Phuket Struck Twice By Earthquakes

[Guest]

M4.3 Thalang quake http://www.seismology.tmd.go.th/inside_info.php?eq_id=1336

[HerbalEd]

Something is very fishy. Several hours later and USGS has reported no earthquake in Phuket

http://earthquake.us...n/Australia.php

Maybe sonic booms? There are sometimes 2 seperate booms from high altitude planes.

You think/rationalize too much. Do you really believe that so many people mistook a sonic boom for an actual earthquake?

Edited April 16, 2012 by HerbalEd

[HerbalEd]

I sent my previous reply before reading Tywais' informative post. Doesn't look like any coverup this time. Still nothing on USGS.

Buzzer

How do you cover up an earthquake?

[USNret]

I live in Japan & we regularly get earthquakes that don't show up on the USGS site. These are normally 4.0 & below. So it may be that USGS has a higher threshold for reporting international quakes than they do for quakes in the States. There are hundreds of quakes worldwide every day; if they reported every single one their website would be mess. The absence of this quake from USGS website is not evidence that there was no quake.

[diehard60]

Looks like thaivisa is just guessing about things. I dont know. If it did happen well then ok no real big deal 4.3 is not big. Just a little shaking. I did not know that quakes mad loud bangs at first. wow!

[webfact]

EARTHQUAKE

Tourists flee beach, shoppers abandon mall after quake hit Phuket

Thanatpong Kongsai

The Nation

PHUKET: -- People on the island of Phuket got another scare yesterday when a 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck at 4.44pm in Thalang district.

"The shaking lasted for about a minute and then stopped," Dr Weerasak Lawtongkum of Vachira Phuket Hospital said. He was on the first floor of his house when he felt the tremors and decided to dash outside.

Burin Wejbanterng, acting director of the Seismology Office, said the quake in Phuket originated from the Khlong Marui fault. At Central Festival Phuket, shoppers stampeded outside and gathered in front of the mall.

Many tourists were seen running away from the beach.

Some residents grabbed their belongings and headed for Phuket Provincial Hall, believing the disaster might force them to move into |an evacuation centre.

One house in Ban Sapa of Mueang district suffered some damage.

The Khlong Marui fault stretches for 148 kilometres from Surat Thani to Phang Nga, the Andaman Sea and Phuket.

Authorities initially thought the tremor felt in Phuket was related to the 5.6-magnitude quake off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra that was measured at 4.46pm.

"However, given its magnitude, we noticed the tremor should have not been felt so acutely here. We rechecked and now we realise that there was another quake right here in Phuket," said Phuwiang Prakhammin, spokesman for the Meteorological Department.

This quake showed that the massive earthquakes off Sumatra last week had affected the faults in Thailand.

Two massive earthquakes shook Indonesia on April 11 and triggered tsunami alerts. Although no devastating |tidal waves came that day, many aftershocks have |followed.

Phuwiang said the quakes off Sumatra were not linked to the faultline in Thailand.

"So, what has happened reflects that the big quakes there have affected nearby faults but to what extent, |we do not know yet," he said.

Provincial Governor Tri Akaradecha said his province plans to hold an evacuation drill on May 10.

-- The Nation 2012-04-17

[blackthorn2005]

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/

[stevehaigh]

seems to be very localized to north island. i didn't feel a thing here in Rawai

[avalonmick]

Well they are all listed nad have been for some time:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.html

Something is very fishy. Several hours later and USGS has reported no earthquake in Phuket

http://earthquake.us...n/Australia.php

Maybe sonic booms? There are sometimes 2 seperate booms from high altitude planes.

You think/rationalize too much. Do you really believe that so many people mistook a sonic boom for an actual earthquake?

[Valentine]

seems to be very localized to north island. i didn't feel a thing here in Rawai

The other thread had reports of people feeling a sharp jolt, accompanied by a bang, all over the island including myself in Chalong. Noise was a bit like a truck bouncing on a bump in the road yet we don't have any bumps on the road where I live & I have not heard that type of noise before.

[anterian]

Human awareness of earth movements is very individual, both in noticing them and judging their power. If you live somewhere like California where minor shocks are daily events you probably hardly notice them. On the other hand when a 5.2 hit England in 2008 it caused major excitement.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7266136.stm

[canuckamuck]

It seems like the only quake that USGS has for the area is a 3.9 in Ko Yao.

I wonder why such a difference in witness reports and also by official Thai reporting.

I guess the science is prone to error.

[waza]

maybe a small detonation in the sewer system

[Roel]

Well actually the Phuket quake should not be on USGS in the first place as this is what it says on the USGS site:

Latest Earthquakes Magnitude 2.5 or Greater in the United States and Adjacent Areas and Magnitude 4.5 or Greater in the Rest of the World - Last 7 days

So a 4.3 in the rest of the world is not supposed to be listed.

(Actually <4.5 quakes from all over the world ARE listed).

