Sunday 8 March 2020

Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake to the southeast of Madeira.

The Centre Seismologique Euro-Méditeranéen  recorded a Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km to the southeast of Madeira Island, Portugal, slightly before 9.00 pm local time (GMT) on Friday 7 March 2020. There are no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, though it was felt across the Madeira Islands group, as well as in parts of the Canary Islands.
 
The approximate location of the 7 March 2020 Madeira Earthquake. USGS.
 
Madeira lies to the south of the Cape St. Vincent Ridge, which runs along the boundary between the African and European plates to the east of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This is currently an area of expansion, with the two plates moving apart along this part of the boundary and new seafloor being created by the upwelling of magma from the mantle and its extrusion as a new area of crustal material, the Azores Microplate. This is not a smooth process, and can lead to occasional Earthquakes.

Witness accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events, and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.

See also...

https://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2020/02/flights-to-and-from-canary-islands.htmlhttps://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2019/08/thousands-forces-to-flee-their-homes-as.html
https://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2017/10/series-of-earthquakes-beneath-canary.htmlhttps://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/05/magnitude-42-earthquake-on-cape-st.html
https://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2013/12/magnitude-54-earthquake-off-coast-of-el.htmlhttps://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-floating-stones-of-el-hierro.html
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