2008 Panzhihua earthquake explained

2008 Panzhihua earthquake
Timestamp:2008-08-30 08:30:54
Isc-Event:13392944
Anss-Url:iscgem13392944
Local-Time:16:30:54 CST
Map:2008 Sichuan-Yunnan earthquake.jpg
Magnitude:6.1 (CEA);6.0 (USGS)[1]
Depth:11.0 km (6.8 mi)
Location:
(Renhe, Panzhihua, Sichuan)
Countries Affected:China
Aftershocks:439
Casualties:41 dead, 589 injured

The 2008 Panzhihua earthquake struck southern Sichuan province, China on August 30 at with a surface wave magnitude of 6.1, or 6.0 . It is also cited as the Renhe-Huili earthquake,[2] especially in SCEA reports and early CEA reports. It was not an aftershock of the Sichuan earthquake that occurred several months prior. With more than 400 aftershocks, it caused over 40 deaths, the collapse of 10,000 homes and damage to other infrastructure in the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan. The maximum liedu was VIII (Heavily damaging).

Earthquake

According to the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) and Sichuan Earthquake Administration (SCEA), the 6.1 shock struck southern Sichuan province, China on August 30, 2008 at 16:30:50.5 China Standard Time (CST - 0730 UTC). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported it at 6.0.

The earthquake's epicenter was located at,[3] in the Renhe District of Panzhihua, Sichuan, which is 50 km southeast of the city center. The epicenter is 60 km from Huili County in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, 30 km from Yongren County and 55 km from Yuanmou County in neighboring Yunnan province.[4]

Whereas the Sichuan earthquake two and half months earlier in the same province continues to invoke aftershocks even after August 30, the Panzhihua earthquake was not one of them because it occurred on a different fault.[5] [6]

Impact

By September 5, authorities confirmed 41 deaths (35 in Sichuan, 6 in Yunnan) and 589 injuries. CEA also reported the collapse of 10,000 homes, and damage had occurred to 190,000 more. Considerable damage to highways, bridges, and reservoirs were reported.

Intensity

The seismic intensity map published by SCEA shows a maximum liedu of VIII on the China Seismic Intensity Scale (CSIS), somewhat equivalent to VIII (Heavily damaging) on EMS-94 from which CSIS drew reference.[7] The area affected by liedu VIII earthquakes covered a north-south oriented oval of 628 km2 centered around the epicenter, 39 km long and 19 km wide, including 28 km2 in Yunnan province. The total area of liedu VI (Slightly damaging) and above is 9,634 km2, of which 6,265 km2 are in Sichuan.

Aftershocks

A 5.6 aftershock (5.5 according to USGS) struck the same location on August 31, 2008 at 16:31:09.6 CST (08:31 UTC),[8] [9] [10] causing at least two additional deaths.

By midnight CST September 1, there had been 439 aftershocks including the M5.6 one and two more exceeding M4.0.

Incidentally, a  3.0 earthquake very close to the main quake's epicenter preceded the main quake by 2 hours 15 minutes.[11]

