Earthquakes

20 killed, buildings toppled as 7.7 magnitude quake hits Indonesia's coast

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, damaging buildings and homes, and triggering a tsunami warning. There are no immediate reports of casualties. The US Geological Survey said the quake hit Indonesia's Flores region at a depth of 10 km at 5:58 am local time. Its epicentre was 68 km north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. The initial quake was followed by several aftershocks. Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning for part of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi provinces, and urged residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks. Residents along affected coastlines were advised to move to higher ground as officials were closely monitoring coastal tide gauges for any changes. The quake was felt across much of Flores Island. Initial reports indicate there was damage to homes and public facilities, though officials had not yet

Colombia earthquake death toll tops 250 as rescuers race to find survivors

Rescue teams raced to find survivors trapped under collapsed buildings after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, killing at least 250 people and leaving thousands homeless

132 killed, 570 injured after magnitude 7.4 earthquake hits Colombia

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, killing at least 132 people and injuring 570, while 86 buildings collapsed and rescue operations continued across the worst-hit areas

Earthquake of magnitude 5.1 hits Arunachal Pradesh; no damage reported

An earthquake of 5.1 magnitude struck the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh early Thursday, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). No immediate loss of life or damage to property was reported, officials said. The primary quake occurred at 5:45 am at a depth of 11 kilometres, with its epicentre located 116 km north-northwest of Pangin (Latitude 29.124 N, Longitude 94.856 E), the NCS stated. The mainshock was preceded by a sequence of three minor foreshocks starting in the early hours of Thursday. A shallow tremor of magnitude 2.8 hit the region at 3:40 am at a depth of 5 km, followed closely by a magnitude 3.2 quake at 3:55 am and another magnitude 2.8 event at 4:34 am, it said. Following the main tremor, a magnitude 3.5 aftershock was recorded at 7:17 am at a depth of 5 km, completing a multi-hour seismic swarm. Arunachal Pradesh and the wider Northeast region fall under Seismic Zone-V, making the area highly susceptible to tectonic activity due to the comp

5.6 magnitude earthquake strikes Egypt's Suez, no damage reported

The Egyptian ‌Red Crescent said it activated its ​emergency response plan in the governorates where the quake was felt

Death toll from Japan quake climbs to 34 as rescuers search damaged mall

The death toll climbed to 34 from a powerful earthquake in southwestern Japan that set off an explosion at a mall, toppled a factory chimney and flattened homes, the Kumamoto prefectural government said on Friday. The magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Japan's southern main island of Kyushu on Tuesday. Officials said 34 deaths had been confirmed as related to the disaster, with one more death still under investigation. On Thursday authorities said more than 80 people had been injured, five of them seriously. Searchers continued to work in the Kumamoto area on Friday, including at the site of the collapsed mall.

Hope dwindles for rescue in Japan as earthquake death toll rises to 23

Rural communities in southwestern Japan were struggling to get their lives back to normal Thursday, two days after a powerful earthquake set off an explosion at a mall, toppled a factory chimney and flattened homes, killing at least 23 people. Time was running out to find survivors, as rescuers continued to work in the Kumamoto area on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu, where the magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Tuesday. The number of those missing was unclear. The quake left at least 63 people injured, five of them seriously, the Kumamoto prefectural government said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, speaking to reporters Thursday, gave a higher number for the death toll at 28. That came from a police tally, he said, which includes cases still under investigation. Some of those cases may later turn out to be unrelated to the earthquake. Survivors spoke about coming home and desperately pulling family members out of the wreckage. Some had suffered injuries and were rushed to

Death toll in Japan earthquake rises to 18 as rescue efforts continue

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said 13 people have been found dead after a powerful quake shook part of southwestern Japan and rescue work was continuing Wednesday morning for the missing. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kumamoto area on the southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon. Takaichi said many other people were injured or still missing as rescue work continued overnight.

