2007 Martinique earthquake

2007 Martinique earthquake

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UTC time	2007-11-29 19:00:19
ISC event	13276920
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	November 29, 2007 (2007-11-29)
Local time	15:00:19 (local time)
Magnitude	7.4 Mw[1]
Depth	150 km (93 mi)[1]
Epicenter	14.98°N 61.26°W / 14.98; -61.26[1]
Areas affected	Martinique, France
Max. intensity	MMI VII (Very strong)
Casualties	1 dead 100+ injured[2]

The 2007 Martinique earthquake took place on November 29, 2007, at 15:00:19 local time in the Windward Islands region, underneath the Martinique Passage. It was a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that occurred 18 km (11 mi) west northwest from Basse-Pointe, Martinique.^[2]

This earthquake was felt strongly in Martinique, Dominica, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Antigua, St Kitts and Nevis, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Power outages were reported in Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe. It was also felt in other Eastern Caribbean islands, from Puerto Rico to the north to Trinidad and Tobago to the south. It could also be felt in part of South America such as in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana.^[3] In Caracas, Venezuela, some people evacuated office buildings.^[4] The intensity reached VI to VII on the EMS98 scale in Martinique and Dominica.^[5]

In the surrounding region, the South American plate is subducting beneath the Caribbean plate. This earthquake occurred within the South America Plate and was in response to stresses generated by the slow distortion of the plate.

See also

• List of earthquakes in 2007
• List of earthquakes in France
• List of earthquakes in the Caribbean

References

1. ISC (19 January 2015), ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1900–2009), Version 2.0, International Seismological Centre
2. "M7.4 – 18 km WNW of Basse-Pointe, Martinique". United States Geological Survey.
3. "Caribseek Guyana News | Guyana experienced earthquake event – GINA News". Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
4. "Strong earthquake hits Martinique". BBC News. November 30, 2007. Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2010.
5. Loi d'atténuation B-Cube pour l’évaluation rapide des intensités sismiques probables dans l'Archipel de Guadeloupe

External links

• The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.