Tag Archives: Earthquake

Sikkim Earthquake Update 9/27

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Nepal / Sikkim Himalaya earthquake – extended September 27 overview – slow rescue due to bad weather

Last update: September 27, 2011 at 11:08 am by By 

With thanks to Ashish Khanal (Nepal)

The overview below is compiled from many different sources in all the 5 countries (Tibet, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan)

 

Image courtesy and copyright chinadaily.com.cn

Nepal September 27 update
The inhabitants of Olangchungkhola and Ghunsa ( epicenter area, Nepal)  haven’t received any relief yet.
Actual destruction report from that area is not yet received ( till Tuesday morning). The Nepal government has managed the relief distribution from Lelep for that very two areas. Lelep is in one day walking distance from Olangchungkhola and Ghunsa one and half day. Both places are remote areas of Nepal. The main reason that people aren’t coming to grant relief amount may be due to the erosion. Due to which the roads are blocked and even bridges are collapsed. Nepal Police and rescue teams are unable to go to these areas.

 

Continuous rain since Sunday is turning the living conditions of the homeless into a hell in the hilly districts of Panchthar, Taplejung, Ilam, Terhathum and Sankhuwasabha.
Additionally a lot of buildings are unstable (badly damaged) and can eventually collapse with a serious aftershock.
People are now mainly living in sheds.
There are also fears that continuous rains may trigger landslides, forcing them all to leave their birthplace for good.

India – Sikkim  September 27 update
Authorities are saying that part of the slow response is due to the very bad weather making aerial relief operations very difficult.
On Monday helicopters could not fly to the badly damaged and sometimes still inaccessible North Sikkim villages.
Authorities are claiming that any connection in between the earthquake and the Teesta hydro-electric project is untrue.

for more, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/27/nepal-sikkim-himalaya-earthquake-extended-september-27-overview-slow-rescue-due-to-weather/

 

 

 

 

Sikkim Earthquake

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Deadly earthquake Himalaya : 20 minutes news compilation video

Last update: September 26, 2011 at 12:47 am by By 

September 26, 2011 By 

The 20 minute video shows the many faces of the earthquake, the damage inflicted to buildings, the landslides, interviews with local people and specialists.  The CNN-IBN video is the best we have seen so far.
Watch how the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Sikkim on September 18 changed lives there

here is the link to the video on youtube:     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcBriFR3KEQ&feature=player_embedded

to read more, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/26/deadly-earthquake-himalaya-30-minutes-news-compilation-video/

 

 

 

 

Earthquake Near Tonga Volcano

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Very strong shallow earthquake near Niuafo’ou volcano (Tonga) – NO special volcanic activity reported

Last update: September 23, 2011 at 1:04 am by By 

Article also compiled by Carlos Robles
Earthquake overview :  Very strong earthquake near a rim volcano island in Tonga. As this earthquake is extremely shallow and as the location of the epicenter has a substantial error margin, we feared for volcanic activity.

NOAA tsunami message for the Pacific :
NO DESTRUCTIVE WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI THREAT EXISTS BASED ON HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DATA

IMPORTANT UPDATE 00:57 UTC :
Matangi reports : The earthquake was felt by Niuafo’ou residents. Meola Vaka at the Western Union office at ‘Esia said she felt an earthquake this morning that lasted for less than a minute. She said there was no unusual volcanic activity evident on the island.

Update 23/09 – 00:11 UTC : Both EMSC and USGS have epicenters approx. 30 to 40 km from the volcanic island.  If the epicenter locations are accurate which we do not know at the moment, it may be well a normal earthquake close to a volcano.

Update 23/09 – 00:11 UTC : The latest known eruption from the volcano was in 1985.

Update 23/09 – 00:04 UTC : Between 1946 and 1947, the island was completely evacuated by the Tongan government following a volcanic eruption. In 1957 about half of the population returned to Niuafo’ou, and the rest remained in ‘Eua (source Wikipedia)

Update 23:59 UTC : As this earthquake is extremely shallow and as the location of the epicenter has a substantial error margin, we do not exclude volcanic activity.

for more and to get updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/23/very-strong-shallow-earthquake-near-niuafoou-tonga-volcanic-origin/

Strong Earthquake in Guatemala

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Strong dangerous earthquake in Guatemala – 3 people killed, many injured + a lot of damage

Last update: September 20, 2011 at 1:38 pm by By 

Article also written by Szombath Balazs
Earthquake overview :  Strong 5.8 earthquake hit Guatemala  September 19, 2011 at 12:34:00 PM local time. In only a half hour before a 4.8 earthquake struck the same region.

