2007 Solomon Islands earthquake

Template: Infobox earthquake / Maintenance / injured missing template: Infobox earthquake / maintenance / property missing

(45 km SSE of Gizo )

• Gizo
• Sasamunga
• Ranongga

Affected Areas

The earthquake in the Solomon Islands in 2007 was a severe quake, which on April 2, 2007, at 7.39 clock local time ( 20:39 GMT clock on April 1, 2007) occurred. From the U.S. Geological Survey ( USGS), the strength of the quake was registered at 8.1 on the moment magnitude scale. The hypocenter was located near the Solomon Islands in 24 kilometers deep, 40 kilometers south-southwest of Gizo in the New Georgia archipelago. There were several aftershocks shallower, the strongest of which reached 6.2 MW.

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Due to the earthquake, a tsunami was caused, which reached a height of 3 to 5 meters. At least 13 villages were destroyed and at least 43 people were killed. Thousands were left homeless. The island Ranongga was raised by the quake about three meters and the beach line is thereby drawn back up to 70 meters. Coral reefs were thus exposed and local fishermen are concerned about the fishing grounds. Immediately after the quake, a tsunami warning was by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii for the Pacific were issued, but the Solomon Islands were caused by the tsunami earlier than the warning. However, most residents were alarmed by the vibration, so that many of them fled to higher ground. In Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning to the Australian east coast, that stretched from Queensland to Tasmania. Australia and New Zealand have provided financial assistance to the Solomon Islands and also sent relief supplies locally. Also by UNICEF and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, as well as France and Taiwan humanitarian assistance has been made.

Tectonic significance

The quake occurred on the subduction zone of different tectonic plates. In the region of the Australian Plate drift with 90 to 105 millimeters per year in the northeast and meets with the Pacific plate subducted under which this plate. Therefore, in the Solomon Islands earthquake are not uncommon, and since the early 20th century, a series of earthquakes were recorded, whose magnitude was greater than 7.0; the area where the quake occurred on 2 April 2007, but had been affected since the early 20th century by any quake in such a strength.