Strongest earthquake in 140 years rattles Croatia's capital, leaves at least 1 dead

Renee Duff, AccuWeather•March 22, 2020

The star marks the epicenter of a strong earthquake that rattled Croatia on Sunday morning, local time. (USGS)

A strong earthquake rattled Zagreb on Sunday morning, local time, killing at least one person and littering the streets with debris.

The temblor, which struck 5.7 miles (9.2 km) to the north of Zagreb and had a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km), was rated a magnitude 5.4, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

There has been at least one strong aftershock thus far with a magnitude of 4.6.

Zagreb hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake ~30 minutes ago just as full lockdown started. Now everyone's outside grouped in front of their buildings. This won't help. pic.twitter.com/QPzAIqUSkM
— Filip Radelic (@fichek) March 22, 2020

A teenage boy has reportedly died after a roof collapse in Zagreb.

"We received a report of the collapse of the building at Djordjiceva 13. An ambulance team took to the field and found a seriously injured child who showed no signs of life," said Zarko Rasic, director of the Zagreb Institute of Emergency Medicine, via a local news outlet. The boy's death was confirmed at a nearby hospital.

People across the capital shared images on Twitter of debris from damaged buildings littering the streets. Vehicles were also seen nearly completely crumpled.

The historic Zagreb Cathedral also suffered damage, with the top of one of the spires being broken off. The cathedral was severely damaged in 1880 when a significant earthquake shook the city.

Zagreb Cathedral tower is damaged pic.twitter.com/Pazq7ghNOp
— Ankica Zovko (@anacasey17) March 22, 2020



"It felt like a train was coming through my apartment, in all my time in the city I have never felt anything like that before," a resident told The Dubrovnik Times.

Electricity has been cut in parts of the capital, the news agency reported.

All occupants at Zagreb's airport were evacuated from the building after the earthquake. No infrastructure or runway damage was found and the airport is now operating on a normal schedule.

Prior to the earthquake, a lockdown was put in place in Zagreb and elsewhere across Croatia to combat the spread of coronavirus.

"Now everyone's outside grouped in front of their buildings. This won't help," wrote one person on Twitter after the earthquake struck.

"This was the strongest earthquake in Zagreb in the last 140 years, but there is no need to panic and go to gas stations in large numbers," government officials stated on Twitter. "Regardless of the situation, we emphasize once again the importance of keeping a distance and following the instructions to combat #COVID ー 19!"



For cleanup and recovery efforts in the coming days, AccuWeather meteorologists expect a storm to move into the area with snow by Tuesday.

#Zagreb earthquake pic.twitter.com/vLaDbaAaNz
— Dante Buu (@DanteBuu) March 22, 2020

Ovo je jezivo u Zagrebu sa zemljotresom sta se desilo. Usred sranja sa koronom. #zagreb #zemljotres pic.twitter.com/qp9mapMpbV
(This is creepy in Zagreb with the earthquake what happened. In the middle of shit with a coronavirus)
— Sale (@SaleVieDub) March 22, 2020



Croatia's Zagreb rocked by powerful earthquake

Magnitude 5.3 quake wrecks buildings and causes fires as officials urge people in the streets to keep social distancing.

A destroyed car in Zagreb, Croatia is seen following the earthquake [Darko Bandic/AP Photo]

A powerful earthquake has struck north of Croatia's capital, Zagreb, damaging buildings, burying vehicles in rubble and causing several fires.

As firefighting and rescue operations were ongoing at several locations across Zagreb on Sunday, news outlets reported that a 15-year-old was in critical condition and others were injured.

More:

Major earthquake strikes in Caribbean between Jamaica and Cuba

Turkey 'seriously' preparing for possible Istanbul earthquake

The Take: Haiti's unnatural disasters

GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences said the quake, which was felt across the Western Balkans, struck at a depth of 10km (six miles). It downgraded the magnitude to 5.3 from an initial reading of 6.0.

The quake struck at a depth of 10km and was felt across the Western Balkans [Antonio Bronic/Reuters]

"It lasted over 10 seconds. By far the strongest I have ever felt," one witness said, adding that it was followed by several aftershocks.

Croatia's Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic issued an appeal on Twitter for people in the streets to keep a social distance from each other as the country struggles to contain the spread of the coronavirus. So far, Croatia has confirmed 206 cases of the virus and one death.

In Zagreb, people fled apartments and took to the streets while parts of the capital experienced electricity cuts. A church bell tower was damaged and some buildings collapsed, Reuters news agency reported.

Ines Ivancic, a seismologist at Croatia's government institute for seismology, said the tremor was strong but the immediate damage could not be assessed. She added that the internet was down in some areas.

The US Geological Survey said the quake measured 5.4, while the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) also reported a 5.3 magnitude, followed by another 5.1 magnitude earthquake.

The earyhquake damaged buildings, burried vehicles in rubble and caused several fires [Filip Horvat/AP Photo]

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

22/3/2020


Strong quake shakes Croatia, damaging buildings in capital

 By DARKO BANDIC, Associated Press 


People walk past a damaged house after an earthquake in Zagreb, Croatia, Sunday, March 22, 2020. A strong earthquake shook Croatia and its capital on Sunday, causing widespread damage and panic.(AP Photo/Filip Horvat)1/14 SLIDES © Provided by Associated Press
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/strong-quake-shakes-croatia-damaging-buildings-in-capital/ar-BB11wAHa#image=BB11wAHa_1|5


ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — A strong earthquake shook Croatia and its capital on Sunday, causing widespread damage and panic. A 15-year-old was reported in critical condition and others were injured, news outlets reported.

