Earthquakes, July-August, 1980
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Geology topics
Publications and source records attributed to W. J. Person.
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The first 2 months of the year were somewhat active, seismically speaking. Two major earthquakes (magnitude 7.0-7.9) occurred during the month of January, a magnitude 7.1 Japan on the 8th and a magntidue 7.1 in the Aleutian Islands on the 30th. Fatalities and damage were experienced in Irian Jaya (formerly West New Guinea) on January 19, in China on January 23, in Italy on February 14, and in Greece on February 24. In the United States, there were a number of earthquakes, the largest, a magnitude 7.1, in the Aleutian Islands, but none of the quakes caused injuries or serious damage.
There was on major earthquake (7.0-7.9) during this reporting period on April 24 in the Vanuatu Islands (formerly the New Hebrides islands). the series of strong earthquakes continued in Greece and caused additional casualties and damage, and Peru expereinced a moderate earthquake that caused fatalities and damage on April 18. In the United States, a damaging shock struck southern California on April 26.
The months of September and October were quite active, seismically speaking, compared to the previous 2 months. One great earthquake, a magnitude (M) 8.1, was centered in the West Irian region on September 12. Two major (M=7.0-7.9) earthquakes occurred, one on October 12, a M=7.3 off the west coast of South Island, New Zealand, and one on October 23, a M=7.2 in the Solomon Islands. Damaging earthquakes hit central Italy and Guatemala. In the United States, California experienced the strongest earthquake in that State since 1971. The quake, a M=6.8, occurred on October 15, in Baja California, Mexico, near the California border and caused injuries and damage.
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The last 2 months of the year were quite active, seismically speaking. Damaging earthquakes were expereinced in Indonesia, including Java, Sumatra, and Bali, and in Greece, Iran, and the Fiji Islands. Colombia expereinced two earthquakes; the most destructive was a magnitude 7.9 on December 12 that killed 600 people. In the United States, many earthquakes occurred, but none caused significant damage.
Two of the three major (7.0-7.9) earthquakes during this reporting period occurred in the South Pacific on March 8 and April 13. The third, in the Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, on March 23, was the first major earthquake of the year in the United States. In the State of Washington, thousands of earthquakes associated with Mount St. Helens volcano have occurred since March 20. There were no earthquake-related deaths reported during the second 2 months of the year.
The months of September and October were somewhat quiet seismically speaking. One major earthquake, magnitude (M) 7.7 occurred in Iran on September 16. In Germany, a magntidue 5.0 earthquake caused damage and considerable alarm to many people in parts of that country. In the United States, the largest earthquake occurred along the California-Nevada border region.
Seismically speaking, the last 2 months were the most active of the year. There were six major earthuakes having magnitudes (M) ranging from 7.0 to 7.9 throughout the world: the Solomon Islands, Mexico (the largest of the year, M=7.9), the Kuril Islands, Taiwan, the Philippine Islands, and western Iran. THe Iranian earthquake was hte most devastating and caused a considerable number of casualties and damage. In the United States, a number of earthquakes were experienced, but only minor damage was reported.
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Two major earthquakes occurred in the last 2 months of the year. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck San Juan Province, Argentina, on November 23, causing fatalities and damage. The second major earthquake was a magnitude 7.0 in the Bonin Islands region, an unpopulated area. On December 19, Iran experienced a destructive earthquake, which killed over 500. In the United States, the largest earthquake during this reporting period was a magntidue 6.6 in the Andreanof Islands, which are part of the Aleutian Islands chain, on November 4 that caused some minor damage. Northern California was struck by a magnitude 4.8 earthquake on November 22 causing moderate damage in the Willits area. This was the most damaging quake in the United States during the year. Two major earthquakes of magntidues 7.0 or above to 14 for the year.
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Earthquakes caused fatalities in Mexico and Sicily; injuries and damage were sustained in eastern Kazakh SSR and Yugoslavia. There were four major earthquakes; one south of Honshu, Japan, two in the Kuril Islands region, and one in the Soviet Union. The United States experienced a number of earthquakes, but only very minor damage was reported.