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2010 Baja California earthquake ( The Easter Earthquake)

Quake epicenter
UTC time	??
Magnitude	7.2 Mw
Depth	10 kilometers (6 mi)
Epicenter	32°07′41″N 115°18′11″W / 32.128°N 115.303°W / 32.128; -115.303
Areas affected	Mexico United States
Max. intensity	IX
Tsunami	no
Landslides	yes
Aftershocks	Yes
Casualties	3 killed, 100 injured in the vicinity of Mexicali.

The 2010 Baja California earthquake was an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude on the moment magnitude scale that started 26 kilometers (16 mi) south of Guadalupe Victoria, Baja California, Mexico, at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi). It occurred at 3:40:41 p.m. PDT (22:40:41 UTC) on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010, and it is said to have lasted about a minute. The strongest shaking was felt in the ejido of Alberto Oviedo Mota, municipality of Mexicali, at Mercalli intensity scale VIII (Severe). In Mexicali, Calexico and Guadalupe Victoria it rated VII (Very Strong), while in San Luis Río Colorado it measured VI (Strong). Most of the damage in this earthquake occurred in the twin cities of Mexicali and Calexico on the Mexico – United States border. At least three people were killed and 100 people were injured.

The quake probably occurred on the Laguna Salada Fault, which is about 60 kilometers (37 mi) to 80 km (50 mi) long and straddles the California–Baja California border. The active Laguna Salada Fault ruptured in February 1892 with an estimated Mw7.2 earthquake (Hough & Elliott, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, August 2004, volume 94). Geological field work as of April 5, 2010, by Dr. Thomas Rockwell, professor of geology at San Diego State University, indicates about one meter of right-lateral surface faulting and 0.3 to 0.5 meters of vertical road offset on a fault that is located east of Laguna Salada Fault. Whether or not this is the Cerro Prieto Fault is unclear as of April 5. This is a developing field situation, as geologists are working to locate and measure the lateral extent of the surface faulting.

Precursors and foreshocks

Mexicali and Tijuana, situated in a very active seismic zone, are surrounded by important faults. An earthquake of such magnitude had been expected around the fault situated in the southeast of Mexicali.

Before the M_w 7.2 earthquake occurred, the surrounding area had been seismically active in 2009. Several foreshocks began from April 1, 2010, with magnitudes of 3 and 4.

April 4 quake

The earthquake measured 7.2 on the moment magnitude scale that started 25 kilometers (16 mi) south of Guadalupe Victoria, Baja California, at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi). It occurred at 22:40 UTC (1540 local time) on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010, and it is said to have lasted about a minute. Since the earthquake occured during this day, it has been also called the Easter Sunday Earthquake. The strongest shaking was felt in Alberto Oviedo Mota, an ejido 50 km southeast of Mexicali, at Mercalli intensity scale VIII (Severe). In Mexicali, Calexico, and Guadalupe Victoria it rated VII (Very Strong), while in San Luis Río Colorado it measured VI (Strong).

Aftershocks and related quakes

Three aftershocks with a magnitude of at least 5 have been reported; one at a magnitude of 5.2, one at 5.4 and one at a magnitude of 5.1, all three within one hour. There have been at least eight aftershocks in total.

By six hours after the earthquake more than 90 aftershocks or triggered earthquakes between magnitude 3.0 and 5.1 were recorded in northern Baja California and southern California. This included a magnitude 3 event 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) off the coast of Malibu, California. By the early hours of the following morning, scientists had measured 100 aftershocks.

Pat Abbott, a professor emeritus of geology at San Diego State University, said, "Any quake of this size seems to pass some kind of threshold where it’s large enough to disturb or trigger other faults. In cases like this, that often means increasing stress on other faults, which makes them more prone to movement. The energy seems to be moving northward toward the San Andreas Fault. I don’t want to anthropomorphize, but it’s like this quake was goading the San Andreas." It remains to be seen how the 1,300 km (810 mi) San Andreas Fault was affected by these temblors. The southern section of the San Andreas Fault worries scientists because it has not ruptured in more than 300 years. The region also includes other faults, including the Imperial Fault Zone.