The European seismological agency, EMSC, said the earthquake measured 5.3 and struck a wide area north of the capital, Zagreb, at 6:23 a.m. (0523 GMT) Sunday. The epicenter was 7 kilometers (4 miles) north of Zagreb at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). 

Many buildings in Zagreb cracked and walls and rooftops were damaged. Downtown streets were littered with debris. Concrete slabs fell on cars and chimneys landed in front of entrances.

Photographs from the scene show mothers dressed in nightgowns hugging their newborn babies in a parking lot as they evacuated a maternity hospital amid freezing temperatures.

Zagreb's iconic cathedral was also damaged with the top of one of its two spires collapsing. The cathedral was rebuilt after it toppled in the 1880 earthquake.

Power was cut as people ran out of their homes. Several fires were also reported. At least two other tremors were recorded later. Residents shared photos of belongings falling off shelves, broken bottles and glass inside homes. 

Officials first said a 15-year-old was killed, but doctors later said that she is in critical condition and that they are fighting for her life. They gave no immediate details on the extent of other injuries. 

The earthquake struck amid a partial lockdown of the capital because of the spread of the coronavirus. People were told to avoid public areas, such as parks and public squares, but had little choice as they fled their residences.


Up to five people are allowed to be together while keeping distance.
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said earthquake was the biggest in Zagreb in the last 140 years.

He urged the citizens to remain calm and stay outside their homes in the central parts of Zagreb, which sustained the most damage.

“We have two parallel crisis that contradict each other,” Plenkovic said after an emergency meeting of Croatia's top officials.

Croatia's army and all emergency services will start clearing the streets as soon as possible, while assessment will start of the damage at the same time.

"We will try to clear the streets as soon as possible," he said. “Stay outside your homes and keep distance.”

Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said the situation was complicated by the restrictive virus-related measures in place.

"There are rules for when there is an earthquake, but when there is an earthquake at the same time when there is a global pandemic, then it's a much more complex situation." Bozinovic told the state HINA news agency.
__


Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec contributed to this report

.

POLLUTION SILVER LINING
Venice's canals are clear, and it could be because everyone is isolating themselves to avoid spreading the coronavirus

Kelly McLaughlin 19/3/2020




10 SLIDES © REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri

Venice is a tourist hotspot in Italy, and the canals are usually filled with boat traffic.

• Italy has been on lockdown in an attempt to prevent the further spread of coronavirus, which has infected more than 35,000 people nationwide.
• As people stay home, Venice's canals are finally clear.
• The canals' bottoms can be seen clearly, and photos from Venice and nearby Burano show fish and seaweed in the canals.
• The office of Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro told CNN that the waters were clearer because less boat traffic means the sediment stays at the bottom of the canals.
• He said the country's water pollution has not decreased, but air quality has improved since the city went on lockdown earlier in March.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Venice's canals have turned clear, thanks to the stoppage of motorboat traffic while the country is on lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Italy is currently on lockdown as residents try to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 35,000 people in the country and caused more than 2,500 deaths. The country is one of the hardest-hit in the world. On Wednesday, it reported 475 new deaths, the most of any nation yet.

And while the city is generally bustling with tourists riding gondolas and going from island to island on water taxis and motorboats, Venice, much like the rest of Italy, is now quiet.

Photos taken across Venice show seaweed on the canals' bottoms, while photos of the nearby island of Burano show fish and swans in the water.

The office of Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said marine life has long lived in the canals, though less boat traffic means it's more visible.

"The water now looks clearer because there is less traffic on the canals, allowing the sediment to stay at the bottom," a spokesman told CNN. "It's because there is less boat traffic that usually brings sediment to the top of the water's surface."

Here's a look at what the canals look like now that Italy is on lockdown

Coronavirus: Why are wet markets still open in China amid coronavirus crisis?

WET MARKETS in China are still operating despite being blamed for the outbreak of coronavirus. 

Why are they still open?

Experts warn wet markets, where animals are butchered in front of shoppers, are a “ticking time bomb” and could lead to another outbreak of a disease similar to coronavirus. The disease is thought to have first leaped to humans from a wet market in Wuhan, China, which sold animals like bats, chickens and reptiles. Another coronavirus named SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which broke out in 2002/2003 and led to the deaths of hundreds, was also believed to have originated in a wet market.

China has now banned the sale of wildlife for consumption under President Xi Jinping in a bid to protect “public health and ecological security”.

A number of countries in Asia, including Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, have a culture whereby it’s considered normal to sell exotic animals for human consumption at wet markets.

According to The Mirror and local sources, Tomohon market in Indonesia is still operating “business as usual”, despite the local mayor calling for a ban on wild meat.

Meanwhile, in Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand, a range of wild animals including African wild cats, tortoises and snakes all continue to be sold despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Monkeys, dogs, cats and bats are sold at the “Extreme markets” - nicknamed for their cruelty.
Traders often use a single knife to slaughter all the animals, regardless of contamination from blood or faeces, before selling on body parts in other countries.

