2007 Martinique earthquake explained

2007 Martinique earthquake
Local-Time:15:00:19 (local time)
Timestamp:2007-11-29 19:00:19
Magnitude:7.4
Depth:150km (90miles)
Location:14.98°N -61.26°W
Countries Affected:Martinique, France
Casualties:1 dead
100+ injured
Isc-Event:13276920
Anss-Url:usp000ftj1

The 2007 Martinique earthquake took place on November 29 2007 at in the Windward Islands region, underneath the Martinique Passage. It was a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that occurred 18km (11miles) west northwest from Basse-Pointe, Martinique.[1]

This earthquake was felt strongly in Martinique, Dominica, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Power outages were reported in Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe. It was also felt in other Eastern Caribbean islands, from Puerto Rico to the north to Trinidad and Tobago to the south. It could also be felt in part of South America such as in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.[2] In Caracas, Venezuela, some people evacuated office buildings.[3] The intensity reached VI to VII on the EMS98 scale in Martinique and Dominica.[4]

In the surrounding region, the South American Plate is subducting beneath the Caribbean Plate. This earthquake occurred within the South America Plate and was in response to stresses generated by the slow distortion of the plate.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: M7.4 - 18 km WNW of Basse-Pointe, Martinique. USGS. United States Geological Survey.
  2. Web site: Caribseek Guyana News Guyana experienced earthquake event - GINA News . 2009-10-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708121816/http://news.caribseek.com/set-up/exec/view.cgi?archive=147&num=59433 . 2011-07-08 . dead .
  3. News: Strong earthquake hits Martinique . British Broadcasting Corporation . BBC . November 30, 2007 . February 28, 2010 . BBC News. https://web.archive.org/web/20100124191118/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7120018.stm. 24 January 2010 . live.
  4. http://www.ipgp.fr/~beaudu/download/2004_Beauducel_B3.pdf Loi d'atténuation B-Cube pour l’évaluation rapide des intensités sismiques probables dans l'Archipel de Guadeloupe