Impact

Mexico

Baja California state capital Mexicali was reported by Comisión Federal de Electricidad CEO Alfredo Elías Ayub as being without electricity. There were at least two fatalities in Mexicali, one of which was caused by a collapsed house. At least 100 people were injured in Mexicali and its suburbs. Multiple fires occurred due to ruptured natural gas lines and damaged propane tanks, and people were stuck in collapsed buildings as of the day after the quake.

CNN reported that, "Pictures from Mexicali showed the sides ripped off buildings, toppled telephone poles, cracked roads, and supermarket aisles strewn with food that had fallen off shelves." Damage was also reported in a state government building in construction, and windows were broken at the Chamber of Commerce in the city. According to the San Diego Union Tribune, the largest hospital in Mexicali sustained damage and was moving patients to other facilities.

The quake was felt for about 40 seconds in Tijuana, Baja California, located 174 kilometers (108 mi) to the northwest, where it caused buildings to sway and knocked out power in parts of the city. Families celebrating Easter ran out of the homes. A falling tree damaged a city water tank. Rescuers trying to reach Mexicali from Tijuana were slowed by a landslide along the highway. The earthquake cracked the main aqueduct that carries Colorado River water from Mexicali to Tijuana, causing limitations on the water supply in Tijuana.

The day after the quake, Baja California Governor José Guadalupe Osuna asked the federal government for a state of emergency to be declared. President Felipe Calderón visited the Mexicali area on Monday, April 5, to inspect the damage first-hand.

United States

United States Geological Survey seismologist Dr. Lucile M. Jones said at least 20 million people in the United States and Mexico, including most of Southern California, felt the quake. Sporadic power outages were reported throughout southern California. Skyscrapers shook in San Diego, California, 180 kilometers (110 mi) northwest of the epicenter. The earthquake broke at least two water mains, one at a Nordstrom department store in Fashion Valley Mall and another at Mission Bay High School. The San Diego International Airport also had a water leak at Gate 33 in Terminal 2, and the terminal was evacuated for about 10 minutes due to fears of a natural gas leak. The Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed by the California Highway Patrol as a precautionary measure. The Sheraton Hotel and Marina was evacuated when cracks were discovered in the floors and reoccupied once deemed to be safe.

Electric service was disrupted across most of the Imperial Valley. In Calexico, California, Fire Chief Peter Mercado said that there was structural damage, leaking gas lines and damage to the town's water system, but that no one was hurt. A Calexico Police Lieutenant said, "Downtown is going to remain closed until further notice. I honestly doubt that it will reopen soon. You've got a lot of cracks. You've got a lot of broken glass. It's unsafe for people to go there." The Calexico border crossing on California State Route 7 and a section of Interstate 8 were both closed.

In El Centro, California, gas leaks, water main breaks, and collapsed chimneys and balconies were reported. A man was injured when he fell during the quake, and another man was injured when a sign fell on him. One city hospital had so many people at it that the Salvation Army sent a truck with water canteens and sandwiches.

Witnesses have said that it was felt in downtown Los Angeles. There were no immediate reports of damage in Los Angeles, but the Los Angeles Fire Department was put on alert. It was reported that some people were stuck in an elevator in Disneyland, Anaheim, and in a Century City high-rise in Los Angeles. The rides in Disneyland were temporarily closed for inspection.

3,369 customers in the Yuma, Arizona, area had a "relatively momentary outage" from the quake, said Arizona Public Service Company spokesman Dan Wool, "but most were back in service shortly afterward". The quake was also felt in Phoenix, Arizona and as far as Fayetteville, Georgia.

The quake was felt in the US states of Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Oklahoma, Montana, Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming; as also, in the Mexican states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Sonora.