In the town of Mong-La, Burma, near the Chinese border, drugs, wildlife and women are notoriously trafficked.

The town's markets sell a selection of body parts ranging from endangered species, including tiger skins, bear paws and pangolin scales – which are considered an invaluable item in Chinese medicine.

Professor Andrew Cunningham from the Zoological Society of London has called for an international ban on wet markets and insists species which don’t usually mix in the world are much more prone to catching viruses from one another.

Both COVID-19 and SARS are understood to have originated in a bat.

Market

China has shut down around 20,000 of their own wet markets (Image: Getty)
Steve Gagster, of Bangkok-based anti-trafficking group Freeland, said: “Wuhan is a major wake-up call - mother nature’s revenge.

“The way to prevent further outbreaks is to stop the trade. China has put in place a ban, but this needs to be permanent as it is the biggest importer of wildlife in the world.

“Most wildlife is trafficked by gangsters. This is not a regulated trade so no wonder there are infections and the viruses spreading.

“HIV, SARS and bird flue all came from animals and now this one too. These markets are ticking time bombs."

The Vietnamese Government has ordered its officials to draft a legal ban on wildlife markets following pressure from the rest of the world.

An estimated 20,000 markets in China are believed to have been closed down.

Jerry Flocked from the Humane Society International said that “it would be a grave mistake to think that the threat is isolated to China.”

He added: “Wildlife markets across the globe, but particularly in Asia and Africa, could easily be the start of disease outbreaks in the future.”

---30---

Wednesdays Magnitude 5.7 earthquake in Utah, state's strongest since 1992

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake rocked parts of Utah, the state's strongest since 1992, ABC News reported.


Wednesday, March 18, 2020 9:16 AM

A 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Salt Lake City and its suburbs early Wednesday, sending spooked residents fleeing their homes, knocking out power for tens of thousands and closing the city's airport.

The epicenter was just southwest of Salt Lake City and about 2.8 million in the state probably felt the quake, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

There were no initial reports of major damage to buildings or injuries, said Utah Emergency Management spokesman Joe Dougherty

I know the last thing we need right now is an earthquake, but here we are, and it sounds like aftershocks are likely. The City is assessing the situation now and I’ll circle back with an update when I have it. Be safe. #utpol #slc— SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) March 18, 2020

Operations at Salt Lake City International Airport came to a halt and the control tower and concourses were evacuated, the airport tweeted. The quake also shut down the light rail service for Salt Lake City and its suburbs.

Residents reported feeling shaking across a 100-mile (160 kilometer) area, with the heaviest impact in Salt Lake County, officials said.

Some residents ran from their homes and into the streets as they felt the earthquake shake buildings for 10 to 15 seconds.

The quake knocked pictures from walls and dishes from shelves, and people reported feeling it in the neighboring states of Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada. Gov. Gary Herbert warned people to stay away from downtown Salt Lake City while officials assess damage.

About 55,000 people lost electricity in the Salt Lake City area, said utility Rocky Mountain Power.

The road to the Salt Lake International Airport was closed and officials asked people not to head to the airport.

#FAA statement below regarding the evacuation of the air traffic control tower at @SLCairport following an earthquake this morning. pic.twitter.com/GYgdhSHHBL— The FAA (@FAANews) March 18, 2020

It was the largest earthquake to hit Utah since a 5.9 magnitude quake shook southern Utah in 1992, according to Utah Emergency Management.

Most shaking was reported in the Salt Lake County area, near the epicenter in the Salt Lake City suburb of Magna but the quake was felt 80 miles away (130 kilometers) in the Utah city of Logan.

After the initial quake struck at 7:09 am, the geological survey recorded four smaller quakes over the next 23 minutes, ranging in magnitude from 3.7 to 3.9.

It is very likely that you will feel aftershocks today.— Utah Emergency Mgmt (@UtahEmergency) March 18, 2020


A 30-year look at Utah's earthquake history + photos of today's quake

By Josh Furlong, KSL.com | Posted - Mar. 18, 2020


SALT LAKE CITY — Wednesday's 5.7 magnitude earthquake was the largest in Utah in the last 28 years.

Utah has been relatively quiet for significant earthquakes over the last 30 years, though the "big one" has loomed over Utahns' collective heads for as long as anyone can remember. Wednesday's earthquake was not the "big one," according to the University of Utah.

To put things in context it's important to look at the state's history. Earthquakes of large magnitudes in the state are rare; in fact, only two quakes over a 5.0 have shaken the state in the last 30 years — a 5.9 earthquake in the St. George area in 1992 and Wednesdays 5.7 earthquake near Magna.

Interact with the map below to see the various earthquakes in the last 30 years (none lower than a 2.5 magnitude). If you can't see the map below, click here. All data collected comes from the United States Geological Survey, which tracks earthquakes around the country.

Also, check out the gallery below of all the photos related to Wednesday's earthquake.
PHOTOS 56


THE EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED IN THE MINING AREA OF MAGNA

Update on Rio Tinto Kennecott after SLC earthquake

Business Wire•March 18, 2020




Rio Tinto’s Kennecott mine near Salt Lake City (SLC), Utah, was today impacted as a result of a 5.7-magnitude earthquake close to the town of Magna. All employees have been safely accounted for and evacuated from the potential risk areas. At this stage we have identified limited damage to the operation or risk to the surrounding community. A detailed inspection of the complex is currently being conducted, in conjunction with the local emergency services and Utah Department of Transportation.

