2008 Panzhihua earthquake

Earthquake
title = 2008 Panzhihua earthquake
date = August 30, 2008

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magnitude = 6.1 M_s (CEA);] ] 5.7 M_w (USGS)]
depth = 10 km
location = coord|26.0|N|101.9|E (Renhe (zh-s|仁和), Panzhihua, Sichuan)
countries affected = PRC
intensity = Liedu VIII (Heavily damaging)
tsunami = None
aftershocks = 3 major, 439 total]
casualties = 41 killed, 589 injured (as of September 5, 2008)] ]

The 2008 Panzhihua earthquake was a 6.1 M_s (5.7 M_w) earthquake that struck southern Sichuan province, China on August 30, 2008 at 16:30:50.5 CST (8:30:50.5 UTC). It was not an aftershock of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. With more than 400 aftershocks, it has caused over 40 deaths, the collapse of 10,000 homes and damage to other infrastructure in the area. Maximum intensity of this earthquake was VIII liedu (Heavily damaging).

Earthquake Details

According to the China Earthquake Administration (CEA) and [http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/ Sichuan Earthquake Administration] (SCEA), a surface wave magnitude (M_s) 6.1 earthquake struck southern Sichuan province, China on August 30, 2008 at 16:30:50.5 China Standard Time (CST - 0730 UTC). The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the same earthquake at moment magnitude (M_w) 5.7.

The earthquake's epicenter was located at coord|26.2|N|101.9|E, [This is given by CEA. USGS reports latitude as 26.0.] , in the Renhe District (zh-stp|s=仁和|t=仁和|p=Rénhé) of Panzhihua, Sichuan, which is 50 km southeast of the city center. The epicenter is 60 km from Huili County (zh-stp|s=会理|t=會理|p=HuìLǐ) in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, 30 km from Yongren County (zh-stp|s=永仁|t=永仁|p=Yǒngrén) and 55 km from Yuanmou County (zh-stp|s=元谋|t=元謀|p=Yuánmóu) in neighboring Yunnan province.cite news | url=http://www.cea.gov.cn/manage/html/8a8587881632fa5c0116674a018300cf/_content/08_08/30/1220091040917.html | title=Roughly: CEA immediately launches emergency response to the M6.1 Panzhihua-Huili earthquake (中国地震局立即开展四川攀枝花市仁和区、凉山彝族自治州会理县交界6.1级地震应急响应) | publisher= CEA | date=2008-08-30 |accessdate=2008-09-08 |language=Chinese ]

The 2008 Panzhihua earthquake is also cited as the Renhe-Huili earthquakecite news | url=http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/manage/html/ff808181126bebda01126bec4dd00001/_content/08_08/31/1220185201802.html | title=Roughly: Sequence of Renhe-Huili earthquakes (仁和-会理地震序列目录) | publisher=Sichuan Earthquake Administration (四川防震减灾信息网, SCEA) | date=2008-09-02 |accessdate=2008-09-08 |language=Chinese ] , especially in SCEA reports and early CEA reports.

Aftershocks

A M_s 5.6 aftershock (5.5 M_w according to USGS) struck the same location on August 31, 2008 at 16:31:09.6 CST (08:31 UTC),] ] [] causing at least two additional deaths.

By midnight CST September 1, there had been 439 aftershocks including the M5.6 one and two more exceeding M4.0.

Incidentally, a M_s 3.0 earthquake very close to the main quake's epicenter preceded the main quake by 2 hours 15 minutes.cite news | url=http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/manage/dailyReport.jsp?id=a63b3caf-0181-4a77-9335-44bd31021e69 | title=Roughly: A M3.0 earthquake struck the border of Renhe-Huili (仁和-会理交界发生3.0级地震) | publisher=Sichuan Earthquake Administration (四川防震减灾信息网, SCEA) | date=2008-08-30 |accessdate=2008-09-07 |language=Chinese Reported epicenter was Lat.26.3, Long.101.9.]

Relation to Wenchuan Earthquake

Whereas the Wenchuan earthquake two and half months earlier in the same province continues to invoke aftershocks even after August 30, the Panzhihua earthquake was not one of them because it was caused by a different fault line.] cite web | url=http://www.cea.gov.cn/manage/html/8a8587881632fa5c0116674a018300cf/_content/08_09/02/1220328119176.html | title=Roughly: Part III of emergency response to the M6.1 earthquake at the border of Renhe-Huili, Sichuan: Seismic tectonic background (四川攀枝花市仁和区-凉山州会理县交界6.1级地震现场应急工作系列报道之三地震构造背景) | publisher= SCEA | date=2008-09-02 |accessdate=2008-09-07 |language=Chinese ]

Response in China

Although the quake-stricken area is relatively low in population, reported at 118/km²,, early casualties and property damages were significant. [] ] Within two hours, the CEA invoked its Level III emergency response protocol for disaster relief.] 8,000 troops and para-militia were deployed to the disaster area.]

Casualties, intensities, and damage areas

By September 5, authorities confirmed 41 deaths (35 in Sichuan, 6 in Yunnan) and 589 injuries. CEA also reported collapse of 10,000 homes, and damage to 190,000 more. Considerable damages to highways, bridges, and reservoirs were reported.

The seismic intensity map published by SCEA shows a maximum intensity of liedu VIII on China Seismic Intensity Scale (CSIS), somewhat equivalent to VIII (Heavily damaging) on EMS-94 from which CSIS drew reference.cite web
url=http://www.eqsc.gov.cn/manage/html/ff808181126bebda01126bec4dd00001/_content/08_09/18/1221726644195.html
title=Roughly: Seismic Intensity Map for the M6.1 earthquake near the border of Renhe, Panzhihua and Huili, Liangshan (四川省攀枝花市仁和区、凉山彝族自治州会理县交界 6.1级地震烈度分布图)
date=2008-09-18
accessdate=2008-09-20
language=Chinese] The area affected by liedu VIII earthquakes covered a north-south oriented oval of 628 km² centered around the epicenter, 39 km long and 19 km wide, including 28 km² in Yunnan province. The total area of liedu VI (Slightly damaging) and above is 9,634 km², of which 6,265 km² are in Sichuan.

See also

*2008 Sichuan earthquake

References

External Links

*

* Contains a list of historic earthquakes in the area.