://phys.org/news/2016-12-world-vision-hundreds-affected-solomon.html 2 Dec 2020 Two schools in Marika and Ugi were completely destroyed. Fissures and landslides were also seen in the affected region.Westbrook, Greenfield Tom, Charlotte 9 December 2020 Residents take to the hills as powerful quake hits Solomon Islands https://in.reuters.com/article/quake-solomon-islands-idINKBN13X26Y https://web.archive.org/web/20161208194907/http://in.reuters.com/article/quake-solomon-islands-idINKBN13X26Y 8 December 2016 1 December 2020 Reuters People who fled to higher ground continued to stay on the hills for fears of a large tsunami. Twenty-five houses were washed away from the moderate tsunami.WESTBROOK, GREENFIELD TOM, CHARLOTTE 9 Dec 2020 Residents Take to the Hills as Powerful Quake Hits Solomon Islands JakartaGlobe https://jakartaglobe.id/news/residents-take-hills-powerful-quake-hits-solomon-islands/ 2 Dec 2020 In total, over 1000 homes were damaged, along with 20 schools and four clinics.1 June 2017 Six months on after Solomon Islands' 7.8 magnitude earthquake https://www.wvi.org/article/six-months-after-solomon-islands-78-magnitude-earthquake 1 December 2020 World Vision More than 9,769 people were affected by the earthquake.International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Solomon Island: Earthquake Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) DREF operation no MDRSB006 https://reliefweb.int/report/solomon-islands/solomon-island-earthquake-emergency-plan-action-epoa-dref-operation-no ReliefWeb 29 March 2022 24 December 2016 International reaction Julie Bishop, the Australian foreign minister at the time said that the country is prepared to offer their support to Solomon Islands.Hardy Catherine 9 December 2016 Australia "ready to help" quake-hit Solomons euronews https://www.euronews.com/2016/12/09/magnitude-77-earthquake-off-solomon-islands-usgs-risk-of-tsunami-waves-along-coasts-of-solomon-islands-vanuatu-papua-new-guinea-nauru-new-caledonia-tuvalu-and-kosrae 1 December 2020 17 December earthquake 17 December 2016 Solomon Islands earthquake 4.505 S 153.522 E dms type:event_dim:200km Papua New Guinea 2016-12-17 10:51:10 611831311 us200081v8 20:51 7.9 w yes 94.5 km on First subevent reverse Second subevent thrust VIIM 7.9 - 54km E of Taron, Papua New Guinea https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us200081v8/pager earthquake.usgs.gov 15 December 2021 1.25 m ftM 8 Earthquake and Tsunami (1.2 m) in Papua New Guinea from 17 Dec 2016 10:51 UTC to 10:51 https://www.gdacs.org/Tsunamis/report.aspx?eventid=1101099&episodeid=1150868&eventtype=EQ Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System None 17 December 2016 On 17 December, the largest earthquake in the year 2016, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Papua New Guinea. It was centred between the islands of New Ireland and Bougainville. The earthquake did not cause any major damage or casualties but did result in power outages.Papua New Guinea earthquake: Residents flee to hills after magnitude-7.9 quake, tsunami threat passes https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-17/powerful-earthquake-hits-off-coast-of-papua-new-guinea/8129790 21 March 2021 ABC.net.au ABC News 17 December 2016 The earthquake had an intermediate depth of 94.5 km beneath the surface. The initial event was a result of reverse faulting within a subducting oceanic lithosphere which lasted for 30 seconds.Lay Thorne Ye Lingling Ammon Charles J. Kanamori Hiroo Intraslab rupture triggering megathrust rupture coseismically in the 17 December 2016 Solomon Islands Mw 7.9 earthquake Geophysical Research Letters 2017 44 3 1286–1292 0094-8276 10.1002/2017GL072539 2017GeoRL..44.1286L free https://authors.library.caltech.edu/75347/1/Lay_et_al-2017-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf After the intraslab rupture, a deep portion of the subduction zone began to slip at a depth of 32 to 47 km, releasing energy comparable to the first event. The shallow megathrust rupture was evident in the large number of shallow aftershocks. Due to the two separate events occurring closely in timing and location, it was considered a doublet earthquake. See also List of earthquakes in 2016 List of earthquakes in Papua New Guinea 2017 Papua New Guinea earthquake List of earthquakes in the Solomon Islands archipelago References Further reading Fujii Yushiro Satake Kenji Kenji Satake Solomon Islands Tsunami on Dec. 8, 2016 https://iisee.kenken.go.jp/staff/fujii/Solomon2016/tsunami.html International Institute of Seismology and Earthquake Engineering 29 March 2022 9 December 2016 External links 611831246 eq-2016-000128-slb Category:Earthquakes in the Solomon Islands Category:2016 earthquakes Category:2016 tsunamis Category:Earthquakes in Oceania Category:Doublet earthquakes Category:2016 in the Solomon Islands Category:2016 in Papua New Guinea Category:December 2016 in Oceania Category:Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea Category:2016 disasters in Oceania Category:2016 disasters in Papua New Guinea