As a precaution, all operations have been temporarily halted and, in line with standard procedures pre-agreed with the Utah Department of Transportation, State Road 201 has been temporarily closed while the inactive South (Magna) tailings storage facility is inspected. This is an inactive historic tailings storage facility that is stable and being actively monitored and managed, under a plan reviewed and endorsed by a panel of independent geotechnical experts and Utah’s dam regulatory authorities.

Rio Tinto Copper & Diamonds chief executive Arnaud Soirat said "The safety of our employees and wider community is our first priority and having ensured that all our employees are safe and the operations are shut, we are now working with the local emergency services and regulators to ensure the asset is safe before resuming any operations."

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200318005741/en/

90 aftershocks reported as of 4:30 p.m., experts report

Of the 90 aftershocks on Wednesday, 43 were 2.5 or greater with the largest was being 4.6, Utah Geological Survey reported.

Photos of the damage can be found here.

This 3-D representation shows earthquake locations of the 03/18/20, Magna sequence. The largest circle is the magnitude 5.7 main shock, at a depth of about 7.5 miles (12 km), and the other circles are aftershocks that had occurred through 1:30 pm MDT.https://t.co/5YuwS7G8Rmpic.twitter.com/uPDuoiRX3l

— Utah Geological (@utahgeological) March 18, 2020

UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported
Sam Gross, Reno Gazette Journal 
Update, 7:46 p.m. 3/21/2020

Sheriff Ken Furlong said the only damage from a magnitude 4.5 earthquake on the outskirts of Carson City Friday evening appears to be minor. 
Some damage to items on shelves inside stores has been reported and gas to one building was shut off as a precaution.

Update, 7:40 p.m. 

The 4.5 magnitude quake that struck near Carson City on Friday has been pinpointed to near the Indian Hills, a rocky outcrop on the southern edge of Nevada's Capitol, according Ken Smith, seismic network manager for the University of Nevada, Reno's Nevada Seismological Lab. 

It's a frequent place for earthquakes to strike. 

"As a matter of fact, we've been having earthquakes in this location on and off for several years," Smith said. "It appears this may be part of that." 

Aftershocks have continued to rattle off following the 4.5 Friday evening temblor. So far, Smith has counted 10-15 aftershocks, and that figure will likely grow. 

None of those aftershocks have risen above a magnitude 2.5 so far, low enough energy that it would be difficult to feel. 

Right now, Smith is working to determine exactly which fault the temblor occurred on. The Carson City area — and really the entire eastern edge of the Sierra — is a patchwork of faults. 

It's not yet clear if Friday's earthquake is related to the nearby Genoa Fault, with runs along the eastern foot of the mountains that separate Carson City and Lake Tahoe.

That fault is one of the largest in the region. The last time it ruptured was about 600 years ago, Smith said — a relatively short time ago.

"We don't want an earthquake along a major fault here," he said.

Nevada averages about one 5.0 magnitude earthquake a year. The state is considered the third-most seismically active state in the nation.
Scientists record about 12,000 to 15,000 earthquakes a year here, a smaller number than what actually occur, Smith said. 

"There's always the possibility of having another event follow something like this, the background probabilities are very low," Smith said. "But there's a slight increase in probability (of a larger earthquake), just based off statistics." 

Friday's 4.5 magnitude quake that hit Nevada's capital is notably smaller than the one that hit Utah's capital, Salt Lake City, on Wednesday. 

Utah's quake was a 5.7, over a full magnitude stronger than the one in Carson City today. 

Update, 7:16 p.m.

The USGS has updated the magnitude of the earthquake to 4.5. So far, just shy of 2,200 people have reported feeling it. 

Original story 

The United States Geological Survey is reporting a 4.5 magnitude earthquake in Indian Hills, a few miles away from Carson City. So far, nearly 2,200 people have reported feeling the quake

Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, said his team is working to verify the quake and more precisely pinpoint the depth and location. 

Kent said people in the area need to be prepared for potential aftershocks. 

There's also the possibility this could have been a foreshock, he added, but the odds are low. Worldwide, quakes of this magnitude are foreshocks to larger temblors about 5 percent of the time. 

Here, in our seismic zone — known as the Walker Lane — there's evidence that the percentage is slightly higher. 

"The likelihood is still low, but relative to just a normal day, it's much (more likely) to have a large earthquake now," Kent said, adding that the odds of a larger quake happening will stay elevated for several weeks. 

Several other famous earthquakes in the region have come in pairs. This includes the recent strong earthquake in Ridgecrest, California last year. 

In that instance, the primary 7.1 magnitude earthquake was proceeded by a 6.4 magnitude foreshock. 

The earthquake was originally reported to be a 5.0 but was downgraded shortly thereafter to 4.5

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported


QUAKEBOT REPORT

Magnitude 3.2 earthquake hits Carson City, Nev.

The location and shaking intensity of a magnitude 3.2 earthquake Saturday evening in Carson City, Nev.

