6/4/2000 Sumatra Earthquake

Updated 6/11/2000

The city of Bengkulu on the Indonesian island of Sumatra was struck by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 at 16:28 GMT (23:28 Local time) 6/4/00. The death toll has reached 120 one week after the quake, as rescuers continue to dig through the rubble of hundreds of collapsed buildings. In some areas as many as 80% of the houses will have to be rebuilt. The quake's epicenter was 60 miles southwest of Bengkulu, in the Indian Ocean. The affected area is about halfway between Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, and Singapore. The quake was felt strongly in both of these cities, about 400 miles from the epicenter, sending people running into the streets in their pajamas after being awakened by violently swaying highrises. There was no reported damage, however, that far from the epicenter.

Relief supplies first arrived in two Indonesian Navy ships. The Bengkulu airport was closed with extensive damage and many roads are blocked. Communications have also been down throughout the affected area. Doctors are treating patients outdoors under plastic canopies due to concern about the safety of hospitals. One hospital roof collapsed. Medical supplies and blood are running low, although relief supplies are now reaching the area. Tens of thousands of people have been spending the night out of doors, some in tent cities, as the area has been rocked by numerous strong aftershocks, several over 6 on the Richter Scale. People are afraid of being caught in buildings that may collapse in future aftershocks. The government is coming under criticism for not responding quicker. The Indonesian government has appealed for international aid and pledged help to quake victims. Help in building temporary shelter has been promised but the government may not have the resources to build permanent housing.

The quake occurred at a depth of 21 miles. This is unusually shallow for a subduction earthquake. Sumatra is located at the border of the Australian plate, which extends undr the Indian Ocean, and the Eurasian plate. The Australian plate, as it is pushed under the Eurasian plate is capable of causing very strong earthquakes as well as extensive volcanic activity. The Indonesian Archipeligo is located at the confluence of the Australian, Eurasian, Phillipines and Pacific Plates. It is one of the most seismically and volcanically active areas of the world. (See the Plate Tectonics page for more information on these processes.)

See also the following news stories:

• Sumatra Quake aid Appeal BBC 6/5/2000
• CNN 6/6/2000 Aftershocks rattle Indonesia in wake of deadly quake
• BBC-Friday, 9 June, 2000, Sumatra begins rebuilding
• BBC 6/6/00 Sumatra quake in pictures
• BBC Stories of the Sumatra Quake
• BBC 6/6/00 Sumatra: Caught Between Two Plates

11/12/99 Turkish Earthquake

Updated 11/21/99

The city of Duzce in northwestern Turkey was struck by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 at 16:59 GMT 11/12/99. The Turkish government reports 705 dead and 5,000 injured with 80,000 homeless. The government, stung by criticism of a slow response to the August quake that killed over 15,000 people in the same general region was quick to send troops to help in the rescue efforts. 750 buildings were destroyed. Cold weather is especially hard on the thousands living in tents, with temperatures near freezing. The government has distributed 24,000 tents but could use more. Over 100,000 tents are still in use following the August quake. Bolu province where the quake was centered is just 45 miles east of the areas hit hardest by the August quake. It is a mountainous region with a smaller population than the coastal area affected by the August quake, which was much more destructive.

This quake and the August Izmit quake are on the North Anatolian Fault. A release of stress on one part of the fault leads to increased pressure on neighboring sections. The section that appears to have accumulated the most stress now is near Istanbul. It is impossible to tell, however, when that quake will hit. Most of Istanbul is built on solid ground and is not likely to see the kind of damage sustained in Ismit. On the other hand it is a large city a major quake there is sure to produce considerable destruction and loss of life. The Turkish population is now very aware of earthquake danger so the long process of strengthening buildings will probably now receive a high priority from the government.

See also the following news stories:

• BBC 11/20/99 Turkish Quake: Bulldozers move in
• BBC coverage - Quake Rescue enters 2nd night 11/13/99
• BBC Full Coverage of Duzce and Ismit Quakes 11/14/99
• CNN Coverage Sunday November 14, 1999
• BBC Sci/Tech The reasons for Turkey's seismic suffering
• BBC Sci/Tech Istanbul Earthquake more Likely but Unpredictable
• BBC 4/27/00 - Istanbul Quake likely by 2030

9/21/99 Taiwan Earthquake

Updated 9/26/99

A magnitude 7.6 quake struck central Taiwan about 90 miles south of Taipei at 1:47AM Tuesday September 21, 1999 local time (17:47 9/20/99 GMT). 2,031 people were killed, 8,500 injured, 6,000 buildings were destroyed and up to 100,000 people were left homeless. Many camped out for days for fear of the continuing aftershocks; over 7,100 have been recorded so far with magnitudes as high as 6.8. Some of the aftershocks caused further building collapse and casualties. Fears of illness, poor sanitation and lack of water are now the major concerns. Rescue teams from China, Japan, the United States and Turkey, among others helped with clean-up efforts and the search for survivors. 5 days after the quake hopes are dimming for finding any more alive in the rubble, although 2 more were found after being buried for 5 days.

Although many buildings collapsed, including a 12 story hotel/apartment building in Taipei, the damage was much less than in the somewhat smaller Turkish Quake in August. This can be attributed to stronger, better enforced building codes in Taiwan. However there will be investigations of code violations in the buildings that did collapse. Rapid growth has led to a number of illegal buildings that were thought to be not up to code. Some contractors have been questioned and others were told not to leave for the time being. Officials admit that the death toll would have been lower had codes been followed.

