Jim Berkland's 'window' for a major USA/Mexico Earthquake closed yesterday. But today there was a 5.8 in Mexico. Not what you'd call "major" but the Pacific Ring of Fire may yet have the final say. Fiji, for instance, has experienced 3 more earthquakes recently. The ferocity of Japanese aftershocks is decreasing to mainly 4's and 5's.
Within Berkland's dangerous period there was a major 7.1 earthquake in Burma. Fortunately this appears to have been in a remote area and the final death toll could be in the low hundreds. Many isolated communities have still to be reached. The quake was also felt in Laos and Thailand.
It's astonishing how we trot out the "final death toll" as though it is peanuts. I suppose if it were here we would be more concerned about numbers. I can't think of anything worse than the ground opening up beneath my feet.
ReplyDeleteHe didn't predict any of the three major Pacific Rim quakes, and predicted one for NW America that didn't happen. It is time to conclude he cannot predict earthquakes -- as the other scientists admit they cannot. I don't see any newspapers doing a follow-up interview -- guess it's just not terrifying enough.
ReplyDeletePat, this is true. It's only hundreds, we say, as if that's within some kind of mental boundary. But then figures quickly get meaningless - 200,000 here 300,000 there.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, Many thanks! Next year, 2012, will be a big year for the world's prophets! If we're still around that is.
Looking at the independent 'Earthquake Report' website it appears that the figure is much higher than the authorities in Burma are prepared to admit 200 deaths in one area and 400 in another and so on - so the real figure could easily be in the 1,000's - pictures of the damage show substantial destruction. There have been no official statements from Burma authorities since the 25th March. It is now 2nd April.
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