(Los Angeles Times)

By QUAKEBOT

MARCH 21, 2020

9:14 PM

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake was reported Saturday at 7:53 p.m. Pacific time in Carson City, Nev., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The earthquake occurred 12 miles from Gardnerville Ranchos, Nev., 15 miles from South Lake Tahoe, Calif., 18 miles from Reno, Nev., and 24 miles from Truckee, Calif.

In the last 10 days, there has been one earthquake of magnitude 3.0 or greater centered nearby.

An average of 234 earthquakes with magnitudes 3.0 to 4.0 occur per year in California and Nevada, according to a recent three-year data sample.

The earthquake occurred at a depth of 5.03 miles. Did you feel this earthquake? Consider reporting what you felt to the USGS.

Even if you didn’t feel this small earthquake, you never know when the Big One is going to strike. Ready yourself by following our five-step earthquake preparedness guide and building your own emergency kit.

This story was automatically generated by Quakebot, a computer application that monitors the latest earthquakes detected by the USGS. A Times editor reviewed the post before it was published. If you’re interested in learning more about the system, visit our list of frequently asked questions.

 CARSON CITY, Nev. (CBS Sacramento) — A 4.5 magnitude earthquake was reported in Indian Hills, just southeast of Carson City, Nevada at 6:33 p.m. Friday.

The quake had a depth of slightly more than 5 miles and residents in Sacramento and Stockton reported feeling it.

Minor damage was reported, according to the Carson City sheriff, who spoke to the Reno Gazette-Journal Friday night. Gas to one building was shut off as a precaution, according to the paper.

Did anyone else feel that earthquake? USGS reports a moderate 5.0 earthquake located 3.1 miles east of Indian Hills, Nevada. We felt it at the office for a second. Here is a link to the USGS site. https://t.co/Z3M9OV9H0r #CAwx

— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) March 21, 2020

Ken Smith, a manager at the Nevada Seismology Lab, said the region was known to be active and has been struck by several quake swarms.

“The earthquake is in an area that has experienced earthquake swarm behavior, on-and-off, for several years,” he said. “There have been about two dozen ongoing small aftershocks.”

UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported

Sam Gross, Reno Gazette Journal
Update, 7:46 p.m. 21/3/2020

Sheriff Ken Furlong said the only damage from a magnitude 4.5 earthquake on the outskirts of Carson City Friday evening appears to be minor.

Some damage to items on shelves inside stores has been reported and gas to one building was shut off as a precaution.

The 4.5 magnitude quake that struck near Carson City on Friday has been pinpointed to near the Indian Hills, a rocky outcrop on the southern edge of Nevada's Capitol, according Ken Smith, seismic network manager for the University of Nevada, Reno's Nevada Seismological Lab.

It's a frequent place for earthquakes to strike.

"As a matter of fact, we've been having earthquakes in this location on and off for several years," Smith said. "It appears this may be part of that."

Aftershocks have continued to rattle off following the 4.5 Friday evening temblor. So far, Smith has counted 10-15 aftershocks, and that figure will likely grow.

None of those aftershocks have risen above a magnitude 2.5 so far, low enough energy that it would be difficult to feel.

Right now, Smith is working to determine exactly which fault the temblor occurred on. The Carson City area — and really the entire eastern edge of the Sierra — is a patchwork of faults.

It's not yet clear if Friday's earthquake is related to the nearby Genoa Fault, with runs along the eastern foot of the mountains that separate Carson City and Lake Tahoe.

That fault is one of the largest in the region. The last time it ruptured was about 600 years ago, Smith said — a relatively short time ago.

"We don't want an earthquake along a major fault here," he said.

Nevada averages about one 5.0 magnitude earthquake a year. The state is considered the third-most seismically active state in the nation.

Scientists record about 12,000 to 15,000 earthquakes a year here, a smaller number than what actually occur, Smith said.

"There's always the possibility of having another event follow something like this, the background probabilities are very low," Smith said. "But there's a slight increase in probability (of a larger earthquake), just based off statistics."

Friday's 4.5 magnitude quake that hit Nevada's capital is notably smaller than the one that hit Utah's capital, Salt Lake City, on Wednesday.

Utah's quake was a 5.7, over a full magnitude stronger than the one in Carson City today.

Update, 7:16 p.m.

The USGS has updated the magnitude of the earthquake to 4.5. So far, just shy of 2,200 people have reported feeling it.

Original story

The United States Geological Survey is reporting a 4.5 magnitude earthquake in Indian Hills, a few miles away from Carson City. So far, nearly 2,200 people have reported feeling the quake

Graham Kent, director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada, said his team is working to verify the quake and more precisely pinpoint the depth and location.

Kent said people in the area need to be prepared for potential aftershocks.

There's also the possibility this could have been a foreshock, he added, but the odds are low. Worldwide, quakes of this magnitude are foreshocks to larger temblors about 5 percent of the time.

Here, in our seismic zone — known as the Walker Lane — there's evidence that the percentage is slightly higher.

"The likelihood is still low, but relative to just a normal day, it's much (more likely) to have a large earthquake now," Kent said, adding that the odds of a larger quake happening will stay elevated for several weeks.

Several other famous earthquakes in the region have come in pairs. This includes the recent strong earthquake in Ridgecrest, California last year.

In that instance, the primary 7.1 magnitude earthquake was proceeded by a 6.4 magnitude foreshock.

