The 2008 Kyrgyzstan earthquake struck on October 5 at 21:52 local time (15:52 UTC) with a moment magnitude of 6.6, killing 75 people, including 41 children,[1] and injuring 150 people, including 93 children.[2][3] The center of the earthquake was near the town of Nura, which was destroyed in the quake.[4] The shock destroyed dozens of buildings in the area and destroyed the nearby village of Kura.[5] Minor damage also occurred in nearby Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The quake was felt throughout Central Asia.[5] A magnitude 5.7 aftershock in Xinjiang[6] and a magnitude 5.1 aftershock in Kyrgyzstan[2] followed the earthquake. Two more aftershocks above magnitude 5 in Kyrgyzstan[7][8] and one in Xinjiang[9] struck on October 13, UTC time. Victims were transported in military helicopters to hospitals in Osh.[10]
 | |
| UTC time | 2008-10-05 15:52:49 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 13396075 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | October 5, 2008 |
| Local time | 21:52:49 KGT |
| Magnitude | 6.6 Mw |
| Depth | 27.6 kilometres (17 mi) |
| Epicenter | 39°50′54″N 73°46′4.8″E / 39.84833°N 73.768000°E |
| Areas affected | Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, China |
| Max. intensity | MMI VII (Very strong) |
| Casualties | 75 dead, 150 injured |
The Kyrgyzstan Emergency Ministry said that few buildings remained standing in the village: "Almost all buildings in the village have been destroyed. The only buildings remaining are the properly engineered ones which were built recently: the school and a medical clinic."[1] Kanatbek Abdrakhmatov, head of the Institute of Seismology, attributed much of the destruction due to inferior construction of the buildings, many of which were built out of clay and straw.[1]
The injured were paid 5,000 Kyrgyzstani soms (US$ 136) and 3 tons of coal, and families of the dead received 50 kg of flour.[11] 200 people wish to remain in Nura, and were provided with 100 6-person tents.[12] 100 mobile homes are being transported to Nura, and the village will be rebuilt in the spring of 2009, and should be completed by August 2009.[12] Uzbekistan pledged the equivalent of US$200,000 in humanitarian aid, including 120 tons of cement, as well as other building materials.[13]
In Kyrgyzstan, an official day of mourning was observed on October 7, 2008.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Namatbayeva, Tolkun (2008-10-08). "Choppers pick up quake injured". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ a b c "Kyrgyzstan mourns after quake kills at least 74". Associated Press. 2008-10-07. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ "150 injured, 74 dead in Nura village, emergencies ministry says". 24 Kyrgyzstan. 2008-10-08. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2008-10-08.
- ^ "Deadly earthquake hits Kyrgyzstan". BBC News. October 6, 2008. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
- ^ a b Saralayeva, Leila (2008-10-06). "Earthquake kills at least 72 in Kyrgyzstan". Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 9, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
- ^ "Magnitude 5.7 – SOUTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA". United States Geological Survey. October 5, 2008. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
- ^ "Magnitude 5.1 – KYRGYZSTAN". United States Geological Survey. October 13, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-19.[dead link]
- ^ "Magnitude 5.3 – KYRGYZSTAN". United States Geological Survey. October 13, 2008. Archived from the original on October 17, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ "Magnitude 5.1 – SOUTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA". United States Geological Survey. October 13, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-19.[dead link]
- ^ Stern, David L. (2008-10-06). "Quake Kills at Least 72 in Kyrgyzstan". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 3, 2015. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ Kutueva, Aizada (2008-10-09). "Kyrgyz government allocates 36mln KGS for earthquake victims support". 24 Kyrgyzstan. Archived from the original on 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ a b Cheban, Olga (2008-10-08). "New houses for earthquake victims to be built in spring 2009". 24 Kyrgyzstan. Archived from the original on 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
- ^ "Uzbekistan to provide humanitarian aid worth US$200,000 to Kyrgyz Republic". Turkish Weekly. 2008-10-09. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
External links
edit- The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.