2006 Tonga earthquake explained

2006 Tonga earthquake
Isc-Event:	10698255
Anss-Url:	usp000eg5g
Local-Time:	04:26:35
Timestamp:	2006-05-03 15:26:40
Magnitude:	8.0
Depth:	40.90NaN0
Location:	-19.97°N -174.27°W
Intensity:	^[1]
Tsunami:	0.54m (01.77feet)
Casualties:	1 injured

The 2006 Tonga earthquake occurred on 4 May at with a moment magnitude of 8.0 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (very strong). One injury occurred and a non-destructive tsunami was observed.

Earthquake

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued a warning 17 minutes after the earthquake for coastal areas around the Pacific. An hour later, the center downgraded the warning to only the region within 600 miles of the epicenter, and an hour after that, it canceled the alert.^[2] The earthquake was followed by a pair of large aftershocks the next day.^[3]

Damage

The event caused very limited damage. The previous large earthquake in Tonga, in 1977, was of a lower magnitude but resulted in more severe damage. A likely cause is that the 2006 quake generated other frequencies that only resulted in resonance in small items. In shops, cans and bottles fell from shelves.

• The century-old Catholic church in Lapaha had new cracks in the tower and several stones fell down, leaving the steeple in a somewhat unstable position.
• The tower of a 60-year-old church of the Free church of Tonga in Veitongo collapsed, the steeple came down and several walls cracked beyond repair.^[4]
• A Korean business man jumped in panic from his second floor hotel room and was hurt in the fall. He was brought to the hospital where he had to wait a long time for any help as power was off and most staff off duty (as that day was a public holiday).^[5]
• The American wharf in Nukuʻalofa sustained cracks in addition to those caused by the 1977 earthquake.
• A ship, sunk in 1949 near Toula, Vavaʻu apparently burst open and its load of copra came floating to the ocean surface.
• A landslide occurred at Hunga island in Vavaʻu, when the ground at a steep cliff along the shore began sliding into the sea.
• In Haʻapai, the islands closest to the epicentre, the wharf was damaged and a number of water-pipes and telephone lines were broken.^[6] Niuʻui hospital was damaged.^[7]

Tsunami

Since the earthquake occurred underwater, tsunami warnings were issued, but then lifted.^[8] A small tsunami was observed. Later analysis showed the earthquake to be a slab-tearing event and so less conducive to tsunami generation.^[9]

See also

• List of earthquakes in 2006
• List of earthquakes in Tonga

External links

• Poster of the Tonga Earthquake of 3 May 2006 - Magnitude 7.9 – United States Geological Survey

Notes and References

1. Web site: M8.0 - Tonga. USGS. United States Geological Survey.
2. News: Chang. Kenneth. Quake Causes Tsunami Alert, But No Damage. The New York Times. 4 May 2006. .
3. Web site: Aftershocks rattle South Pacific nation . NBC News . 4 May 2006 . 30 September 2021.
4. Web site: TONGA CHURCH DAMAGED BY GREAT QUAKE . Pacific Islands Report . 8 May 2006 . 30 September 2021 . 30 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210930095316/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/08/tonga-church-damaged-great-quake . dead .
5. Web site: EARTHQUAKE LEAVES TONGA SHAKEN . Pacific Islands Report . 5 May 2006 . 30 September 2021 . 30 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210930095321/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/05/earthquake-leaves-tonga-shaken . dead .
6. Web site: TONGA ASSESSES DAMAGE AFTER QUAKE . Pacific Islands Report . 8 May 2006 . 30 September 2021 . 30 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210930095310/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/08/tonga-assesses-damage-after-quake . dead .
7. Web site: TONGA HOSPITAL CLOSED FOR REPAIRS AFTER QUAKE . Pacific Islands Report . 22 May 2006 . 30 September 2021 . 30 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210930095309/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2006/05/22/tonga-hospital-closed-repairs-after-quake . dead .
8. Web site: Tonga struck by strong earthquake . BBCNews . 4 May 2006 . 30 September 2021.
9. Web site: Tonga quake not conducive to tsunami . Washington University . Tony Fitzpatrick . 5 March 2007 . 30 September 2021.