 

​SUMMARY 04:03 UTC:

At least 3 people have died (1 by a collapsing wall, and 2 by a landslide) when a shallow 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Guatemala.

There are many injured and traumatised people as a result of this event.

At least 400 homes have been damaged in the Cuilapa area, and these homes have been evacuated.

UPDATE 23:50 UTC: Local sources are mentioning 1 killed person, 3 missing people and a lot of injured. Rescue services are continuing their struggle to find survivors. A total of 5 aftershocks have been reported. None of the aftershocks had a magnitude above 5. Most of the damage has been inflicted in the Cuilapa Santa Rosa area.

to read more and for updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/19/strong-dangerous-earthquake-in-guatemala/

Significant Damage in Wake of India Quake

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19 September 2011 Last updated at 09:25 ET

Race to rescue quake victims in India, Nepal and Tibet

Aftermath of the earthquake that hit the India-Nepal border

Rescue efforts are under way across isolated Himalayan regions in India, Nepal and Tibet after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the area on Sunday.

The epicentre was the northern Indian state of Sikkim, where the Indian government says that at least 35 people have been killed.

But the relief effort there has been hampered by rainfall and landslides. It is feared that the toll could rise.

Several earthquakes hit the region this year, but none caused major damage.

‘People are panicky’

In Sikkim many buildings are reported to have collapsed while power supplies in many areas have been cut off.

Thick cloud and heavy rain is making it difficult for rescuers.

Indian military helicopters have been unable to take off and aid workers are stranded trying to reach the affected areas. Roads have been destroyed making it difficult to get to mountainous regions.

Continue reading the main story

SIKKIM: INDIA’S SECLUDED STATE

  • Became part of India in 1975
  • Has a population of 500,000 people
  • Renowned for its spectacular mountains and lakes
  • Economy largely dependent on tourism

Officials say that thousands of soldiers helping the relief effort may not reach many areas until Tuesday because the high mountain passes are blocked.

“The situation doesn’t look good,” an official from the UN’s disaster management team in Delhi told the Reuters news agency. “My feeling is the death toll and number of injured are going to increase.”

A resident in Gangtok, capital of Sikkim, told the BBC over the telephone that there was panic in the immediate aftermath of the quake and that several buildings were either cracked or tilting to one side. Thousands of people spent the night outside their homes.

A British tourist in the city also spoke to the BBC and said that the quake was so violent that it knocked him over on the third floor of the hotel where he was staying.

It has been raining for four days without respite in parts of Sikkim and shops, businesses and offices in Gangtok are closed. Telephone communications to the affected areas is patchy.

Bhim Dahal, press advisor to Sikkim’s chief minister, told the BBC that more than 150 have been injured and the main highway to the north of the state has been blocked.

However officials say that roads connecting the state to the rest of India – through the state of West Bengal – have now re-opened.

Mr Dahal said that the state government building and the police headquarters in Gangtok have been badly damaged and 1,000 houses have collapsed – with 100,000 damaged – across the state.

Significant damage

Tremors were felt in the north-eastern Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura. They were also felt in regions of India: West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and Delhi. Bangladesh and Bhutan also felt the quake.

map

One person was killed during a stampede as people panicked in a town in the eastern state of Bihar, and other deaths were reported near Darjeeling, in West Bengal.

Latest reports from Nepal say that at least six people have been killed with more than 100 injured. Officials say that significant structural damage has been caused to buildings in the east of the country.

In addition a landslide triggered by the quake has blocked transport along the highway which links the city of Dharan to the town of Dhankuta. Dharan was hit by a devastating quake 28 years ago.

In the capital Kathmandu, three people were killed when a wall at the British embassy collapsed. A budget debate in the country’s parliament was suspended for 15 minutes when lawmakers fled the chamber as the entire building shook.

for more on this, go to:    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14967812

Sikkim, India Earthquake

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Very strong earthquake in SIKKIM, India

Last update: September 18, 2011 at 2:20 pm by By 

Earthquake overview : A magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit India 12:40:48 UT (10:48 PM at epicenter) The depth of the hypocenter was at 20.7 km.
The quake comes just days after an earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Haryana’s Sonepat district, sending tremors in New Delhi.

