National Geographic News, Reporting Your World Daily

Monday, November 23, 2009

Photo: Solomons Quake 1st Seen to Jump Tectonic Barrier


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A villager stands on a piece of coral reef on April 7, 2007, after a major earthquake on April 2 elevated reefs by as much as ten feet (three meters) in the Solomon Islands.

The massive quake, which triggered a deadly tsunami, has been confirmed as the first seen to cross what should have been a geologic barrier, raising concerns about the vulnerability of similar regions around the world.

Photograph by William West/AFP/Getty Images