Tuesday 5 June 2018

Magnitude 4.7 Earthquake in Monte Plata Province, Dominican Republic.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.7 Earthquake at a depth of 83.3 km roughly 15 km to the east of the town of Gonzalo in Monte Plata Province in the Dominican Republic, slightly before 5.15 am local time (slightly before 9.15 am GMT) on Sunday 3 June 2018. There are no reports of any damage or injuries associated with this event, but people have reported feeling it across much of the Dominican Republic.
 
The approximate location of the 3 June 2018 Monte Plata Earthquake. USGS.
 
The Dominican Republic forms the eastern part of the island of La Hispaniola, in the Greater Antilles. The island has a complex geological structure, with parts of it lying on three different tectonic plates, and two plate margins running east-to-west across the island. The northernmost part of the island lies on the North American Plate. This is divided from the Gonâve Microplate by the Septentrional Fault Zone, which runs through Rio San Juan, along the north coast of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, then across the Windward Passage and along the south coast of Cuba. The Gonâve Microplate is moving east relative to the North American Plate, pushed by the Mid-Cayman Spreading centre to the west of Jamaica. To the south the Gonâve Microplate is separated from the Caribbean Plate by the Enriquilo-Plantain Garden Fault Zone, which runs across Southern Haiti and the Dominican Republic. To the west the fault runs through central Jamaica. The Caribbean Plate is rotating clockwise, effectively moving east relative to the Gonâve Microplate.
 
Plate movements and fault zones around the Gonâve Microplate. Mike Norton/Wikimedia Commons.
 
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...
 
http://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2017/09/fifty-nine-confirmed-deaths-as.htmlhttp://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2017/09/hurricane-irma-leaves-widespread.html
http://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2017/02/magnitude-45-earthquake-in-sanchez.htmlhttp://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/08/tropical-storm-erika-kills-at-least-25.html
http://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/03/magnitude-47-earthquake-off-south-coast.htmlhttp://sciencythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/01/magnitude-48-eathquake-in-southwest.html
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