Power was out to almost 5 million of the 22 million inhabitants of the island. The stock market was closed for 5 days following the quake and is scheduled to open for limited trading on Monday September 27. Government officials have expressed concern that the market will plunge due to concerns of the economic impact of the quake on the island nation. An emergency decree limits market declines as part of a package designed to aid in the recovery. The military will work on rebuilding and have been given special powers to combat black marketeers and looting. The government will make low interest loans available to quake victims.

Taiwan is located in the "Ring of Fire" surrounding the Pacific Ocean. This is one of the most seismically active regions of the world. Taiwan in on the boundary between the Philippine Plate and the Eurasian Plate.

See also the following news stories:

• BBC pictures of the quake
• Aftershock rattles Taiwan - CNN 9/26/99
• Two pulled alive from Taiwan rubble - BBC 9/26/99
• Building Codes Spare Taiwan - BBC 9/26/99

9/7/99 Athens Earthquake

Updated 9/9/99

A magnitude 5.8 quake struck a northern suburb of Athens at 11:56 GMT 9/7/99. 70 people were killed, 2,000 injured and 50 are still missing as rescuers dig through the rubble of over 100 collapsed buildings. Inspectors are expected to condemn thousands of damaged buildings. Most of the city's population spent the night outdoors in fear of aftershocks. The rescue efforts were hampered by heavy rain the day after the quake. The government declared a one day state of emergency. Investigations are promised into shoddy building practices, as in the much more devastating Turkish quake in August. "We will look at this with great care," said Interior Minister Vasso Papandreou. "We have some of the strictest earthquake regulations around, and if they were kept, we should not have had this much damage." See also the following news stories:

• Athens Tremor in Pictures BBC 9/8/99
• CNN coverage of the Athens Earthquake September 7, 1999

8/17/99 Turkish Earthquake

Updated 9/9/99

The city of Izmet in northwestern Turkey was struck by an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 at 00:01 GMT 8/17/99. The body wave was reported at 7.8MB. The shallow focus of the quake (10km) intensified the ground motion and therefore increased the damage from the quake. 15,135 people have been confirmed dead, over 30,000 are estimated to be missing and over 23,000 injured. There have been hundreds of aftershocks, some of them over magnitude 5. International relief agencies from around the world provided aid aid, including dogs and equipment capable of locating people buried under rubble. In the days immediately after the quake aid was slow in arriving in the devastated area. Meanwhile people were clearing collapsed buildings by hand searching for survivors.

Turkey has strong earthquake building codes due to the frequency of earthquakes in the area. However, the government has not acted to enforce them and contractors have often not built to code. Investigations following the quake have found inadequate reinforcements in the concrete and inferior sea sand, resulting in weak buildings. Contractors have been charged with negligence causing death and some have fled to avoid arrest.

This area has a long history of earthquakes. There was a magnitude 8 quake in 1939 that killed 23,000 people. The quakes in this area are caused by pressure from the Arabian plate pushing north into the Eurasian plate from the southeast while the African plate pushes north from the southwest. The fault involved in this quake is a strike slip fault similar to the San Andreas Fault in California. Scientists are studying relationships between quakes in the two areas.

See also the following news stories:

• Runaway quake builder arrested - BBC 9/6/99
• BBC Sci/Tech The reasons for Turkey's seismic suffering
• CNN coverage of the Turkish Earthquake August 19, 1999
• BBC Report - BBC coverage of the quake
• BBC Full Coverage of Duzce and Ismit Quakes 11/14/99

3/28/99 North India Quake

Updated 4/1/99

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 hit the Chamoli and Garhwal districts of Uttar Pradesh in India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, at 19:05 GMT 3/28/99. The epicenter was 190 miles north of Dehli. The quake was felt over a large area, as far away as Dehli.

Over 100 people have been reported dead, 300 injured and 5,00 homeless. The worst damage was caused by extensive landslides that buried whole families in their homes. A 5.3 magnitude aftershock at 21:02 GMT Wednesday March 30 caused some further damage but no more casualties.

The quake hit a seismically active region characterized by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian Tectonic Plates. Over the past several million years, India has travelled across the Indian Ocean from the vicinity of Madagascar. The collision with Eurasia is the force that has raised the Himalayas. (See the Plate Tectonics page for more information on these processes.)

Here is the USGS Bulletin with details of magnitude and location.

See also the following news stories:

• BBC Report - Indian Earthquake
• BBC Report - South Asia Quake Death Toll over 100
• CNN 3/29/99-Earthquake in North India kills dozens
• CNN 3/31/99-Fresh Tremor rocks Indian Foothills

2/11/99 Afghanistan Earthquake

Updated 2/18/99

An earthquake with a Magnitude of 5.9 Ms centered 36 miles to the west of Kabul caused widespread damage February 11, 1999 at 6:38 pm local time (1408 GMT). Official estimates put the death toll at over 50 with 30,000 homeless. Most of the damage came from the collapse of unreinforced earthen buildings. Relief agancies are encouraging building more earthquake resistant structures to reduce damage from future quakes.

Afghanistan is in an extremely active seismic region that runs in an east/west direction from the Mediterranian Sea through Central Asia. This area is being compressed as the Indian Plate collides with the Eurasian Plate. This collision is continuing to raise the Hindu Kush and Himalyan Mountain Ranges. To the West similar processes cause earthquakes in Iran as a result of the movement of the Arabian Plate into the Eurasian Plate. Still further West, the Alps are the result of the collision of the African and Eurasian Plates. (See the Plate Tectonics page for more information on these processes.)

See also the following news stories:

• BBC report: Earthquake leaves 50 dead
• BBC Report 2/18/99: Afganistan rebuilds
• BBC Report 2/21/99 Afghanistan relief flows