6.8 earthquake south of Loyalty islands

[AlaskaDenise]

Magnitude 6.8
Date-Time Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 07:27:24 UTC
Thursday, January 15, 2009 at 06:27:24 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location 22.440?S, 170.504?E
Depth 51.8 km (32.2 miles)

Region SOUTHEAST OF THE LOYALTY ISLANDS
Distances 160 km (100 miles) W of Ile Hunter, Loyalty Isl., New Caledonia
290 km (180 miles) ESE of Tadine, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
420 km (260 miles) E of NOUMEA, New Caledonia
1650 km (1020 miles) NNW of Auckland, New Zealand

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: 6.8 earthquake south of Loyalty islands

To: U.S. West Coast, Alaska, and British Columbia coastal regions
From: NOAA/NWS/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
Subject: Tsunami Information Statement #1 issued 01/14/2009 at 11:39PM PST

A strong earthquake has occurred, but a tsunami IS NOT expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, or Alaska coast. NO tsunami warning, watch or advisory is in effect for these areas.

Based on the earthquake magnitude and historic tsunami records, a damaging tsunami IS NOT expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska coasts. At coastal locations which have experienced strong ground shaking, local tsunamis are possible due to underwater landslides.

At 11:27 PM Pacific Standard Time on January 14, an earthquake with preliminary magnitude 6.8 occurred in the Loyalty Islands region. (Refer to the United States Geological Survey for official earthquake parameters.)

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach, Hawaii will issue messages for Hawaii and other areas of the Pacific outside California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska.

This will be the only statement issued for this event by the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center unless conditions warrant. See the WCATWC web site for basic tsunami information, safety rules, and a tsunami travel time map and table. (NOTE: Travel time maps and tables indicate forecasted times only, not that a wave was generated.)

http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/2009/01/15/200444/01/message200444-01.htm

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: 6.8 earthquake south of Loyalty islands

TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 001
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 0740Z 15 JAN 2009

THIS BULLETIN APPLIES TO AREAS WITHIN AND BORDERING THE PACIFIC
OCEAN AND ADJACENT SEAS...EXCEPT ALASKA...BRITISH COLUMBIA...
WASHINGTON...OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.

... TSUNAMI INFORMATION BULLETIN ...

THIS BULLETIN IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME - 0727Z 15 JAN 2009
COORDINATES - 22.6 SOUTH 170.5 EAST
DEPTH - 33 KM
LOCATION - SOUTHEAST OF LOYALTY ISLANDS
MAGNITUDE - 6.8

EVALUATION

NO DESTRUCTIVE WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI THREAT EXISTS BASED ON
HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DATA.

HOWEVER - EARTHQUAKES OF THIS SIZE SOMETIMES GENERATE LOCAL
TSUNAMIS THAT CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE ALONG COASTS LOCATED WITHIN
A HUNDRED KILOMETERS OF THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. AUTHORITIES
IN THE REGION OF THE EPICENTER SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS
POSSIBILITY AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION.

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY BULLETIN ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.

THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER WILL ISSUE PRODUCTS
FOR ALASKA...BRITISH COLUMBIA...WASHINGTON...OREGON...CALIFORNIA

http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/messages/pacific/2009/pacific.2009.01.15.074039.txt