Huge Pacific earthquake sparks tsunami panic
Chris Foley
Mail & Guardian Online
_________________
Wellington, (New Zealand):
A massive earthquake with a magnitude of 7,8 rocked the island nation of Tonga on Thursday, triggering a panic evacuation in a New Zealand town after tsunami warnings were briefly issued for the South Pacific.
Although the warnings were withdrawn within two hours, hundreds of people in the New Zealand coastal town of Gisborne, more than 2 200km from the quake's epicentre, fled their homes.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said a "great" quake, initially measured at magnitude 8,0, struck at 4.26am (15.26pm GMT Wednesday) in the middle of the islands that make up Tonga.
The epicentre was recorded 160km north-east of Tonga's main island of Nuku'Alofa and 16km below the Earth's surface, a relatively shallow distance which increases the likelihood of a tsunami.
But despite the ferocity of the quake, and aftershocks of magnitude 5,4 and 5,1, there were few reports of injury or damage in Tonga.
Many blamed authorities for not correcting news reports when they knew there was no tsunami, but Civil Defence Minister Rick Barker blamed the BBC and other media.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially called on New Zealand and Fiji to take immediate action against a possible giant wave, but New Zealand civil defence officials said it was evident within 30 minutes there would be no significant tsunami.
May 04, 2006
Chris Foley
Mail & Guardian Online
_________________
Wellington, (New Zealand):
A massive earthquake with a magnitude of 7,8 rocked the island nation of Tonga on Thursday, triggering a panic evacuation in a New Zealand town after tsunami warnings were briefly issued for the South Pacific.
Although the warnings were withdrawn within two hours, hundreds of people in the New Zealand coastal town of Gisborne, more than 2 200km from the quake's epicentre, fled their homes.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said a "great" quake, initially measured at magnitude 8,0, struck at 4.26am (15.26pm GMT Wednesday) in the middle of the islands that make up Tonga.
The epicentre was recorded 160km north-east of Tonga's main island of Nuku'Alofa and 16km below the Earth's surface, a relatively shallow distance which increases the likelihood of a tsunami.
But despite the ferocity of the quake, and aftershocks of magnitude 5,4 and 5,1, there were few reports of injury or damage in Tonga.
Many blamed authorities for not correcting news reports when they knew there was no tsunami, but Civil Defence Minister Rick Barker blamed the BBC and other media.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre initially called on New Zealand and Fiji to take immediate action against a possible giant wave, but New Zealand civil defence officials said it was evident within 30 minutes there would be no significant tsunami.
May 04, 2006