UPDATE: 14:13 UTC:-

Aftershocks of 6.1 and 5.3 have occurred. Regional TV station NewsLive reported that 10 to 12 buildings collapsedin Sikkim’s state capital of Gangtok. We expect further damage and fatalities close to the epicentre.

UPDATE: 14:11 UTC:-

From Earthquake-report.com reporter Szombath Balazs: Reports say BSNL lines in north Bengal are down cutting off communication links in the region. Power has been disrupted in Darjeeling and other northern parts of West Bengal. In Assam’s major city Guwahati, people panicked and ran out on the streets after the quake shook their houses. There were initial reports of minor damage.

UPDATE: 14:07 UTC:-

The first damage reports have come in with Indian reports detailing at least a dozen houses have collapsed in Sikkim alone.

to read more and for the updates, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/18/very-strong-earthquake-in-sikkim-india/

Chilean Earthquake

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Strong earthquake near Valparaiso, Chile – also awakes Santiago de Chile – NO damage or injuries

Last update: September 14, 2011 at 4:36 pm by By 

Earthquake overview : At 4:04 AM Chile local time, a strong moderate earthquake occurred close to Valparaiso, Chile. Strong MMI VI shaking has been experienced near the epicenter.

U

pdate 10:02 UTC : after screening our many various sources, we are happy to report that this earthquake made NO damage or did NOT injure people (published 3 hours after the earthquake struck).

Update 08:04 UTC : Our Chile readers are fading away from our screens, which means that most of them went back to their beds after looking into the details of this earthquake. It is 05:04 AM in the Chile night.

Update 08:03 UTC : Some people report 2 weak aftershocks.

for more, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/14/strong-earthquake-near-valparaiso-chile/

Earthquake—Riverside, California

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Moderate earthquake near Riverside, California, USA – NO damage or injuries

Last update: September 14, 2011 at 4:24 pm by By 

Earthquake overview :  At 7:44 a moderate shallow earthquake struck 8 km from Yucaipa and 109 km from LA downtown.

FINAL update 16:22 UTC : After screening our many sources (all Fire Department brigades and some supermarkets in the epicenter area), we are happy to report that this earthquake made NO damage, injuries or casualties

to read more, and for up dates, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/14/moderate-earthquake-in-greater-los-angeles-california-usa/

Snyder, Texas Earthquake

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Shallow magnitude 4.4 earthquake close to Snyder, Texas

Last update: September 12, 2011 at 2:13 pm by By 

Earthquake overview : At 07:27 AM local time, a short moderate earthquake struck the Snyder area. Too weak to create damage or injuries, but strong enough to scare people for a couple of seconds.

Update 21:56 UTC :  We have noticed 2 +2aftershocks so far :
– 20:31 UTC or  03:31 PM LT –  2.7 magnitude @ 5 km : Epicenter location
– 18:36 UTC or  01:36 PM LT –  2.5 magnitude @ 5 km : Epicenter location

Update 20:20 UTC : was this quake caused by fracking of the oil industry ?  This a a (nameless) comment we received a couple of minutes ago : “i slept thru it but i work in the oil fields near and around where the earth quake struk and i am confident in saying it was caused by man. we dig and drill and extract and frac the earth leaving cavities. This wont be the last quake we create. When we will see what we are doing is creating vast damages to our earth.”

What is fracking?
The process of drilling down and creating tiny explosions to shatter and crack hard shale rocks to release the gas inside. Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well. The process is carried out vertically or, more commonly, by drilling horizontally to the rock layer. The process can create new pathways to release gas or can be used to extend existing channels.
There are also worries that the fracking process can cause small earth tremors. Currently we have a lot of discussion whether the Virginia earthquakes were also triggered by fracking.

to read more, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/11/shallow-magnitude-4-4-earthquake-close-to-snyder-texas/

Vancouver Island Earthquake

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Very strong earthquake along the coast of Vancouver Island – depth 23 km Magnitude 6.4
Last update: September 10, 2011 at 11:40 am by By Armand Vervaeck and James Daniell
September 9, 2011 By Armand Vervaeck and James Daniell
Earthquake overview : At 12:41 PM a very strong earthquake struck not far from Vancouver Island. The focal depth of 80 km has been later revised by USGS to 23 km. The earthquake was well felt in Vancouver and beyond, several hundred km away from the epicenter.

Update 10/09 – 09:44 UTC : After screening our many various sources, we are happy to report that this earthquake made NO damage or did NOT injure people.

to read more and for some other links, go to; http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/09/very-strong-earthquake-along-the-coast-of-vancouver-island/