Skip to main content

China: Earthquake - Apr 1989

Status
Past
Countries
China
Disaster types
Earthquake

On 16 April, at 5:34 local time, an earthquake measuring 6.7 on the richter scale occurred in Batang county of Sichuan province. Among 10,000 aftershocks over 1 richter scale were recorded, major aftershocks hit the same area on 25 April with 6.7 magnitude, on 3 May with 6.4 and on 4 May with 6.2 in Batang county of Sichuan province. As of 10 May, damages were reported as follows: 8 dead, 107 injured and over 9,000 houses in 23 townships collapsed/damaged. A WFP field mission to disaster-stricken areas found the worst affected town was Zhubalong and almost all of the houses in Batang were flattened and a major bridge collapsed. The Government has already provided 230 mt of barley and evacuated 40,000 people, who are temporarily accomodated in makeshift camps of plastic sheets and sacking. The Government of China welcomes any appropriate emergency assistance from friendly governments and international organizations. (UN DHA, 18 May 1989)