M8.0 Earthquake Generates Local Tsunami in Santa Cruz Islands, Solomons, 6 February 2013

 

On 6 February 2013, a powerful M8.0 earthquake occurred at 01:12 UTC off the Santa Cruz Islands, Solomons due to shallow thrust faulting at a depth of 28 km on or near the plate boundary interface between the Australia and Pacific plates. The M8 earthquake generated a tsunami that was recorded on sea level gauges around the Pacific. The largest wave of 1 m amplitude was recorded at Lata Wharf located about 50 km from the epicenter. Over the month leading up to the event, there had been dozens of earthquakes in the epicentral region, 7 of which were greater than M6. There were also two greater than M6 aftershocks.

 

The PTWC issued a regional tsunami warning for countries in the Southwest Pacific 6 minutes after the earthquake and continued to monitor the tsunami. PTWC cancelled the regional warning after 2:32 hours. Reports from the Solomons National Disaster Center indicate at least 9 casualties with damage to at least four villages and about 700 homes in Temoto Province.

max amp santa cruz 6feb13

 lata santa cruz 6feb13

dart coral sea 55012 santa cruz 6feb13

Captions:
Left: PTWC RIFT model simulation showing the predicted maximum off-shore tsunami wave amplitudes from the 1112 UTC 6 February 2013 shallow thrust earthquake. Courtesy of PTWC.

Right top: A 1 m amplitude tsunami was recorded at Lata Wharf about 50 km from the epicenter. Courtesy of PTWC.

Right bottom: DART 55012 deep-ocean instrument in the Coral Sea recorded a 13 cm amplitude tsunami (PTWC). Courtesy of PTWC.

santa cruz tsunami rift close up 6feb13

Above: Detailed RIFT coastal tsunami forecast amplitudes of the Santa Cruz Islands, Solomons magnitude 8.0 earthquake. Courtesy of PTWC.

For more technical information, visit this tsunami's event page (click here).

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