2012day.year
A pair of great earthquakes occur in the Wharton Basin west of Sumatra in Indonesia. The maximum Mercalli intensity of this strike-slip doublet earthquake is VII (Very strong). Ten are killed, twelve are injured, and a non-destructive tsunami is observed on the island of Nias.
On April 11, 2012, a rare doublet strike-slip earthquake struck the Wharton Basin off Sumatra with a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII, killing ten people and triggering a minor tsunami on Nias Island.
Seismic waves from two back-to-back quakes of magnitudes 8.6 and 8.2 were recorded in the remote Wharton Basin. The unusual strike-slip nature of the event, occurring deep beneath the Indian Ocean, puzzled scientists due to its high magnitude. Shaking reached a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII on Sumatra’s west coast. The earthquakes generated a small tsunami that washed ashore on Nias Island without causing severe damage. Ten residents lost their lives, and twelve were injured primarily by collapsing structures. Indonesian authorities mounted a disaster relief operation and assessed coastal communities for potential impacts. The doublet provided valuable data, expanding understanding of tectonic processes in the Indian Ocean region.
2012
earthquakes
Wharton Basin
Sumatra
Indonesia
Mercalli intensity
strike-slip
doublet earthquake
tsunami
Nias