2005 Ruichang earthquake
  Location within China | |
| UTC time |
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| ISC event | |
| USGS-ANSS | |
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| Magnitude |
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| Depth |
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| Epicenter | 29°40′16″N 115°41′17″E / 29.671°N 115.688°E |
| Areas affected | Jiangxi and Hubei provinces, China |
| Max. intensity | MMI VII (Very strong) |
| Aftershocks | 497 recorded (as of 29 November 2005) |
| Casualties | 21 dead, 8,000 injured |
On 26 November 2005, a Mw 5.2 earthquake struck the province of Jiangxi in eastern China, killing 21 people, injuring 8,000 others and severely damaging tens of thousands of homes in Jiangxi and Hubei provinces, mostly in the counties of Ruichang and Jiujiang.
Earthquake
The earthquake had an epicenter located directly beneath the city of Ruichang, in Jiangxi province. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude of Mwb 5.2 and a depth of 11.1 km (6.9 mi),[1] while the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) placed the magnitude at Mw 5.7.[2] It was the largest earthquake to strike the area in over 50 years.[3] At least 497 aftershocks were detected by the CENC by 29 November.[4]
Impact
At least 21 deaths,[5] 8,000 injuries and 150,000 heavily damaged or destroyed homes were recorded in Ruichang and Jiujiang counties.[1] Jiujiang recorded 13 fatalities and 247 serious injuries.[5] In the county, up to 4,000 homes collapsed and 66,000 others were seriously damaged.[3] In Ruichang, six people died,[5] 8,000 houses collapsed and over 420,000 people fled from their homes.[6] In Hubei, two people were killed[5] and cracks formed in buildings in Wuhan.[6]
Response
The Ministry of Civil Affairs said that they were sending emergency aid to the affected region. A specialist earthquake task force was also sent to Ruichang from Beijing.[7] Over 1,000 tents were also sent to the affected area.[8]
In less than twelve hours after the earthquake struck, the Red Cross Society of China's Jiangxi provincial Jiujiang county and Ruichang city branches immediately released family tents to provide shelter to some 500 people. The RCSC branch staff worked quickly to gather information about the extent of the damage and identify priority needs in the affected area. The Chinese government supported the RCSC with funds released from the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) to address the needs for temporary shelter and protection for up to 2,000 affected families, with the immediate release of 200 family-sized tents (each tent housing seven people) and 2,000 quilts from the RCSC disaster preparedness centre in Xiaogan. This is based on information provided by the local branches to the relief division at RCSC headquarters in Beijing, as well as discussions held on 27 November between representatives from the Federation and the RCSC relief division. The RCSC Xiaogan disaster preparedness centre was located in Hubei province, close to the Jiangxi border, Ruichang county and Jiujiang city. Road access from the centre to the affected area remained intact following the earthquake. Additionally, due to damaged water sources, the Chinese government supported RCSC headquarters with the release and distribution of approximately 1,650 cartons of water purification tablets, which would be distributed throughout the affected area.[3]
See also
References
- 1 2 ANSS. "M 5.2 - 23 km SSE of Wuxue, China 2005". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ↑ "江西九江瑞昌5.7级地震" (in Chinese). 中国地震台网中心. 2006-06-30. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
- 1 2 3 IFRC (27 November 2005). "China: Jiangxi Earthquake - Information Bulletin n° 1". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "专家确定九江地震属主震－余震类型". Archived from the original on 2007-11-06. Retrieved 2013-04-20.
- 1 2 3 4 DPA (27 November 2005). "Death toll rises to 21 after China earthquake". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Half a million flee homes after Chinese earthquake". The Guardian. 27 November 2005. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "Earthquake strikes central China". BBC News. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
- ↑ "Earthquake claims 14 lives in east China". The Hindu. 27 November 2005. Archived from the original on 5 September 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
External links
- Earthquake strikes central China – BBC News