This is the Phuket one I assume:

MAP 3.9 2012/04/16 09:44:26 8.093 98.573 10.1 MALAY PENINSULA, THAILAND

[forqalso]

which he believes was the short audible “boom” that residents experienced throughout Phuket

Where do they find these guys?

Phuket?

[NomadJoe]

This quake showed that the massive earthquakes off Sumatra last week had affected the faults in Thailand.

-- The Nation 2012-04-17

Earth movement of 40m 1000km away affects Phuket's faults? That's like a quake in LA effecting faults in San Francisco. I have never heard of such a connection made, and both of those would be on the same fault, the San Andreas. The Klong Marui is a minor fault not connected to the Sumatra-Andaman fault. I find this claim dubious at best, but he's the "expert."

Indecently, seismologists at CalTech published a very interesting prediction about the Sumatra-Andaman fault in 2007. Seems they were right: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081203131042.htm

[hhiser]

Here is a report of an earthquake near Phuket from the NEIC.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc00094qk.php

[siamdivers]

And this morning I see the same site reporting Koh Yao, not Thalang and not the more general Malay Peninsula.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usc00094qk#summary

I also felt a sharp 'boom' in Rawai, less than a half a second, shook the house, no damage. Felt like a truck ran into it. Same with my neighbor next door.

[george]

USGS now lists a 3.9 earthquake under Ko Yao, which happened 2 minutes before the big Sumatra earthquake yesterday. on.doi.gov/HY6CGV /via @PhuketLiveWire

[Guest]

This quake showed that the massive earthquakes off Sumatra last week had affected the faults in Thailand.

-- The Nation 2012-04-17

Earth movement of 40m 1000km away affects Phuket's faults? That's like a quake in LA effecting faults in San Francisco. I have never heard of such a connection made, and both of those would be on the same fault, the San Andreas. The Klong Marui is a minor fault not connected to the Sumatra-Andaman fault. I find this claim dubious at best, but he's the "expert."

Indecently, seismologists at CalTech published a very interesting prediction about the Sumatra-Andaman fault in 2007. Seems they were right: http://www.scienceda...81203131042.htm

Maybe we now start hearing theories which explain connections between faults? I have heard that story that there is no evidence that one quake could trigger another one.

But then again. If there is an tension an a fault, which is very close to be triggered as quake, then why another quake, 500km away could not be an trigger for it? If the earth movement can be measured at an distance, that also means that the quake have an effect to the crust on the place of the measurement.

[NomadJoe]

USGS now lists a 3.9 earthquake under Ko Yao, which happened 2 minutes before the big Sumatra earthquake yesterday. on.doi.gov/HY6CGV /via @PhuketLiveWire

According to the USGS site, with an uncertainty of +/- 24.4km could still put it roughly where the Thai meteorological department has put it. The Thai meteorological department has more, closer seismometers so presumably they should be able to pinpoint it better. Just looking at the list of USGS networked contributors, (The TMD not being one of them) the USGS's nearest partners in the region are in the Philipinnes, Korea, the middle east etc. According to their website, the Thai's have a seismometer in Phuket and others throughout the south. A large quake can easily be detected and accurately located from around the world. A 3.9 or 4.3, not so easily.

[NomadJoe]

This quake showed that the massive earthquakes off Sumatra last week had affected the faults in Thailand.

-- The Nation 2012-04-17

Earth movement of 40m 1000km away affects Phuket's faults? That's like a quake in LA effecting faults in San Francisco. I have never heard of such a connection made, and both of those would be on the same fault, the San Andreas. The Klong Marui is a minor fault not connected to the Sumatra-Andaman fault. I find this claim dubious at best, but he's the "expert."

Indecently, seismologists at CalTech published a very interesting prediction about the Sumatra-Andaman fault in 2007. Seems they were right: http://www.scienceda...81203131042.htm

Maybe we now start hearing theories which explain connections between faults? I have heard that story that there is no evidence that one quake could trigger another one.

But then again. If there is an tension an a fault, which is very close to be triggered as quake, then why another quake, 500km away could not be an trigger for it? If the earth movement can be measured at an distance, that also means that the quake have an effect to the crust on the place of the measurement.

I won't disagree that it's possible, but I'm not a seismologist, just a student of science having lived with earthquakes most my life. I think one thing that most seismologists will agree on is we don't know a whole lot about the science behind it. I just don't think what this guy said is in line with current thinking.

[blam]

Is someone detonating some dynamite. Tunnel perhaps?

No USGS reports still.

Could be Sonic Booms, or I've had ground strike lightning shake the ground, even a mile or so away.

USGS only reports quakes of 4.5 magnitude and higher. Thailand seismologists say that the one in Phuket was 4.3.

I'm from California, have also lived on the Big Island of Hawaii for several years. Lots and lots of quakes. The one here in Phuket yesterday was a roller, with a snappy down settlement at the end. The settling causes a sinister little shake, scary if you aren't used to it, Not a lot of damage. Best look for small new cracks around your house/apt.

