2010 Salta earthquake

2010 Salta earthquake
Date 15:43:26, February 27, 2010
Magnitude 6.3 Mw
Depth 9.5 miles (15.3 km)
Epicenter 24°40′26″S 65°02′35″W / 24.674°S 65.043°WCoordinates: 24°40′26″S 65°02′35″W / 24.674°S 65.043°W
Areas affected Salta, Argentina
Aftershocks ~24
Casualties 2

The 2010 Salta earthquake occurred on February 27 at 12:45:36 local time in Salta Province, Argentina[1] and had a magnitude of 6.3. It occurred less than 12 hours after the far larger 2010 Chile earthquake, which killed over 500 people. Initially thought to be an aftershock of the Chile earthquake, scientists later established that the earthquakes were unrelated.[2] It took place just to the north of the city of Salta. The quake killed two people,[3][4] and injured dozens (possibly up to 100 people).

Relationship to the Chile earthquake

Many in Salta believe it was an aftershock to the earlier Chile earthquake; this initial confusion— especially among people without expertise in geology—is understandable. Most media and governmental attention was on Chile at the time the earthquake in Salta occurred, which drew needed attention away from Salta. The Argentinian government had been concentrating on helping Chile without delay, not knowning that a quake had occurred in their own country earlier. Many estimate that the Chile earthquake did slightly affect the Salta earthquake, possibly adding to the destruction caused by the Salta quake. Some scientists have theories that imply connections between the two earthquakes, yet the results are at this point still theoretical and mostly unfounded. The best evidence is that there was some strange activity in the Earth's crust that day, as there had been earthquakes in Japan, Chile, and Argentina, all within 24-hour ranges.

Damage and casualties

The damage was not great, but small buildings and slums were easily destroyed. The earthquake received little regional coverage, largely because the catastrophe in Chile, that very same day, garnered the most attention. Much of the destruction happened in the towns of Campo Quijano and La Merced, where several adobe houses collapsed, and numerous others were left uninhabitable.

There were two deaths.[5][6] An 8-year-old boy from the town of La Merced was crushed in his home[7] and a 53-year-old man from the town of La Silleta died under similar circumstances. Up to 100 injuries were estimated.

"The 6.3 magnitude quake struck around midday about 15 miles north of the city of Salta, some 800 miles north-northwest of the capital Buenos Aires, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.[8]

An 8-year-old boy died and two other children were injured, a hospital director in Salta told local media."[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Powerful 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Argentina". Cleveland Leader. 2010-02-27. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-21.
  2. ↑ Barrionuevo, Alexei; Robbins, Liz (2010-02-27). "1.5 Million Displaced After Chile Quake". New York Times. The New York Times article mentions the Salta earthquake in its 30th paragraph. Retrieved 2010-05-21.
  3. ↑ "Two people dead in an earthquake registered in Salta.". Signs of the Times. 2010-02-27. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-21.
  4. ↑ "Two killed in Argentina earthquake". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2010-02-27. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-05-21.
  5. ↑ "Deux morts dans un séisme en Argentine". 7sur7 (Belgium). 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  6. ↑ "Séisme au Chili: Deux morts dans le nord de l'Argentine". RTBF (Belgium). 2010-02-28. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  7. ↑ "More earthquakes strike Mendoza and Salta". Momento 24. 2010-02-28. Retrieved 2010-05-02.
  8. ↑ Shakemap us2010tfc3, USGS data on the Salta earthquake
  9. ↑ "Powerful quake strikes Argentina". NBC news. 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2010-05-21.

External links