Monday, October 22, 2012

Groundwater Removal Triggered Spain Earthquake

Massive extraction of groundwater helped unleash an earthquake that hit Lorca, Spain, in 2011, geologists said on Sunday.
A computer model put together by the team suggests what happens: lowering of the water table caused part of the crust, located next to the Alhama de Murcia fault, to break. This led to an "elastic rebound" of the crust that in turn cranked up horizontal pressure on the fault, bringing it that much closer to rupture. 
Deccan Herald: Water extraction triggers quake

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