In New Zealand – Medium strength earthquake May 5, 2023: This is the current situation for a 5.6 level earthquake
An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale struck 76 km northeast of Wakatani, New Zealand. Learn all the details about the marine earthquake here.
Iconic image: An undersea earthquake shakes a coastal town Photo: Photo Alliance/Yasar Antar/AFP/DBA | Left Antar
On Friday, May 5, 2023, at 1:37 pm, an undersea earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale occurred. But what does this classification actually mean and what values can be used to classify an earthquake more accurately?
These details are known: An earthquake is near New Zealand
The earthquake spread into the sea, 76 km northeast of Whakatane, New Zealand It happened. The cities of Te Kaha, Omaio, Raukokore, Whangaparāoa, and Hāwai were located near the earthquake.
- t kaha: 60 km from the epicenter, 340 inhabitants
- Omayo: 65 km from the epicenter
- rococore: 65 km from the epicenter
- Wangaparawa: 71 km from the epicenter
- Hawaii: 72 km from the epicenter
On the Richter scale, the earthquake is rated at 5.6. In addition to this scale, there are other details that can be useful when evaluating a natural event. For example, the depth at which an earthquake begins to break is important for assessing the intensity of an earthquake. The event, located 76 kilometers northeast of Whakatane, New Zealand, is currently believed to be 194 kilometers deep. This value also influences marine earthquake intensity values, which vary from place to place due to various other factors, but can still be recorded as a maximum. A distinction is made between experience and estimated severity. While the former is captured by concretely reported values, the latter is the intensity estimated by measuring instruments. The same values are also based on the Richter scale. For the current event, a maximum of 4.1 was reported as an experienced intensity and a maximum of 3.554 as an estimated intensity.
How accurate is this information about the marine earthquake near New Zealand?
The number of seismic stations used to locate an earthquake provides an indication of how accurate the measurement results are. Since the figure for this earthquake is average, current knowledge about the earthquake can initially be classified as moderately accurate with respect to other measurements. The accuracy rating is supplemented by the distance between adjacent stations. In general, the smaller this is, the more reliable the calculated horizontal position of the earthquake. In the present case, this distance is average, which is why earthquake locating can be classified as moderately reliable.
Quick Check: Marine Earthquake Overview
| Seaquake: New Zealand | |
|---|---|
| position: | 76 km northeast of Whakatane, New Zealand |
| Coordinates: | Latitude = -37.304 degrees and Longitude = 177.273 degrees |
| Places within a radius of 100 km: | Te Kaha, Omayo, Raukukor, and Wangaparaawa, Hawaii |
| Magnitude: | 5.6 |
| Accuracy: | average accuracy |
| reliability: | Reliable average |
| Depth: | 194 kilometers |
| Experienced intensity: | 4.1 |
| rated intensity: | 3,554 |
| Notification time: | 5/5/2023 – 1:37 PM |
Richter scale marine earthquakes: how to assess hazards?
In the 1930s, seismologist Charles Francis Richter laid the foundation for the Richter scale, which is used around the world today. It makes it possible to make statements about the strength of earthquakes and marine earthquakes using magnitude – a term that comes from the Latin word “magnitudo” (magnitude). To determine the magnitude of an earthquake, the shaking is measured using a seismometer. To do this, it is necessary to know the distance between the measuring station and the source of the earthquake. The largest movement on Earth, the maximum deflection (amplitude), is read from the seismometer’s graphic representation – the seismogram. This amplitude plus distance gives the magnitude. To make it easier to read the deviations on a seismogram, Richter introduced a logarithmic scale. An earthquake of magnitude 7 is 10 times greater than a magnitude of 6 on the Richter scale, 100 times greater than a magnitude of 5, and 1000 times greater than a magnitude of 4 on the Richter scale.
An overview of the Richter scale for earthquakes
| Richter magnitudes | Classification of earthquake strength | earthquake impact | Frequency of events around the world |
|---|---|---|---|
| <2.0 | microscopic | Small earthquakes, not felt | 8000 x per day (of scale 1.0) |
| 2.0 to 3.0 | Extremely light | Generally it is not observable, but it is measured | 1500 times a day |
| 3.0 to 4.0 | very easy | It is often noticed, and damage is rare | 135 times a day |
| 4.0 to 5.0 | a light | Objects in the room move clearly, vibration sounds, and mostly no damage | 35 times a day |
| 5.0 to 6.0 | Medium strength | Major damage to vulnerable buildings, no minor damage to strong buildings | 4.5 times a day, 1600 times a year |
| 6.0 to 7.0 | strong | Destruction within a radius of up to 70 km | 130 times annually |
| 7.0 to 8.0 | big | destroy large areas | 13 times a year |
| 8.0 to 9.0 | Very large | Devastation in areas of several hundred kilometers | 0.9x annually |
| 9.0 to 10.0 | extra large | Thousands of miles of destruction | 4 times in 122 years (1952/60/64, 2011) |
| more than 10 | global catastrophe | It was never recorded, and is believed to be an earthquake measuring 11 on the Richter scale 66 million years ago, caused by an asteroid impact in Yucatan. | 1 x 66 million years |
Before the introduction of the Richter scale, other scales were used to measure earthquakes, to which the Richter scale does not translate well, so earthquakes measured before their introduction could not be described. However, since measurements using this scale began, there have been at least five documented earthquakes of magnitude 9 or higher. These have occurred in Russia (1952), Chile (1960), Alaska (1964), Indonesia (2004) and Japan (2011).
+++ Editorial note: This text was automatically generated based on current data from the USGS (US Geological Survey). The USGS last updated the event on May 5, 2023 – 3:40 PM. Get more information about the event On the official USGS website here. We accept feedback and comments at [email protected]. +++
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