Response

Although the quake-stricken area is relatively low in population, reported at 118/km2, early casualties and property damage were significant.[12] [13] Within two hours, the CEA invoked its Level III emergency response protocol for disaster relief.[14] 8,000 troops and para-militia were deployed to the disaster area.[15]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: M 6.0 - Sichuan-Yunnan border region, China. earthquake.usgs.gov.
  2. News: Roughly: Sequence of Renhe-Huili earthquakes (仁和-会理地震序列目录) . Sichuan Earthquake Administration (四川防震减灾信息网, SCEA) . September 2, 2008 . September 8, 2008 . Chinese . https://web.archive.org/web/20080908054927/http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/manage/html/ff808181126bebda01126bec4dd00001/_content/08_08/31/1220185201802.html . September 8, 2008 . dead . mdy .
  3. This is given by CEA. USGS reports latitude as 26.0.
  4. News: Roughly: CEA immediately launches emergency response to the M6.1 Panzhihua-Huili earthquake (中国地震局立即开展四川攀枝花市仁和区、凉山彝族自治州会理县交界6.1级地震应急响应) . . August 30, 2008 . September 8, 2008 . Chinese .
  5. News: Roughly: Renhe-Huili M6.1 earthquake not directly related to Great Wenchuan earthquake (仁和-会理6.1级地震与汶川大地震无直接关系) . Sichuan Earthquake Administration (四川防震减灾信息网, SCEA) . September 1, 2008 . September 8, 2008 . Chinese . https://web.archive.org/web/20080905123630/http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/manage/html/ff808181126bebda01126bec4dd00001/_content/08_09/01/1220256176221.html . September 5, 2008 . dead . mdy .
  6. Web site: Roughly: Part III of emergency response to the M6.1 earthquake at the border of Renhe-Huili, Sichuan: Seismic tectonic background (四川攀枝花市仁和区-凉山州会理县交界6.1级地震现场应急工作系列报道之三地震构造背景) . . September 2, 2008 . September 7, 2008 . Chinese . https://web.archive.org/web/20080909010621/http://www.cea.gov.cn/manage/html/8a8587881632fa5c0116674a018300cf/_content/08_09/02/1220328119176.html. September 9, 2008 . live.
  7. Web site: Roughly: Seismic Intensity Map for the M6.1 earthquake near the border of Renhe, Panzhihua and Huili, Liangshan (四川省攀枝花市仁和区、凉山彝族自治州会理县交界 6.1级地震烈度分布图) . September 18, 2008 . September 20, 2008 . Chinese . https://web.archive.org/web/20080921084247/http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/manage/html/ff808181126bebda01126bec4dd00001/_content/08_09/18/1221726644195.html . September 21, 2008 . dead . mdy .
  8. News: Roughly: A M5.6 earthquake struck the border of Panzhihua and Huili, Sichuan on 31st at 16:31 (31日16时31分四川攀枝花市仁和区、凉山彝族自治州会理县交界发生5.6级地震) . . August 31, 2008 . September 7, 2008 . Chinese .
  9. News: Roughly: A M5.6 earthquake struck the border of Renhe-Huili (仁和-会理交界发生5.6级地震) . Sichuan Earthquake Administration (四川防震减灾信息网, SCEA) . August 31, 2008 . September 7, 2008 . Chinese . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090328114313/http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/manage/dailyReport.jsp?id=8c039fff-733c-462c-9503-d38b85cc5cc5 . March 28, 2009 .
  10. Web site: Magnitude 5.6 - SICHUAN-YUNNAN BORDER REGION, CHINA . USGS . August 30, 2008 . September 1, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080902210358/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2008wjar.php . September 2, 2008 . dead .
  11. News: Roughly: A M3.0 earthquake struck the border of Renhe-Huili (仁和-会理交界发生3.0级地震) . Sichuan Earthquake Administration (四川防震减灾信息网, SCEA) . August 30, 2008 . September 7, 2008 . Chinese . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090328114317/http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/manage/dailyReport.jsp?id=a63b3caf-0181-4a77-9335-44bd31021e69 . March 28, 2009 . Reported epicenter was Lat.26.3, Long.101.9.
  12. News: Roughly: CEA quickly launches seismic monitoring and emergency response to the M6.1 Panzhihua earthquake (中国地震局迅速部署四川攀枝花市6.1级地震震情监视跟踪和应急处置工作) . . August 30, 2008 . September 8, 2008 . Chinese .
  13. News: China earthquake death toll rises. . September 1, 2008 . September 1, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080901063546/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7591152.stm. September 1, 2008 . live.
  14. News: Roughly: CEA decides to launch Level III emergency response procedure (中国地震局启动地震应急预案III级应急响应决定) . . August 30, 2008 . September 7, 2008 . Chinese . https://web.archive.org/web/20080909063610/http://www.cea.gov.cn/manage/html/8a8587881632fa5c0116674a018300cf/_content/08_08/30/1220100616200.html. September 9, 2008 . live.
  15. Web site: China rushes troops to quake zone as toll rises. Yahoo! News. September 1, 2008. September 1, 2008.

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