Earthquakes

I recently set up a news alert via Google Alerts after a major earthquake in Indonesia, so as to prepare myself for local aftershocks because I'm not that sensitive to tremors.

I was a little surprised by the unexpectedly high frequency of earthquake or tremor related news pouring in on a daily basis. Consider these recent ones:

Powerful quake rocks East TimorDILI, East Timor
TMCnet - 54 minutes ago
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-top-asian-news-130-am-gmt-/2008/12/06/3838675.htm

Southern California hit by 5.1 earthquake
Wikinews - 1 hour ago
http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Southern_California_hit_by_5.1_earthquake?curid=117746



Quake rocks Timor Leste
United Press International - 10 hours ago
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/06/Quake_rocks_Timor_Leste/UPI-46471228579179/

5.5 earthquake rattles Basin
Hi-Desert Star, CA - 13 hours ago
http://www.hidesertstar.com/articles/2008/12/06/breaking_news/doc493a07995ee46012929999.txt

Light Earthquake Jolts Bulgaria's Blagoevgrad Region
Sofia News Agency, Bulgaria - 15 hours ago
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=99571

Few people felt earthquake jolt in Gotse Delchev
Focus News, Bulgaria - 16 hours ago
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n162098

Magnitude 5.1 earthquake hits near Ludlow, in San Bernardino County
Los Angeles Times, CA - 16 hours ago
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-quake6-2008dec06,0,6283591.story

Quake hits Mojave Desert in Southern Calif.
The Associated Press - 20 hours ago
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5juF9iptVmhe4dwRJBI3hp3Lnou-gD94T1H882

Minor earthquake in Saskatchewan
Winnipeg Sun, Canada - Dec 5, 2008
http://www.winnipegsun.com/News/Canada/2008/12/05/7644566.html

Moderate earthquake shakes northern Japan
AFP - Dec 5, 2008
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5isWGDEFhByqbWzLFrdCKK13iyNHA

Earthquake shakes OKC area
Tulsa World, OK - Dec 2, 2008
http://www.tulsaworld.com/site/articlepath.aspx?articleid=20081202_12_0_OKLAHO980844&allcom=1

Powerful earthquake strikes Taiwan
The Associated Press - Dec 1, 2008
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jG5hZlCCO3i3V4jYnlNrmMShKbrAD94QB3JG0

Earthquake of Magnitude 6.2 Strikes Off Northern California
Bloomberg - Nov 28, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a10l5R33hwvs&refer=us

Magnitude 2.2 Earthquake Hits Near Malvern
KATV, AR - Nov 26, 2008
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1108/573115.html

Indonesia hit by strong earthquake
MSNBC - Nov 22, 2008
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27856306/

Indonesian Earthquake Kills 2, Damages Homes
Voice of America - Nov 17, 2008
http://voanews.com/english/2008-11-17-voa8.cfm


And just when I thought that was bad, here's more disturbing news:

Another Large Earthquake Off Coast Of Sumatra Likely
Science Daily (press release) - Dec 4, 2008
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081203131042.htm

Seismologists study desert earthquake ‘swarm’
Inland Empire News, CA - Dec 2, 2008
http://www.inlandnewstoday.com/story.php?s=5293

Major Quake in US Midwest Might Kill 6000, Study Estimates
Bloomberg - Nov 21, 2008
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aF0joSBcUfDA&refer=home


Time to stay home this Christmas?