Major Quake Shakes Southern Africa

Associated Press

Feb. 22 - An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.5 struck Mozambique, the U.S. Geological Survey said Wednesday. There was no immediate word on injuries or damages.

The quake hit at 12:19 a.m. Thursday local time. Its epicenter was 140 miles southwest of Beira, on Mozambique's Indian Ocean coast, USGS spokeswoman Clarice Ransom said. She said the initial reading had been 6.9 but was adjusted upward.

The earthquake was felt as far away as Durban, South Africa, and Harare, Zimbabwe.

A newspaper editor in Maputo said he was in the 11th floor of an apartment building that was rocked by the quake.




"It shook a lot. We could feel it very strongly," Fernando Velosa, editor of Jornal de Mocambique, told Lisbon radio station TSF. Portugal is the former colonial ruler of the African nation.

The quake was shallow, which increases the potential for damage, said Dale Grant, a geophysics with the USGS National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo., which is a clearinghouse for temblors worldwide.

"It was felt very widely in in the epicentral area, though it's not a very heavily populated area," Grant said. "There is certain to be damage, but so far, we've had absolutely no word of damage."



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Help needed in the Andamans

This in from a friend in the Andamans.

I don't know if this blog is still active but I need help...

I've recently started work, with PRAYAS Andaman & Nicobar, in one of the worst affected Areas during the Tsunami of 26th December 2004. My organisation has been here since the relief phase, and we basically work with child rights and ensuring that Children are restored to their pre-tsunami (or even better by peaking any pre-tsunami acmes)states of life.

Life here is difficult but the work... Is endless...!

The relief work has long stopped and we are in the process of rehabilitation and rebuilding... And this is as equally crucial a phase as the relief phase...

We need the world not to forget us...!

The reason I'm posting here is to seek help with getting Medical (peadiatric, ENT, Opth, Dermatology, Nursing, first-aid etc) and Education (Teachers and Teacher-Trainers) specialists over to the islands, with the view of conducting camps and workshops (orientation, refresher and capacity-building)here.

I still am in the process of formulating an overall plan and would appreciate tips and Ideas.

If anyone has anything for me i'm contactable at vijay DOT jivay2003 AT gmail DOT com

Thanks
Vijay

3.6 Earthquake Felt Across Northwest

KIROTV.com

EVERETT, Wash. -- Residents near Everett and surrounding areas felt a 3.6 magnitude earthquake Thursday evening just before 6 p.m.

The University of Washington, Department of Earth and Space Sciences reported the earthquake at 5:47 p.m., 9 miles west of Everett with a depth of 19 miles.

That puts the center of the earthquake on the south end of Whidbey Island.

People who felt the earthquake called the KIRO 7 newsroom from Camano Island, Everett, Queen Anne Hill, Arlington, and Port Ludlow.

There were no reports of damage or injuries.