6.2 quake jolts the Marianas

6.2 magnitude earthquake jolted the Marianas region yesterday afternoon, occurring some 156 kilometers under the seabed between Rota and Guam. Although there were no immediate reports of damage, the several seconds-long temblor prompted fears of tsunami among some residents, although this was immediately scotched by the Emergency Management Office.

The EMO’s seismograph detected the earthquake at 12:30pm, locating its epicenter at about 35 miles west of Rota, 100 miles southwest of Saipan, 170 miles south-southwest of Anatahan, and 40 miles north of Guam.

According to EMO and the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Center in Denver, Colorado, the quake registered 6.0 on the Richter scale with a depth of 156 kilometers. The preliminary magnitude of the quake, however, is subject to change. As of press time, the USGS NEC placed the magnitude at 6.2.

“There are no reported damage on any islands [as of press time],” EMO said.

Forty-two-year-old Gilbert Santiago was heating water for coffee yesterday afternoon when his house began to shake.

“I had just opened the sugar jar and all of a sudden, everything started to shake. It happened so fast…I didn’t think about it being an earthquake until it was done, and then I started wondering if there’s going to be tsunami,” Santiago.

That question was uppermost in the mind of EMO director Rudolfo M. Pua, who said his office immediately got in touch with the Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii. The Center said that a tsunami watch is only issued when a magnitude of about 7.0 or stronger is recorded on the Richter scale.

“So there’s no threat of tsunami right now,” Pua said. “Given the proximity of the earthquake, if there is a tsunami then we would have already experienced it.”

Pua explained that his staff monitored if any change in tides were featured, “but there was none.”

Rumors also spread of another quake occurring early yesterday morning, but Pua said none actually took place.

“We don’t have any information on that. If we had one early [yesterday] morning, we would’ve known and been notified by the [NEC],” he said.

Pua indicated that the earthquake was not connected to the ongoing volcanic activity on Anatahan.

“The opinion we got from the experts at the [USGS] is that the earthquake has no connection with the Anatahan volcano,” he said.

Anatahan still erupting

Anatahan continues to erupt with Strombolian explosions occurring five to 10 times per minute, according to the latest joint report from EMO and USGS.

“Ash is likely rising to 10,000-15,000 feet and possibly higher at the current time,” the agencies said yesterday.

The magnitude of the eruption intensified Monday and continued to intensify into early Tuesday morning, with its strength recorded at about 20 percent above the previous high, which happened on Jan. 26.

With prevailing north-northeasterly winds continuing to bring ash across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, EMO and the Department of Public Health maintains its volcanic ash and haze alert.

EMO indicated that ash and vog—volcanic smog—have also been reported to have reached as far south as Guam.

EMO and DPH reminds residents with serious lung problems such as asthma to avoid prolonged outdoor air exposure as the volcanic smog poses a health hazard by aggravating preexisting respiratory ailments.

Residents are urged to avoid drinking water collected from rainfall and to protect water supply by covering water tanks, as well as shutting off roof-collection systems.

All residents are also encouraged to consume only bottled water until their alternate source of drinking water has been flushed and clear of all volcanic debris.

“Do not consume water that has an acid taste or smell,” DPH said.

Anatahan remains off limits except for scientific expeditions by EMO and U.S. Geological Survey personnel.