The earthquake was originally reported to be a 5.0 but was downgraded shortly thereafter to 4.5

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: UPDATE: USGS says earthquake near Carson was a 4.5; sheriff says only minor damage reported

Wild video: Tornado with 135 mph winds strikes Abilene prisons

An Olympic Showdown: The Rising Clamor to Postpone the Tokyo Summer Games
Andrew Keh, Matt Futterman, Tariq Panja and Motoko Rich
3/21/2020

On July 24, as far as the organizers of the Olympics are still concerned, thousands of athletes will march as scheduled into the national stadium in Tokyo for the opening ceremony of the biggest sporting event on the planet. The Summer Olympics.

© Jae C. Hong/Associated Press Tokyo has been preparing for the Summer Olympics since winning the bid in 2013.

Is this a vision of reality or just a mirage?

While the international sports calendar has been wiped almost clean by the spread of the coronavirus, the organizers of the 2020 Olympics — seemingly unwilling to meddle just yet with years of planning and billions of dollars in television rights and other anticipated revenue — insist the Games can go on.

Yet now, in a showdown over public safety, the organizers are facing a remarkable groundswell of criticism and pushback from their own athletes, fans and national Olympic officials, who are increasingly and unusually vocal in calling for a postponement

One of the biggest cracks in the usual solidarity behind the Games came Friday when U.S.A. Swimming, which governs the sport in the United States and regularly produces stars at the Games like Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel, called for a postponement because of the growing obstacles to training amid practical restrictions imposed by the virus. The following day, U.S.A. Track & Field, which along with swimming has produced the most medals for the United States, also requested a delay.

© Aris Messinis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The traditional torch-lighting ceremony went off as planned on March 12 in Olympia, Greece.

Norway’s national Olympic committee, in a statement on Friday, became the first to clearly state a preference for the Olympics to be delayed until the global pandemic can be brought under control. The Brazilian Olympic committee on Saturday also endorsed postponing the Games until 2021.

There were signs of pressure within Japan, with a member of its Olympic committee coming out in favor of postponing the Games.

“Opening the Olympics at a time when athletes could not train as much as they wanted to runs counter to the motto of ‘athletes first,’” Kaori Yamaguchi, a member of the Japanese Olympic committee board who won a bronze medal in judo in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun. “The Games should be postponed.”

Hayley Wickenheiser, a six-time Canadian Olympian and a member of the I.O.C. Athletes’ Commission, has denounced the plan to go forward. “I think the IOC insisting this will move ahead with such conviction is insensitive and irresponsible given the state of humanity,” she wrote Tuesday on Twitter.

Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, said in an interview Thursday that the Games would not be canceled. And while he left open the possibility of postponing them, he said a decision did not have to be made soon.

© Jean-Christophe Bott/EPA, via Shutterstock Thomas Bach, the president of the I.O.C., has told athletes to proceed “full steam ahead” with their training.

“Nobody today can tell you what the developments are tomorrow, what they are in one month, not to mention in more than four months,” Bach said, justifying the wait-and-see approach.

But in reality the organizers may not have that much time, and in many ways, outside forces could be making the decision for Bach.

Japan has travel bans and strict quarantining measures imposed on visitors from scores of countries, and a recent national poll showed that a large majority of people there did not believe the Games could proceed as planned.

Broadcasters and marketers are fretting about a sports calendar already upended by cancellations and postponements involving nearly every other league and major event in the world — which, among other challenges, would make it difficult for marquee athletes like N.B.A. superstars to come to Tokyo. Even NBC, the American broadcaster that has great sway with the organizers, has prepared for the possibility that the Games will be shifted to next year or farther down the road.  

© Carl Court/Getty Images Olympic banners already hang on Tokyo streets.

And then there is the negotiating partner that cannot be reasoned with: the Covid-19 virus itself, which has torn an uncontrollable, unpredictable path across the global map, yielding a cascade of consequences that have altered the fabric of daily life.

© Wang Zhao/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Brian Roberts, the chief executive of Comcast, which owns NBC, said the network had insurance to protect it from losses in the event of a postponement.

The modern Olympics are a multibillion-dollar, made-for-television extravaganza that serve as an investment vehicle for scores of sponsors and media partners and as a source of entertainment for millions of fans.

© Agence France-Presse, via Jiji Press/Afp Via Getty Images Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan recently seemed to signal an understanding that the Tokyo Games may have to be delayed.

But the heart of the Games remains the athletes, and so it was no surprise that the calls for postponement only seemed to gain traction in recent days, as their cries and concerns grew louder and more explicit.

The outcry arrived almost simultaneously with a rash of restrictions on movement and public gatherings and a sharp rise this week in coronavirus cases in Europe and North America — all of it clashing with Mr. Bach’s advice that athletes should train “full steam ahead,” as if the Games would still occur in late July and early August.

© Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters In a recent poll by a Japanese news service, about 70 percent of respondents said they did not expect the Tokyo Games to go on as planned.

Many found the I.O.C.’s stance tone deaf. Not only have athletes in affected countries struggled to maintain their elite-level training routines, but stubbornly trying to do so might exacerbate the spread of the virus.

“I recognize they’re treading a light line: They’re conscious of the brands, they’re conscious of the impact on the Japanese economy, and they’re in a precarious position,” Iñaki Gómez, a member of the Canadian Olympic Athletes’ Commission, said of the I.O.C. “But for me, I think that all has to go out the window. We’re trying to contain something that’s unprecedented in the last 100 years.”

