The magnitude of the earthquake off the north Mayo coast was far below the threshold for generation of a seismogenic tsunami or indeed to cause significant structural damage, Mayo Fine Gael TD, Michelle Mulherin has been told by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
Minister Pat Rabitte was responding to a Dail Question from Deputy Mulherin, on the day of the event, asking the Minister what assessment had been made of the cause of the earthquake and the likelihood of a reoccurrence in the future.
Minister Rabitte replied: “Ireland is situated on a tectonically benign part of the world, unlike for example Japan, California, New Zealand or parts of the Mediterranean and is therefore not at risk from high magnitude earthquakes.
“The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that occurred 60km off the north Mayo coast at 08:58 local time on June 6 was located on a geological fault system that drops the Slyne-Rockall basins down to the west off the Irish shelf. These naturally occurring faults, formed millions of years ago, have had a long geological history and are related to the continuing opening of the Atlantic Ocean.”
Deputy Mulherin commented: “I welcome reassurance from the Minister that the earthquake is the result of a natural fault line below the seabed and not as a result of any activities of man and that based on information available to him we have nothing more serious to fear in our area considering the devastation which has been caused by earthquakes and tsunamis in other parts of the planet.”