Edited April 17, 2012 by blam

[MissChris]

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc00094qk.php

3.9 magnitude

[NomadJoe]

The Khlong Marui fault stretches for 148 kilometres from Surat Thani to Phang Nga, the Andaman Sea and Phuket.

Interesting. I never knew that.

"The 130 km-long, Klong Marui FZ which cuts across the Phang Nga Bay and Ban Don Bay, follows the Klong Marui channel and mainly pass Tertiary granites (Charusiri, 1989) and Cenozoic sediments. The FZ may have occurred in Middle Tertiary (Charusiri, 1989) with at least 150 km-long total sinistral displacement (Garson et al., 1975). Hot springs are mostly concentrated at the southern portion of the fault. Recent studies indicate that the northern part of Khlong Marui fault is probably related to opening of the Gulf of Thailand and is therefore a basin-bounding normal fault rather than a major strike-slip fault. At present there is no geochronological information to confirm the young movement in Late Quaternary period. A few minor earthquakes were recorded in Phang Nga and south of Phuket provinces."

http://www.dmr.go.th/ewtadmin/ewt/dmr_web/main.php?filename=fault_En

[JetsetBkk]

I'm skeptical because the USGS didn't report this quake - and still hasn't, now, six hours after it was supposed to have happened.

On the other hand, several friends felt a significant jolt around that time in Patong.

I've submitted the observation to the USGS. Let's see if they can find two quakes in their data.

Yep i live in Patong and my house got shook for prob only 3/4 seconds but it defo happened!!

yeah, aftershocks. the huge LA quake in 1994 had hundreds aftershocks for about 6 months when I was living there. each day you'd feel many of them. or if you were driving, you'd see the traffic signals rocking back & forth. expect them to last a while, some will be aftershocks of multiple quakes in the region. the tectonic plates in the "ring of fire" are highly volatile. expect more quakes, more tsunamis, and if you are Phuket, expect "post-quake wet-season-induced landslides" when the monsoon season kicks into gear this year. it is going to drop a few roads in the water on various parts of the island. parts that didn't slip when it was dry. add in the shoddy building standards.

Wikipedia article on Sunda Plate

Yeah, aftershocks.

[robertson468]

I'm skeptical because the USGS didn't report this quake - and still hasn't, now, six hours after it was supposed to have happened.

On the other hand, several friends felt a significant jolt around that time in Patong.

I've submitted the observation to the USGS. Let's see if they can find two quakes in their data.

Yep i live in Patong and my house got shook for prob only 3/4 seconds but it defo happened!!

yeah, aftershocks. the huge LA quake in 1994 had hundreds aftershocks for about 6 months when I was living there. each day you'd feel many of them. or if you were driving, you'd see the traffic signals rocking back & forth. expect them to last a while, some will be aftershocks of multiple quakes in the region. the tectonic plates in the "ring of fire" are highly volatile. expect more quakes, more tsunamis, and if you are Phuket, expect "post-quake wet-season-induced landslides" when the monsoon season kicks into gear this year. it is going to drop a few roads in the water on various parts of the island. parts that didn't slip when it was dry. add in the shoddy building standards.

Wikipedia article on Sunda Plate

You must be working for the Phuket Tourist Board

[chrisinth]

Looks like thaivisa is just guessing about things. I dont know. If it did happen well then ok no real big deal 4.3 is not big. Just a little shaking. I did not know that quakes mad loud bangs at first. wow!

Looks like thaivisa isn't the only one guessing about things!

[chrisinth]

Well actually the Phuket quake should not be on USGS in the first place as this is what it says on the USGS site:

Latest Earthquakes Magnitude 2.5 or Greater in the United States and Adjacent Areas and Magnitude 4.5 or Greater in the Rest of the World - Last 7 days

So a 4.3 in the rest of the world is not supposed to be listed.

(Actually <4.5 quakes from all over the world ARE listed).

This is the Phuket one I assume:

MAP 3.9 2012/04/16 09:44:26 8.093 98.573 10.1 MALAY PENINSULA, THAILAND

Judging by the response to your post Roel, readers seem to be ignoring it and are self reliant on the USGS for information.

Witness reports apparently aren't good enough for them.

[Pomthai]

This is not being imagined. It is being recorded by the Thai authorities on their website and all the information is available in both Thai and English. The last aftershock (yes I said aftershock) from the 4.3 yesterday afternoon in Thalang was a 3.1 at 12:18 local time this afternoon. Note on the link I'm going to provide, apart from the time on the map, the chart links are in UTC that means you have to add 7 hours to get local time here in Thailand. Here is the link -: http://www.tmd.go.th/en/earthquake_report.php look at the chart below the picture / map. All listed and up to date as are all of the aftershocks reported yesterday evening and this morning.

Do people really think its being made up still?