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China: Earthquake - Nov 1998

Estado
Pasado
Países
China
Tipos de desastres
Terremoto

On Thursday 19 November, two earthquakes measuring respectively 5.6 and 6.2 in magnitude on the Richter scale hit a rural area on the borders of Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces in south west China. Following the main earthquakes, some 200 aftershocks occurred, causing additional damage to already weakened structures. Recent reports from the area, considered one of the poorest in China, indicate that the worst affected parts are around Lanniqi and Xin Yin Pan townships, about 30 km east of Ninglang. A total of 16 townships in five Yunnan counties around Ninglang Li Autonomous County (including Lijiang) and nearby Yanyuan in neighbouring Sichuan were also affected, although most recent reports state that the damage in the Sichuan area is relatively slight.

A total of 312,000 people are officially reported to have been affected by the disaster. The Yunnan Red Cross assessment mission that visited some villages on 21 November, two days after the quake, reported that 22,000 homes were affected and estimated the number of homeless as 23,650, most of whom are living in the open in makeshift shelters. According to the Red Cross, the number of injuries has now risen to 4,167, with three fatalities. The quakes also damaged 257 schools, causing cracks in some 4,335 classrooms. The local earthquake monitoring station fears an even larger earthquake might hit this earthquake prone area in the next few months. (IFRC, 17 Dec 1998)