Some American gymnasts, who tend to be a centerpiece of the Games, are also openly calling for a postponement.

“For all of those athletes in the U.S., but also globally, like in Italy and in China, who are on complete lockdowns, I think it would make it a fairer competition in Tokyo if the Olympics were postponed to give everyone the time they need to be ready,” said Laurie Hernandez, a 2016 gold medal winner who has been scrambling to find a place to train since her gym in California closed its doors on Thursday night because of the state’s shelter-in-place order.

The president of U.S.A. Gymnastics, Li Li Leung, said Friday that the organization would survey its athletes before deciding whether to take a position on postponing the Games.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, however, said it would continue to endorse the I.O.C.’s wait-and-see approach. That decision provoked the ire of athletes, and hours later U.S.A. Swimming added its voice to those calling for postponing the Games.

“Pressing forward amidst the global health crisis this summer is not the answer,” Tim Hinchey, the chief executive of U.S.A. Swimming, wrote in a letter to the U.S.O.P.C.

Mr. Bach had acknowledged the day before that in some corners of the I.O.C.’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, alternative plans were being weighed.

Given that canceling the Games entirely was ruled out this week by the I.O.C., many analysts now believe that the most logical decision would be to wait a year, when it is hoped the world will have emerged from the worst of the pandemic.

That could disrupt other big events, including world championships for swimming and for track and field that are scheduled in 2021.

Whatever decision is made, Mr. Bach has repeatedly insisted that it would not be driven by financial interests. Still, I.O.C. executives have been in constant contact with leading sponsors and broadcast executives.

The I.O.C. derives roughly half of its revenues from its media partners, and about 75 percent of those come from NBC, which in 2014 agreed to pay $7.75 billion for all the U.S. media rights to the Olympics through 2032. (That is an average of $1.29 billion for each Games from 2022 to 2032, 17 percent more than the average fee of $1.1 billion the NBC committed for the 2014-2020 Games.)

Brian Roberts, the chief executive of Comcast, which owns NBC, said at a conference in San Francisco this month that the company had insurance to guarantee it would incur “no losses” should the Games be postponed this year.

At this point, in fact, pushing ahead with the Olympics this summer could cause scheduling conflicts for NBC.

The network televises the N.H.L. and England’s Premier League, both of which are on hiatus but intend to finish their seasons. Their rescheduled games may ultimately conflict with the Olympics, which NBC shows on several channels through its parent company, NBCUniversal.

In a statement, NBC promised to “continue to do the best we can to be prepared to stand behind any decision made by the I.O.C., the Japanese government and the world health officials with whom they are working regarding the 2020 Olympics.”

Every media agreement is different, but Neal Pilson, the former president of CBS Sports and a former media consultant to the I.O.C., said many deals are set up so that the broadcaster partners do not have to pay the bulk of the fees for each Olympics until just before the Games actually begin. That means the I.O.C. would have to wait for its money in the event of a postponement.

Pilson said the idea of staging the Olympics with just athletes and no spectators — effectively making it a global television event — would not solve the central problem of how many people are required simply to run the Games. NBC alone is expected to take roughly 2,000 people to Japan. In addition, the Olympics typically require more than 50,000 workers, support staff and volunteers.

“Delaying to October doesn’t really work, because you don’t really know how much better things will be then,” Mr. Pilson said. “That brings you back to the idea that postponing for a year is probably the best solution.”

Michael Lynch, the former director of global sponsorship marketing for Visa who now consults with Olympic sponsors, said the uncertainty surrounding the Games had put companies that spent $100 million or more to partner with the I.O.C. in a bind at a difficult moment for all businesses. All have advertising, promotions, retail engagements, hospitality and other events planned for Tokyo during the Games. All typically spend one to three dollars supporting those efforts for every dollar they devoted to buying Olympic sponsorship rights.

“How do you invite people to the Games at this time?” Mr. Lynch said.

While Mr. Bach said the I.O.C. had no cash-flow issues, there are other entities that rely on payments from the Olympics to finance their operations, including the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The U.S.O.P.C. has a revenue-sharing arrangement with the I.O.C. that gives it about 12 percent of the fees from NBC and roughly 20 percent of the I.O.C.’s sponsorship revenue.

The broadcast payments alone, which totaled $169 million from the Summer Games in 2016 and $121 million from the Winter Games in 2018, account for about half of the U.S.O.P.C.’s revenues. Because the payment is not made until after the Games have occurred, a delay could cause a serious financial shortfall for the organization.

Even if the I.O.C. does decide that the Olympics should be postponed, it must find some harmony with the wants and needs of the host nation.

It was four years ago, at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, that Japan assumed control of the Summer Olympics spotlight. That night, Shinzo Abe, the prime minister of Japan, emerged from a green drainpipe dressed as Super Mario, the popular video game character. For the normally staid politician, the appearance signaled in colorful terms the depth of his commitment to what could be the defining project of his legacy.

Since being awarded the Games in 2013, Japan has invested tens of billions of dollars as the partner of the I.O.C. Navigating the current crisis, then, has become a test of pride for the country’s government and its Olympic committee officials, and in the current predicament over possible postponement, they hold many of the cards.

