Friday, May 29, 2009

Honduras M 7.3 Swan Island Transform 05-28-2009

Honduras M 7.3 Swan Island Transform 05-28-2009
1) Technical updates/maps from USGS
2) Earthquake epicenter was on the Swan Island transform fault boundary between North America and Caribbean plates. The plate boundary is a zone of active faulting extending south from the Swan Island fault to the Nueva Esperanza fault located along the southern margin of the Aguan valley including numerous onshore and offshore faults (Rogers and Mann, 2007).
3) Expect aftershocks for next several weeks along the Swan Island transform and the faults to the south. One has already occurred on the Nueva Esperanza fault (USGS info on aftershock)
4) The Swan Island fault is the very steep southern boundary of the 5000+ meter deep Cayman Trough. Landslides can happen along this undersea escarpment. Aftershocks can trigger landslides. Landslides can trigger tsunamis. Coastal communities should keep watch on Caribbean Sea for next several weeks.
5) NUEVOS FOLLETOS Y CARTELES DE PROTEGE A TU FAMILIA DE.......http://www.redciencia.cu/cdorigen/arca/protegefam.html (from Manuel Iturralde-Vinent).

-Dr. Rob Rogers 5/29/2009