Did the earth move for you? – 3.5 tremor near HK

An earthquake was recorded by the Hong Kong Observatory
at 7:53 p.m. today (Thursday, 14 September 2006).

The epicentre was initially determined to be in the sea area around
Dangan Island (22.0N, 114.3E), about 36 kilometres south-southeast of
Hong Kong.

The magnitude was estimated to be 3.5 on the Richter Scale.

Since 1874, a total of 6 tremors of Intensity V (5) or above have been felt in Hong Kong. The strongest of these occurred in 1918 arising from a Magnitude 7.3 earthquake at Shantou about 300 kilometres east-northeast of Hong Kong. The tremor caused only minor damages and cracks to buildings locally and its intensity was estimated to be VI to VII (6 to 7) on the Modified Mercalli Scale.

From 1979 to present, a total of 51 locally felt tremors were reported, averaging two a year. Most of these tremors were of Intensity III to IV (3 to 4). There were five with Intensity II (2) and only one with a stronger Intensity V to VI (5 to 6).

The epicentres that caused most locally felt tremors lie outside Hong Kong, at Heyuan and Yangjiang in Guangdong, Beibu Wan, Taiwan and the Philippines.

Since 1979, there were altogether six locally felt tremors with epicentres located in Hong Kong, at Maipo (once in 1983) and near the east coast of Lantau Island (twice in 1982 and three times in 1995 respectively). All these tremors were below Intensities V (5).