2011 Yunnan earthquake

Last updated
2011 Yunnan earthquake
China Yunnan rel location map.svg
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China edcp relief location map.jpg
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UTC  time2011-03-10 04:58:13
ISC  event 16298683
USGS-ANSS ComCat
Local date10 March 2011 (2011-03-10)
Local time12:58 CST
Magnitude5.4 Mw [1]
Depth10 kilometers (6.2 mi)
Epicenter 24°42′36″N97°59′38″E / 24.710°N 97.994°E / 24.710; 97.994
Yingjiang County, Yunnan, China
Type Strike-slip
Areas affected China
Burma
Max. intensity MMI VII (Very strong)
Casualties26 deaths
313 injured
(133 seriously injured) [2]

The 2011 Yunnan earthquake was a 5.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred on 10 March 2011 at 12:58 CST, with its epicenter in Yingjiang County, Yunnan, People's Republic of China, near the Burmese border. [1] A total of 26 people died and 313 were injured with 133 in serious condition. [2] China's Xinhua reports that up to seven aftershocks, measuring up to a magnitude of 4.7, followed the initial quake, which caused a total of 127,000 people to be evacuated to nearby shelters. [3] It joined over 1,000 other minor tremors that affected the region in the two preceding months. [4] Following damage surveys, officials reported that 1,039 buildings were destroyed and 4,994 more were seriously damaged. [2] The earthquake occurred one day before a much larger earthquake struck Japan that triggered a tsunami.

Contents

Damage and casualties

The epicenter was 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) from the center of the county, which has a population of more than 270,000 people and is home to several of China's ethnic minorities. [5] The state news agency reports that an estimate of 1,200 houses and apartments collapsed and that around 17,500 were severely damaged. [3] The surrounding area also suffered through power outages caused by the quake and several aftershocks. [6] It is not known if there were any casualties or damage in Burma. [6] Although there was a power outage telecommunications continued to work after the earthquake. [7] Close to 127,100 people were evacuated from Yingjiang County following the quake, which affected a total of 344,600 people. [8]

China Central Television showed damaged buildings with debris around as police officers directed traffic on a chaotic street. [9] A local reported the extent of the damage to the BBC, saying, "[half] of a supermarket building had collapsed. Three other big buildings nearby were also badly destroyed", and that "the walls of almost all the houses had collapsed." [6]

Small tremors had been occurring in this region for two months and caused damage to many local buildings. A seismologist explained that the strength of this earthquake was enough to let damaged buildings collapse. [10]

Reaction

The Chinese media reported that 5,000 tents, 10,000 quilts and nearly 1,000 troops were being sent to the area to aid the rescue efforts. [6] [7] The Macao Red Cross also offered 200,000 RMB as a relief fund for the earthquake. [11] Xinhua has described the area as a "Quake Prone belt" as there have been a thousand tremors in the area in recent months. [12] There were multiple aftershocks as rescue efforts got underway by firefighters and other rescuers. [13] The Chinese government allocated 55 million yuan to relief efforts on 11 March while the Ministry of Finance gave 50 million yuan for infrastructure repair. [14] The earthquake forced the delay of a planned 180,000-kW hydroelectricity project in the Nujiang River Valley. [15]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Magnitude 5.4 – MYANMAR-CHINA BORDER REGION". United States Geological Survey. 2011-03-10. Archived from the original on 16 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  2. 1 2 3 Yan (2011-03-22). "Death toll from SW China earthquake rises to 26". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
  3. 1 2 "At least 24 dead, 207 injured in SW China quake". Xinhua News Agency. 2011-03-10. Archived from the original on March 13, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  4. ↑ "Deaths reported in China quake". Al Jazeera. 2011-03-10. Archived from the original on 10 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  5. ↑ Vervaeck, Armand; Daniell, James (2011-03-10). "Deaths and injuries from very dangerous earthquake in Yingjiang, Yunnan, China". Earthquake-Report. Archived from the original on March 14, 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Earthquake hits China south-west near Burma border". BBC. 2011-03-10. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  7. 1 2 "22 killed in China quake". The Times of India. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  8. ↑ Liu, Yinghua (12 March 2011). "127,100 people evacuated after southwest China's earthquake". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on March 15, 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  9. ↑ Jiang, Steven (2011-03-10). "China quake kills at least 16". CNN. Retrieved 2011-03-10.
  10. ↑ "云南盈江发生5.8级地震 25人遇难250人伤--南方报业网". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
  11. ↑ "Macao Red Cross Offers 30,000 USD as Relief Fund for Quake-victims". Xinhua News Agency. 11 March 2011. Archived from the original on March 19, 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  12. ↑ "Deadly Quake Strikes Near China-Burma Border". 10 March 2011. Archived from the original on 26 March 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  13. ↑ "China quake kills at least 16". CNN. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  14. ↑ Qin, Qing (12 March 2011). "China allocates 50 mln yuan for infra structure repair in quake-hit Yunnan". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on March 15, 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  15. ↑ "Earthquake casts doubt over Chinese hydropower project". Sify news. Asian News International. 12 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
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