As a volcanologist based in the UK, I am in the privileged position of rarely being affected by the natural events that I study. And, although I have worked for extended periods of time in earthquake-prone regions, I have never experienced anything more than the gentle nudge of a small tremor. Thirty years ago, shortly after 7 am local time on 19 September 1985, Mexico City was struck by a large e ...[Read More]
Maria Graham, and a large earthquake in Chile, 1822
View of Quintero Bay, Chile
As news comes in of another very large earthquake in Chile – the third magnitude 8 earthquake along Chile’s Pacific margin in the past six years – this is a stark reminder of the destructive potential of these extreme natural events. These days we are used to the rapid, or near-real-time diffusion of news as these events unfold – in this case, as the tsunami ran along the C ...[Read More]