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For what it's worth, the article actually says the magnitude was 8.7 (at a depth of 33 kilometers), not 8.9 as in the title here—not that it matters much.

I hope it doesn't cause as much damage as the one in 2004!




The one in 2004 was 9.1. Quite a difference considering that scale is logarithmic. Since then lots of infrastructure and processes are created to evacuate people and issue tsunami warnings. So people are at least better prepared.


A 8.7 quake can still cause a devastating tsunami. In addition to the strength of the shocks, the directionality of the energy release (horizontal or vertical) is crucial.


You can't say it doesn't matter much as the difference is exponential


When I submitted it, the news was 8.9. Then they downgraded it, fortunately... The article is still a bit bare, but it's being updated.




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