|
A minor earth tremor was recorded by the Hong Kong Observatory at 2:55 p.m. today (Sunday, 31 March 2002).
Over ten local residents reported to have felt this tremor, the duration of which was about a few seconds. Slight vibrations were reported and the intensity of the tremor was estimated to be III to IV (three to four) on the Modified Mercalli Scale of XII (twelve).
Preliminary analysis placed the epicentre of this earth tremor to be about 80 kilometres northeast of Hualien, off the east cost of Taiwan. The magnitude was estimated to be 7.1 on the Richter Scale.
Since 1979, there were altogether 48 locally felt earth tremors. The date, epicentre location and intensity as felt in Hong Kong are as follows:
| No. |
Date |
Epicentre Location |
Intensity |
| 1. |
08 May 1980 |
Off coast of Shantou, Guangdong |
II |
| 2. |
18 June 1980 |
Off east coast of south Taiwan |
II |
| 3. |
09 April 1981 |
Haifeng, Guangdong |
III-IV |
| 4. |
04 May 1981 |
Heyuan, Guangdong |
II |
| 5. |
25 February 1982 |
Southern Longnam, Jiangxi |
III-IV |
| 6. |
30 August 1982 |
Near the east coast of Lantau Island |
III-IV |
| 7. |
07 October 1982 |
Near the east coast of Lantau Island |
III-IV |
| 8. |
24 June 1983 |
Northern Vietnam near Yunnan border |
IV |
| 9. |
06 December 1985 |
Near Mai Po |
IV |
| 10. |
24 April 1985 |
Central Luzon, the Philippines |
III-IV |
| 11. |
28 January 1986 |
Yangjiang, Guangdong |
III-IV |
| 12. |
19 February 1986 |
Balintang Channel |
III |
| 13. |
25 February 1987 |
Yangjiang, Guangdong |
II-III |
| 14. |
25 April 1987 |
West coast of Luzon |
III |
| 15. |
02 August 1987 |
Xunwu, Jiangxi |
III-IV |
| 16. |
03 August 1987 |
Xunwu, Jiangxi |
III |
| 17. |
15 August 1987 |
Xunwu, Jiangxi |
III |
| 18. |
15 September 1987 |
Xinfengjiang, Heyuan, Guangdong |
III |
| 19. |
26 November 1989 |
Heyuan, Guangdong |
II-III |
| 20. |
12 March 1991 |
Southern Taiwan |
III |
| 21. |
21 September 1991 |
Heyuan, Guangdong |
IV |
| 22. |
14 September 1992 |
East of Dongsha |
III-IV |
| 23. |
16 September 1994 |
Southern part of Taiwan Strait |
V-VI |
| 24. |
21 December 1994 |
Southern part of Taiwan Strait |
III |
| 25. |
31 December 1994 |
Beibu Wan |
IV |
| 26. |
10 January 1995 |
Beibu Wan |
IV |
| 27. |
25 February 1995 |
Taiwan Strait near Xiamen |
III-IV |
| 28. |
26 March 1995 |
South of Xiachuan Dao |
III-IV |
| 29. |
11 May 1995 |
Near the east coast of Lantau Island |
IV-V |
| 30. |
29 May 1995 |
13 km west of the Observatory |
II |
| 31. |
29 May 1995 |
13 km west of the Observatory |
II |
| 32. |
12 November 1995 |
In the vicinity of Meizhou, Guangdong |
III |
| 33. |
05 March 1996 |
Off east coast of Taiwan |
II-III |
| 34. |
06 September 1996 |
Off south coast of Taiwan |
III |
| 35. |
20 October 1996 |
Over the South China Sea |
III |
| 36. |
22 May 1997 |
Over the Luzon Strait |
III |
| 37. |
11 August 1997 |
Heyuan, Guangdong |
II |
| 38. |
25 March 1999 |
Heyuan, Guangdong |
III-IV |
| 39. |
20 August 1999 |
Heyuan, Guangdong |
IV |
| 40. |
21 September 1999 |
Central Taiwan |
IV |
| 41. |
26 September 1999 |
Central Taiwan |
III-IV |
| 42. |
30 September 1999 |
Dapeng Peninsula |
III-IV |
| 43. |
22 October 1999 |
Central Taiwan |
IV |
| 44. |
22 October 1999 |
Central Taiwan |
IV |
| 45. |
12 December 1999 |
Western Luzon |
III-IV |
| 46. |
11 June 2000 |
Central Taiwan |
III-IV |
| 47. |
22 April 2001 |
Yangjiang, Guangdong |
III |
| 48. |
31 March 2002 |
Off the east coast of Taiwan |
III-IV |
|