Earthquake!! Shaking up Central America (2019_Educational)

www.iris.edu/earthquake

Whereas transform-fault and shallow-crustal-intraplate earthquakes have dominated the recent history of deadly and destructive earthquakes in Central America, we should never underestimate the potential destructive power of subduction zone earthquakes. Since 1970, there have been 13 major magnitude 7 earthquakes on or near the megathrust plate boundary, but no historic magnitude 8 or larger. The Sumatra 2004 and Japan 2011 magnitude 9 earthquakes and resulting tsunamis delivered the lesson that many centuries may pass between great subduction zone earthquakes. We do not know whether or when a great magnitude 8 or 9 subduction zone earthquake may occur on the Cocos – Caribbean plate boundary.

Written and directed by Dr. Robert Butler, University of Portland,
Narrated by Dr. Wendy Bohon, IRIS
Animated by Jenda Johnson, Earth Sciences Animated
Reviewed by Reviewed by Dr. Ross Stein, CEO & Cofounder, Temblor, Inc. http://temblor.net/team/ross-stein/