7.1-magnitude earthquake shakes southern Japan, tsunami advisory issued

An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 shook Kumamoto on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu late Tuesday afternoon and a tsunami advisory was issued, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The quake occurred at the depth of 10 km (6 miles) below the sea surface, JMA said. No damage or injuries were immediately reported after the 4:29 pm quake. The quake occurred in the western region of Kumamoto, about 900 km (540 miles) southwest of Tokyo. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no risk of a tsunami beyond local coasts.

Venezuela quake death toll tops 5K, many missing as relief efforts continue

More than three weeks after twin earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela, the death toll has climbed to 5,069 as rescue efforts give way to humanitarian relief and reconstruction

Death toll in Venezuela earthquake climbs to 4,333, over 16,700 injured

Authorities said more than 6,400 people have been rescued alive since the twin earthquakes struck on June 24, with recovery efforts continuing across the worst-hit states

Why earthquakes of similar magnitude can have very different outcomes

Venezuela and Japan were both rocked by powerful earthquakes on June 24, but why did one suffer widespread destruction while the other escaped with limited damage?

Venezuelans cling to hope as US rebuffs criticisms of govt quake response

Black smoke from fires in flattened buildings and the smell of decomposing bodies spread across ruins Thursday, eight days after Venezuela's devastating earthquakes, while rescue teams pulled on a thread of hope that they might still find survivors trapped beneath the rubble. As officials carried body bags and stacked caskets in the port city of Catia La Mar, joy briefly broke through the pervading misery that has blanketed Venezuela's northern La Guaira on Thursday morning when rescue teams pulled a 43-year-old man out of the rubble he was buried under for nearly eight days. Rescuers from across the Americas had worked for about 100 hours to pull Hernan Alberto Gil Flores from the collapsed shopping mall under which he was buried. Trapped in an air pocket, he'd survived on the water and sustenance rescuers passed him through the rubble. He was pulled out of the ruins on a stretcher and was carried to an ambulance as throngs of people cheered in a rare moment of victory. Thousands

Death toll in Venezuela earthquake nears 2,000; Machado stuck in Panama

Authorities say rescue and relief operations are expanding as aftershocks subside, with thousands injured and displaced following last week's twin earthquakes

Venezuela earthquake toll hits 1,719; govt sets up shelters for displaced

More than 22,000 people are receiving treatment and nearly 16,000 have been displaced following the devastating earthquakes that struck on June 24

Another 5.6-magnitude quake hits Venezuela days after deadly twin temblors

The offshore tremor struck near Aragua days after twin earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela, while rescue and recovery operations continued amid complaints of poor coordination

Venezuela earthquake: Death toll tops 1,400 as rescue efforts intensify

More than 1,600 foreign rescuers have joined search operations in the hardest-hit coastal areas as authorities race to find survivors amid hundreds of aftershocks

6.1-magnitude quake off northeast Japan rattles coast, no tsunami alert

A magnitude-6.1 earthquake rattled northeastern Japan early Sunday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the latest in a series of major temblors hitting the region. No tsunami warning was issued and there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. But the recent spate of quakes coming during typhoon season has set off worries about mudslides. Sunday's quake struck off the coast of Iwate Prefecture at 7:25 a.m. local time, with a depth of about 40 kilometers (25 miles), and shook Aomori Prefecture and other nearby regions. Japan is prone to quakes and tsunami. A series of quakes have hit lately, including a 7.2 magnitude quake that struck Thursday in the area close to Sunday's quake. That magnitude was revised upward from a preliminary estimate. The agency has warned other quakes may follow. A magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook Yamanashi Prefecture and nearby areas, which are near Mount Fuji and west of Tokyo, on Friday.

Toll from Venezuela earthquakes climbs to at least 920 dead, 3,360 injured

The toll from the back-to-back earthquakes that devastated Venezuela this week climbed Friday to at least 920 dead and 3,360 injured, authorities said. The new figures were announced by Jorge Rodriguez, the president of the country's National Assembly. The toll is likely to go higher as search-and-rescue operations continue. Many families say their loved ones are still buried under the rubble. "Each person saved is a miracle," Rodriguez said.

Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 188 as rescue efforts expand

The natural disaster has killed at least 188 people and injured more than 1,500 others in a country where emergency response capacity is limited after years of political and economic turmoil