Earthquakes Strike Fiji

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Workshop Addresses Better Tsunami, Earthquake Evacuation Plans


In my last post I shared with you all that Fiji is very close to the Fiji plate, therefore, it is not to any surprise Fiji's seismicity is very high. According to the USGS website, the most recent earthquake had occurred on February 5, 2018 in Lambasa  which projected a magnitude of 4.2. However, seven hours prior to this earthquake another earthquake, at a magnitude of 4.5, struck Ndoi Island. Even though these magnitudes may seem relatively normal, Fiji has also experienced high magnitude earthquakes. According to Earthquake Track, the largest earthquake to hit Fiji this year had a magnitude of 6.4 in Levuka, Fiji. 

With earthquakes always disturbing the islands of Fiji, it is prevalent that action must be taken to ensure the safety of the people. The residents do all that they can to make others aware of the earthquakes that frequently occur. A committee is brought together every year to address procedures on what to do during an earthquake and to discuss evacuation plans if the earthquake becomes too extreme making Fiji uninhabitable.  However, the main focus of safety in Fiji is that all school buildings are safe for children and teacher to be in. Fiji engineers must follow a certain criteria to ensure that children are safe to study in a disaster-prone environment. 

School building guideline on cyclone/earthquake safety in Fiji." , edited by Shoichi Ando, www.iawe.org/WRDRR/2010/Ando.pdf. Accessed 6 Feb. 2018.

USGS, https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/. Accessed 6 Feb. 2018.

"Recent Earthquakes Near Fiji ." Earthquake Track , https://earthquaketrack.com/r/fiji/recent. Accessed 6 Feb. 2018.

"Workshop Addresses Better Tsunami, Earthquake Evacuation Plans." Fiji Sun Online , fijisun.com.fj/2017/07/11/workshop-addresses-better-tsunami-earthquake-evacuation-plans/. Accessed 6 Feb. 2018.


Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2018 at 7:58 PM

    Hi Sharon!
    I didn't know that Fiji was at risk of having earthquakes. It is good to hear that Fji has a committee that comes together every year to discuss evacuation plans.. Also, it is really cool that they focus on schools building codes to make sure childern are safe when an earthquake occurs.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 9, 2018 at 11:01 AM

    Hey Sharon,
    It is crazy to think that such a beautiful country like Fiji could become inhabitable because of how close they are to the Fiji Plate. It is definitely important for procedures to be made for evacuation and it is also important that they have made sure schools are safe for children that need to most protecting. I really like what you had to say and can't wait to hear more about Fiji!

    ReplyDelete

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