In Colombia and the world trembles every day. However, most of the tremors that occur daily are of low magnitude, which is why they are usually not noticed by citizens.
Tremors of this May 4
North Ascension Island experienced an earthquake at 00:52 with a magnitude of 5.5 M and of a shallow depth.
An earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean at 00:42 Local Time with a magnitude of 2.7 M and a shallow depth
How to activate the Earthquake Alert System in Colombia from your cell phone?
Because an earthquake can cause serious consequences, some time ago the technology giant, Google, shared with the world a new function that was intended not only to alert about earthquakes, but also to allow citizens to take measures to protect themselves.
There are only three steps to activate the alert:
- First, go to the phone settings.
- Second, click on Security and Emergency and then on Earthquake Alerts. If you cannot find the button, click on Advanced Location and Earthquake Alerts.
- Third, activate the alert.
Remember that users can deactivate this function whenever they want. Furthermore, in order to have it activated it will be necessary for the device to always be connected to the internet or mobile data.
How long do aftershocks last after an earthquake? This is what the experts say
From the Colombian Geological Service they clarified that aftershocks are those earthquakes that occur after a main earthquake, but that are characterized by having magnitudes smaller than that first telluric movement.
Regarding the time that aftershocks can last after an earthquake, the technical director of Geohazards of the Colombian Geological Service, John Makario Londoño, explained that they usually occur with a lower magnitude. “The aftershocks, like the main earthquake, which cannot be predicted, cannot be predicted, that is, we cannot know the moment in which they will occur, nor the magnitude, nor the interval in which they will be occurring” , he indicated
Likewise, the technical director of Geohazards of the Colombian Geological Service commented that aftershocks generally occur for a long period of time. “What is very certain is that these replicas will be reproducing for a long time, sometimes even weeks or months, but most of them will not be perceived by people,” he clarified.
Meanwhile, the geologist and director of the Department of Geosciences at the University of the Andes, Natalia Pardo stated: “It is not possible to ensure how much longer the aftershocks will last. There have been cases of months, others of decades; “They vary a lot.”
On the other hand, Rodrigo León, professor of Geosciences at the University of the Andes, agreed with the SGC that there is a possibility that these phenomena could last for months. “Aftershock sequences, for this type of event, can last a couple of months. With respect to the expected magnitudes within the sequence they can vary greatly.”
“In general, it is expected that the largest aftershock will be one unit smaller than the main earthquake. That is, if we had a 6.1 we could expect one or some aftershocks close to 5. Another point is that the frequency of the aftershocks decreases over time, but the magnitude may not necessarily vary,” added Professor León about the magnitude of the replicas.
On the subject, the Colombian Geological Service also clarified that the value of the duration of the tremors depends on other factors. “There are three factors that influence the duration of the movement: the distance between the epicenter and the place where it is felt, the type of terrain and the type of construction.”
However, the same entity stated that the time an earthquake can last is relative. “The duration is relative because it can refer to the perception of movement, the instrumental record of the earthquake or the movement of the fault that caused it”
