The 1976 Songpan–Pingwu earthquake that struck Songpan and Pingwu counties in Sichuan, China consisted of three mainshocks on the 16th, 21st, and 23rd (UTC) of August. A 1984 report gave the magnitudes as 7.2, 6.7, and 7.2, respectively (scale not specified).[7] The magnitudes were subsequently recalculated as 6.7, 6.3, and 6.4 on the Mw scale, and 7.0, 6.6, and 6.7 on the Ms scale.[9] These were preceded by an earthquake swarm lasting three years. During the period from August 16 to August 31 there were over 400 aftershocks of magnitude 3.0 or greater.[10]
  | |
| UTC time | Triplet earthquake: |
|---|---|
| A: 1976-08-16 14:06:46 | |
| B: 1976-08-21 21:49:53 | |
| C: 1976-08-23 03:30:07 | |
| ISC event | |
| A: 709871 | |
| B: 710167 | |
| C: 710223 | |
| USGS-ANSS | |
| A: ComCat | |
| B: ComCat | |
| C: ComCat | |
| Local date | August 16, 22, and 23 |
| Local time | |
| A: 22:06[1] | |
| B: 05:49[1] | |
| C: 11:33[2] | |
| Magnitude | |
| A: 6.7 Mw, 7.0 Ms[3] | |
| B: 6.3 Mw, 6.6 Ms[4] | |
| C: 6.4 Mw, 6.7 Ms[5] | |
| Depth | A: 8 km (5 mi) B: 15 km (9 mi) C: 19 km (12 mi) |
| Epicenter | 32°41′N 104°12′E / 32.69°N 104.2°E[6] |
| Fault | Huya[7] |
| Type | Reverse and left-lateral[7] |
| Areas affected | Songpan and Pingwu, Sichuan |
| Max. intensity | MMI VII (Very strong)[8] |
| Foreshocks | Three year swarm |
| Casualties | 38 dead, 800 injured |
Short term earthquake warning were issued 3 months before the earthquake.[11] There were 38 dead in the four counties struck—Songpan, Pingwu, Maowen and Nanping. More than 5,000 houses collapsed and 2800 heads of livestock lost. The earthquake was felt as far as Gaotai, Gansu to the west, Kunming, Yunnan to the south, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia to the north, and Changsha, Hunan to the east; an area with a maximum radius of 1,150 kilometers (714 miles).[12] The total number of casualties was 800, 600 of them slightly injured, mostly due to mudslides.[11] The Earthquake Administration of Sichuan won the Chinese National Science and Technology Award of 1978 for successfully predicting the earthquake.[13]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b Jones et al. 1984, p. 7700.
- ^ Jones et al. 1984, p. 7701.
- ^ ISC-EHB Event 709871 [IRIS].
- ^ ISC-EHB Event 710167 [IRIS].
- ^ ISC-EHB Event 710223 [IRIS].
- ^ ISC-GEM Event 709781 [IRIS].
- ^ a b c Jones et al. 1984, p. 7697.
- ^ ANSS: Sichuan 1976a .
- ^ ISC-EHB Event 709871 [IRIS]. ISC-EHB Event 710167 [IRIS]. ISC-EHB Event 710223 [IRIS].
- ^ Jones et al. 1984, p. 7698
- ^ a b "Past successful Chinese earthquake predictions". Liaoning Earthquake Administration.[date missing][author missing]
- ^ "Earthquake with scale 6 or higher Since 1976". China Earthquake Administration. Xinhua News Agency. [date missing][author missing]
- ^ "30th anniversary of the Songpan–Pingwu earthquake". Sichuan Earthquake Administration. Archived from the original on 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2018-10-14.[date missing][author missing]
Sources
edit- ANSS, "Sichuan 1976a: M 6.9 – Sichuan-Gansu border region, China", Comprehensive Catalog, U.S. Geological Survey
- ANSS, "Sichuan 1976b: M 6.4 – Sichuan-Gansu border region, China", Comprehensive Catalog, U.S. Geological Survey
- ANSS, "Sichuan 1976c: M 6.7 – Sichuan-Gansu border region, China", Comprehensive Catalog, U.S. Geological Survey
- International Seismological Centre, ISC-EHB Bulletin, Thatcham, United Kingdom
- International Seismological Centre, ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue, Thatcham, United Kingdom
- Jones, L. M.; Han, W.; Hauksson, E.; Jin, A.; Zhang, Y.; Luo, Z. (1984), "Focal mechanisms and aftershock locations of the Songpan earthquakes of August 1976 in Sichuan, China" (PDF), Journal of Geophysical Research, 89 (B9): 7697–7707, Bibcode:1984JGR....89.7697J, doi:10.1029/jb089ib09p07697.
External links
edit- The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.
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