See also

• 2010 earthquakes
• Cerro Prieto Geothermal Power Station, the largest geothermal power station in the world; located 30 km (19 mi) from the epicenter
• List of 21st century earthquakes
• List of earthquakes in Mexico

References

1. ^ PAGER – M 7.2 – 39.0 mi SSE of Calexico, CA
2. ^ Baker, Debbi, Matthew T. Hall (2010-04-05). "Magnitude 7.2 quake blamed in Baja deaths". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Sign on San Diego. Retrieved 2010-04-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
3. ^ "Strong 6.9 quake jolts Baja California, Mexico". Yahoo.com. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
4. ^ Perry, Toni, Tracy Wilkinson (2010-05-04). "Quake rolls across Baja". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-05-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
5. ^ "One death reported in Baja quake". Los Angeles Times. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
6. "El sismo se esperaba hace tiempo: experto". Notimex (in Spanish). Diario Rotativo. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
7. Chang, Alicia (2010-04-04). "Big Baja quake came from 'chaotic' fault system". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
8. ^ "M7.2 – Baja California, Mexico". United States Geological Survey. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
9. http://www.ecoronado.com/profiles/blogs/easter-sunday-earthquake-in?xg_source=activity
10. "Magnitude 5.2 – BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
11. "Magnitude 5.4 – BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
12. "Magnitude 5.1 – SONORA, MEXICO". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
13. ^ "7.2-magnitude quake shakes San Diego region". San Diego Union Tribune. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
14. "90+ aftershocks in Mexico-California region after strong quake". Digital Journal. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
15. "Police patrol quake-damaged Calif. border town". Associated Press. 2010-04-05. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
16. ^ Lafee, Scott (2010-04-05). "Temblor could disturb faults, scientists say". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
17. "Elevan a 7.2 grados Richter temblor en BC". Notimex (in Spanish). El Universal. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
18. ^ "Two killed, 100 injured in Mexican earthquake". CNN. 2010-04-05. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
19. ^ "Earthquake shakes Pacific coast". CNN.com. CNN. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
20. "Magnitude 7.2 Quake Hits Baja, Mexico, Shakes L.A. (Update3)". Bloomberg L.P. Bloomberg BusinessWeek. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
21. Orr, Katie (2010-04-05). "7.2 Earthquake Rocks Mexicali, San Diego Region". KPBS. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
22. ^ "Magnitude 7.2 quake blamed in Baja deaths". San Diego Union Tribune. 2010-04-05. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
23. "Reportan un muerto por sismo de 7.2 en BC". Notimex (in Spanish). El Universal. 2010-04-04. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |acessdate= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
24. "Mexico Earthquake 2010: 7.2 Quake Hits Baja California, Shakes Los Angeles". Associated Press. The Huffington Post. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
25. "Gobernador pide declarar desastre en BC". Notimex (in Spanish). El Universal. 2010-04-05. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
26. "After quake, life calms down on both sides of U.S.-Mexico border". Los Angeles Times. 2010-04-05. Retrieved 2010-04-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |Author= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
27. ^ "Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Reported in Baja California". Fox News. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
28. "7.2 Earthquake Shakes San Diego Region". KPBS Media Group. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
29. ^ Vives, Ruben, Shelby Grad (2010-04-04). "6.9 earthquake strikes Baja California; Los Angeles rattled". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times blogspot. Retrieved 2010-04-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
30. ^ "ImperialValleyPressOnline". Imperial Valley Press. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
31. Steinhauer, Jennifer (2010-04-04). "Strong Mexico Quake Shakes Buildings and Nerves in California". The New York Times. NY Times. Retrieved 2010-04-04. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
32. Wood, Daniel (2010-04-04). "Mexicali earthquake: What are the damage reports in LA?". The Christian Science Monitor. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2010-04-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
33. "Baja California Earthquake Felt in Arizona". Associated Press. My FOX Phoenix. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
34. ^ "M7.2 – Baja California, Mexico". USGS. USGS. Retrieved 2010-04-05. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

External links

• USGS page on this quake with maps and charts including: a map of aftershocks and a map of where people in the United States reported the quake
• Video of water sloshing out of swimming pool in La Mirada, California – licensed under Creative Commons

• Current events from April 2010
• 2010 earthquakes
• Earthquakes in Mexico
• 2010 in Mexico
• Earthquakes in California
• 2010 in the United States