2011 Colorado earthquake
  | |
| Date | August 23, 2011 |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 05:46:19 UTC [1] |
| Magnitude | 5.3 Mw [1] |
| Depth | 2.6 mi (4.2 km) [1] |
| Epicenter | 37°04′N 104°42′W / 37.07°N 104.7°WCoordinates: 37°04′N 104°42′W / 37.07°N 104.7°W |
| Type | Dip-slip |
| Areas affected |
Colorado United States |
| Max. intensity | V (Moderate) [2] |
The 2011 Colorado earthquake occurred on August 22 at 11:46 PM MDT with a moment magnitude of 5.3 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of V (Moderate). The epicenter of the intraplate earthquake was 10 mi (20 km) west northwest of Trinidad, Colorado, and 180 mi (290 km) south of Denver, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).[1][3][4][5][6] It was the largest natural earthquake to affect Colorado for more than a hundred years.[3]
The earthquake occurred as part of a swarm of smaller quakes that started the previous day. The last time the Colorado region received a series of earthquakes was in 2001, when about a dozen smaller-sized temblors were recorded.[1] The shock occurred as a result of normal faulting and was similar in depth, style and location to the events that made up the 2001 swarm.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Magnitude 5.3– Colorado". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- ↑ "Pager– M 5.3– Colorado". United States Geological Survey. 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
- 1 2 Johnson, Kirk (August 23, 2011). "Rare Strong Earthquake Hits Colorado". The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Minor damage from magnitude-5.3 Colorado quake". Associated Press. August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
- ↑ Williams, Alia (August 23, 2011). "Aftershocks continue to shake Colorado". KXRM. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
- ↑ "No major damage in region in wake of earthquake". The Times-Tribune (Scranton). August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
Sources
- Rubinsetein, J. L.; Ellsworth, W. L.; McGarr, A.; Benz, H. M. (2014), "The 2001–Present Induced Earthquake Sequence in the Raton Basin of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado", Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, Seismological Society of America, 104 (5): 2162–2181, doi:10.1785/0120140009
External links
- Wastewater injection is culprit for most earthquakes in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, study finds – Science Daily
- Was the M5.3 Trinidad, CO Earthquake Natural or Induced? – United States Geological Survey