National Tsunami Warning Center, NOAA/NWS

TSUNAMI of 13 September 2002

A strong earthquake with a moment magnitude of 6.5 occurred at 2228 UTC 13 September 2002 and was located in the Andaman Islands, India (13.013S 93.147E).

The earthquake produced a small local tsunami that was observed near Ross and Smith Islands
Following are information releases collected from various sources:

1. From "The Times of India" newspaper about the tsunami:

Quake rocks north Andaman islands, 2 killed
AFP [ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2002 02:18:57 PM ]
CHENNAI: At least two people were killed on Saturday in an earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale near the North Andaman Island, officials said. The tremor also brought down 40 houses on the Andaman Island, Sami Acharya, president of the Society of Andaman and Nicobar Ecology, said. He said tidal waves triggered by the quake also lashed Ross and Smith islands. "But there was no damage to Ross and Smith islands as the two places are mostly uninhabited," he said. Some damage was also reported to a wharf where ships dock and to nearby houses, said Jagdish Narain Rao, a senior government shipping official. An official at the meteorological department in New Delhi said that the tremor occurred at around 3:59 am (2229 GMT Friday) near the North Andaman Island. "The epicentre of the quake lay a little offshore under the seabed," the official said.

2. Received from Lori Dengler, Humboldt State University.

India Earthquake Kills At Least Two
Sat Sep 14, 4:20 PM ET

NEW DELHI, India (AP) - A strong earthquake ( news - web sites) hit India's southeast early Saturday, killing at least two people and damaging some homes on the Andaman islands, officials said. The epicenter of the magnitude-6 tremor was in the sea some 1,500 miles southeast of the Indian capital, said J.L. Gautam, an official at the New Delhi Meteorology Department. The first tremor was at 3:59 a.m. and was followed by several aftershocks. Two people were killed when a wall collapsed in the Andaman Islands, and a jetty at Ariel Bay on Middle Andaman island was damaged, said Jaidev Sarangi, a New Delhi-based liaison officer for the islands. The tremors, that lasted for about two minutes, set off a tidal wave and damaged several shops and houses near the jetty, according to shipping officials in the southern coastal city of Madras. The region, a string of more than 300 forested tropical islands with a population of more than 340,000 people, is highly prone to earthquakes (news - web sites). Strong tremors were also felt in Smith Island, Ross Island, and Kalaghat Baratang, but they were mild in Mayabunder and Port Blair the gateway to the islands.

3. Received from the USGS National Earthquake Information Center

13 sept 2002 Andaman Island Mw6.5 eq.
USGS NEIC QED NUMBER 2-263

222830.9 13.013N 93.147E 33N 6.2 6.8 0.9 180 ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION. MW 6.5 (GS), 6.5 (HRV). ME 6.3 (GS). At least two people killed and 40 houses destroyed on Middle Andaman Island. A number of concrete buildings and police quarters damaged on North Andaman Island. A local tsunami was observed near Ross and Smith Islands. Broadband Source Parameters (GS): Dep 21 km; Fault plane solution: NP1: Strike=345, Dip=65, Slip=90; NP2: Strike=165, Dip=25, Slip=90; Radiated energy 7.4*10**13 Nm. Moment Tensor (GS): Dep 31 km; Principal axes (scale 10**18 Nm): (T) Val=5.96, Plg=58, Azm=181; (N) Val=0.06, Plg=28, Azm=332; (P) Val=-6.02, Plg=13, Azm=69; Best double couple: Mo=6.0*10**18 Nm; NP1: Strike=191, Dip=40, Slip=137; NP2: Strike=317, Dip=64, Slip=58. Centroid, Moment Tensor (HRV): Centroid origin time 22:28:36.6; Lat 13.25 N; Lon 93.19 E; Dep 29.2 km; Half-duration 4.3 sec; Principal axes (scale 10**18 Nm): (T) Val=7.18, Plg=56, Azm=199; (N) Val=-1.10, Plg=31, Azm=352; (P) Val=-6.08, Plg=12, Azm=89; Best double couple: Mo=6.6*10**18 Nm; NP1: Strike=213, Dip=42, Slip=139; NP2: Strike=335, Dip=64, Slip=55.

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