Xinjiang Desert Earthquake

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Strong earthquake in the Xinjiang desert, China

Last update: March 9, 2012 at 12:31 am by By 

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 5.8
UTC Time : Thursday, March 08, 2012 at 22:50:08 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Friday, March 09, 2012 at 06:50:08 AM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 35.5 km
Geo-location(s) :
approx. 120 km from Aral (closest bigger city)
214 km (132 miles) SSE of Aksu, Xinjiang, China
282 km (175 miles) NNE of Hotan, Xinjiang, China   

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China Xinjiang earthquake March 9, 2012

Update 23:54 UTC :
– Xinjiang is the Chinese province which is also called the “Uyghur Autonomous Region“. Xinjiang is often hit bu strong, very strong to even massive earthquakes.
– Aral, the closest city to the epicenter (approx. 120 km) has a population of 200,000.

Update 23:54 UTC :
– Chinese authorities are very skilled in managing earthquake response and special teams will be dispatched to the greater epicenter area. Every crack in a house is recorded and logged, which makes the Chinese statistics among the most detailed in the world.

Update 23:47 UTC :
– The greater epicenter area is Taklamakan Desert (see image below).  Peak ground acceleration is the direct epicenter area is limited.

Update 23:34 UTC :
– The Chinese Seismological Agency (to be trusted) reports a Magnitude of 6.0 at a depth of 30 km, a little stronger than USGS.

Update 23:30 UTC :
– WAPMERR, the theoretical damage engine has calculated that this earthquake will normally not make victims. The max. injured is 0 to 10.

Update 23:28 UTC :
– USGS has calculated (theoretical engines) that 4,000 people will experience a strong shaking, 3,000 a moderate shaking and 508,000 people a light shaking.
– Chinese  houses are mostly build in brick and adobe and are very vulnerable for earthquake damage.

Update 23:22 UTC :
-Luckily the epicenter of this earthquake is located in an unpopulated area. GDACS gas calculated that only 3,523 people are living within a radius of 50 km. 7,224 people in a radius of 100 km and 581,583 people within a radius of 200 km.
– Earthquake-Report.com estimates that only the people living within a radius of 50 km have a potential danger of damage.

Update 23:18 UTC :
– Earthquakes with this magnitude can be very dangerous in China.

Update 23:14 UTC :
– (Preliminary) data from other seismological agencies :
EMSC : M 5.9 at 40 km
GEOFON : M 6.0 at 10 km

Desert landscape in the epicenter area – image courtesy lean88888

for more information and updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/03/08/dangerous-earthquake-in-xinjiang-china/