Moderators Moderator_03 Posted July 26 Moderators Share Posted July 26 Quote Panama Earthquakes in Chiriqui are not Volcanic - They are Tectonic Posted 25/07/2024 Earthquakes in Chiriquí are the product of a tectonic process, not volcanic. Earthquakes are normal because Chiriqui is in a highly seismic area, but the guard should not be lowered because there could be others of higher magnitude. The earthquakes that have occurred during recent days in Chiriquí are within a normal range and have tectonic origin, explained Dr. Catalina Espinosa. When you hear about earthquakes in that province you tend to link them to the Barú volcano, however, this time there is no link. "These earthquakes are not of volcanic origin, they are the product of this process of tectonism in the Bay of Charco Azul, where we have a triple collision point adjacent to the Panama Fracture Zone. It's a process of tectonism, more than volcanic," Espinosa said to Panama America. In this sense, the expert indicates that the Institute of Geosciences of the University of Panama has no records of earthquakes in the volcanic cone, indicating that its origin is not this. The researcher from the Autonomous University of Chiriquí exposes that earthquakes are normal because Chiriquí is within a highly seismic zone. Although they cannot be predicted, there are likely other cracks on the Earth’s surface that can generate more energy, he warned. The Institute of Geosciences works on identifying focal mechanisms, which are a two-dimensional representation of the geometry of a fault and how it moves during an earthquake. “Further studies are required. We currently have no scientific evidence of what is happening inside the surface.” "The magnitude of these events depends a lot on the movement of the plate and how the subduction is," he added. Espinosa does not rule out that other earthquakes continue to appear, so it is important to be prepared. "These (future) earthquakes may be higher than those experienced, and would be within normal." "Sometimes we forget to prepare because they don't show up that often," he added. Recently, the University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences reported a magnitude 6 earthquake in the Panama-Costa Rica border region, 7km southeast of Puerto Armuelles. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-earthquakes-in-chiriqui-are-not-volcanic-they-are-tectonic-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_03 Posted August 4 Author Moderators Share Posted August 4 Quote 200 Earthquakes Have Been Recorded in Chiriquí Province Recently Posted 03/08/2024 Due to constant earthquakes, the Institute of Geosciences is studying the soils and structures in and around the Chiriquí Province in Panama. About 200 earthquakes have been recorded, all parallel to the Burica peninsula. The number of earthquakes that have been occurring in our country over the past few weeks, with the highest depth in Chiriquí province, has put experts on alert who have begun a series of soil studies in Chiriqui. Diligence runs weeks after recent strong earthquakes that caused damage to homes, schools, old structures and even the rehabilitation of roads. Nestor Luque, director of the National Institute of Geosciences, explained that the study is related to investigations of amplification of seismic waves from the soil in Chiriquí, starting with the David district. Luque detailed that when a ground is soft, the waves tend to amplify, but contrary to that, if the ground is solid or there is hard rock, seismic waves do not amplify. They have known that in parts near the Cathedral of David, which is kept closed, and near Hill San Cristóbal, there were disturbances to houses, so the idea is to determine the behavior of these floors in the face of seismic movements. This, the expert elaborated, will allow authorities and builders to reinforce buildings for upcoming seismic events. The earthquakes that have happened are not related to the Panama fracture zone, but instead with a reverse fault that runs parallel to it and very shallow. "Some houses have been homemade or self-built, and do not follow structural norms and this has led to several structures in certain areas of Chiriquí being affected." The idea is to guide the population to take into account the situation of the soil where they live and build appropriately," he emphasized. https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/200-earthquakes-have-been-recorded-in-chiriqui-province-recently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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