Until recently, their public statements reflected a show-must-go-on mentality, but within the last two weeks, cracks have started to appear.

On March 10, Haruyuki Takahashi, a member of the local organizing committee, suggested that a delay of one or two years would be the most prudent option if the Olympics could not be held as planned. Though he was forced to apologize, a shift seemed to have begun.

Mr. Abe, in a video conference call Monday with the leaders of the Group of 7 countries, said, “I want to hold the Olympics and Paralympics perfectly, as proof that the human race will conquer the new coronavirus, and I gained support for that from the G-7 leaders.”

The fact the prime minister did not specifically mention holding the Games in 2020 signaled to some that he was starting to accept the idea of a delay.

Speaking in Parliament two days later, Mr. Abe’s deputy, Taro Aso, who is also the finance minister, referred to prior Olympics that were disrupted by world events, including the 1940 Games, which were canceled because of World War II, and the 1980 Moscow Olympics, boycotted by 65 nations including the United States and Japan.

“This time, it doesn’t make sense if others cannot attend from other countries, even if Japan alone will become all right,” Mr. Aso said.

“As the prime minister said, it’s desirable to hold the Olympics in an environment where everyone feels safe and happy,” Mr. Aso added. “But that’s not something Japan alone can decide.”

Close watchers of the government said that a decision most likely had not yet been made, but that Mr. Abe was signaling a willingness to consider options.

His recent comment to the Group of 7 “is a strategic ambiguity,” said Kunihiko Miyake, a former Japanese diplomat now teaching at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. “In these cases, what is not said is the most important.”

Even though the Olympic flame arrived in Japan from Greece on Friday, the Japanese public already seemed farther along in accepting a postponement than the government. In a poll released Monday by Kyodo News, a Japanese news service, close to 70 percent of respondents said they did not expect the Tokyo Games to go on as scheduled.

Amid all this, the hunger for the Olympics remains strong.

Mr. Abe and Mr. Bach have both alluded to the fact that the Games could have the power to bring people together and help the world heal after the horrors of the pandemic.

“Tokyo could end up staging the greatest Olympics ever,” Michael Payne, a longtime former marketing director at the I.O.C., said. “It would be the celebration of the world having come through this very difficult time.”

But the almost impossible task, now, is somehow ensuring that such a celebration would not be premature.

Juliet Macur, Makiko Inoue and Ben Dooley contributed reporting.

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CHINA 

Virus whistleblower doctor punished 'inappropriately': Chinese probe


AFP
3/21/2020

Police in China's virus epicentre Wuhan acted "inappropriately" by punishing a doctor who blew the whistle on the outbreak that has now killed more than 9,000 worldwide, a Chinese government investigation found Thursday.

© Mark RALSTON A memorial for Li Wenliang outside the UCLA campus in California

Li Wenliang, one of a group of doctors in Wuhan who shared posts on social media warning of a SARS-like virus spreading in the city in December, was reprimanded by police for sharing the information and made to sign a statement agreeing not to commit any more "law-breaking actions."

Li's death from the virus in February prompted a national outpouring of grief as well as anger at the government's handling of the crisis, and bold demands for freedom of speech.

The police issued an apology after the result of the investigation was published, drawing a new round of criticism on Twitter-like Weibo, with people saying it was too little, too late.

A central government investigation initiated after Li's death found that Wuhan police "acted inappropriately by issuing a disciplinary letter" and took "irregular law enforcement procedures," state broadcaster CCTV reported Thursday.


The investigators also found that Li's colleagues had repeatedly attempted to resuscitate the 34-year-old before he was declared dead because he was "very young," CCTV said.

State media said Li's colleagues told investigators, "as long as there was a bit of hope we were unwilling to give up, at the time there were no other factors."

The central government investigators "suggest" that Wuhan authorities "supervise and rectify the matter," and urged local police to revoke the disciplinary statement issued to Li, according to CCTV.
Wuhan police later issued a statement saying that the disciplinary statement had been "wrong" and they were revoking it, and that they "apologise to his family for the mistake".

The deputy director of the Zhongnan Road police station was given a "demerit" on his record and the officer on duty was handed an "administrative warning", it added.

- 'This apology is too late' -

It is rare for Chinese authorities to admit such wrongdoing, but Beijing has sought to direct criticism over the mishandling of the virus outbreak onto provincial officials, with several of the region's top Communist Party and health officials sacked.

Tens of thousands commented on the police's Weibo post, with some saying it was not good enough.



"Go and apologise in front of the person's grave," said one user.

Another wrote: "This apology has come too late, Wenliang can't hear it."

Li's death had initially been reported by state media before their reports were quickly deleted. Wuhan Central Hospital only confirmed Li's death hours later, after saying he was undergoing emergency treatment.

Social media users who immediately took to Weibo in droves to mourn Li -- before posts related to his death were scrubbed by censors -- had accused hospital authorities of inappropriately attempting to resuscitate Li after he had already died.

China reported zero domestic COVID-19 infections for the first time on Thursday, even as nations across the world have shut down in a desperate effort to contain the pandemic.

China's central government has sought to distance itself from the origins of the disease, initially by sacking local officials blamed for allowing the virus to spread, and recently by supporting the conspiracy theory that COVID-19 originated in the US.

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