Earthquakes hit Dominican Republic, Ryukyu Islands and Tonga

Sunday, April 4, 2010

USGS reported that an earthquake struck the Dominican Republic region with a magnitude of 8.0. It was registered on last Friday at 01:38:55 a.m. (05:38:55 UTC) at the epicenter, which was located 102 km from Higüey, La Altagracia, Dominican Republic. However, it was later reported as a magnitude 3.4 earthquake by the Puerto Rico Seismic Network. The report caught the attention of the news media until the USGS reported it was 3.2.

The depth of the aftershock was located 89.8 km (55.8 mi), and no damage or injuries were reported. It has been reported as a Haiti aftershock.

The Haiti earthquake reached magnitude 7.0 M_w, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, almost 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. More than 100 aftershocks have been registered since that earthquake. The United Nations reported that the earthquake has caused more than 225,000 deaths, a number which is expected to rise.

Another earthquake of magnitude 5.3 hit the Kermadec Islands region. The epicenter was located 1,138 kilometers from Nuku'alofa, Tonga and had a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). It took place at 13:35:34 (01:35:34 UTC) at the epicenter. No tsunami warnings have been issued by NOAA for this earthquake.

A Japan earthquake took place in the Ryukyu Islands at 11:19:58 at epicenter (02:19:58 UTC). It reached a magnitude of 5.1, had a depth of 35 kilometers and the epicenter was located 80 kilometers from Naha, Okinawa.

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Sources

"3.2 Dominican Republic Region" — USGS, April 3, 2010
"Northern Puerto Rico" — Puerto Rico Seismic Network, April 3, 2010
"5.3 Kermadec Islands Region" — USGS, April 3, 2010
"5.1 Ryukyu Islands" — USGS, April 3, 2010

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