2005 Kashmir earthquake: Difference between revisions

2005 Kashmir Earthquake
UTC time	??
Magnitude	7.6 Mw
Depth	10 km
Epicenter	Muzaffarabad, AJK
Areas affected	Pakistan; India; Afghanistan
Casualties	74,500+ dead (14th deadliest earthquake of all time); 106,000+ injured

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The 2005 Kashmir Earthquake (also known as the South Asian earthquake or the Great Pakistan earthquake) was a major earthquake centered in Azad Kashmir (Pakistan-administered Kashmir) and in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) near the city of Muzaffarabad. It occurred at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time (03:52:37 UTC) on 8 October, 2005. It happened when two earth plates moved towards each other and hit together; because Pakistan is on the edge of two earth plates the region had much damage. It registered a debatable moment magnitude of 7.6 making it similar in size to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the 1935 Quetta earthquake, and the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. As of 8 November, the government of Pakistan's official death toll was 79,000, while officials say nearly 1,400 people also died in Indian Kashmir and four people in Afghanistan. The severity of the damage caused by the quake is attributed to severe upthrust, coupled with poor construction.

Human impact

Believed to be the 14th most destructive earthquake of all time. People lived in mountainous regions with access impeded by landslides that blocked the roads, leaving an estimated 3.3 million homeless in Pakistan. The UN reported that 8 million people were directly affected. It is estimated that damages incurred are well over US$ 5 billion (300 billion Pakistani rupees) ^[1] Five crossing points were opened on the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan to facilitate the flow of humanitarian and medical aid to the affected region, and international aid teams from around the world came to the region to assist in relief.^[2] ^[3] ^[4]

The Earthquake

Pakistan Administered Kashmir lies in the area of collision of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. ^[5]. The geological activity born out of this collision, also responsible for the birth of the Himalayan mountain range, is the cause of unstable seismicity in the region. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured its magnitude as a minimum of 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale, with its epicentre at 34°29′35″N 73°37′44″E / 34.49306°N 73.62889°E / 34.49306; 73.62889, about 19 km (11.8 miles) northeast of Muzaffarabad, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, and 100 km (65 miles) north-northeast of the national capital Islamabad. The earthquake is classified as "major" by the USGS. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 26 km (16.2 miles) below the surface ^[6]. The Japan Meteorological Agency estimated its magnitude at a minimum of 7.8. By comparison, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake had a magnitude of 9.15. The earthquake caused widespread destruction in northern Pakistan, as well as damage in Afghanistan and northern India. The worst hit areas were Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), western and southern parts of the Kashmir valley. It also affected some parts of the Pakistani province of Punjab, the capital city of Islamabad, and the city of Karachi experienced a minor aftershock of magnitude 4.6. There have been many secondary earthquakes in the region, mainly to the northwest of the original epicentre. A total of 147 aftershocks were registered in the first day after the initial quake, of which one had a magnitude of 6.2 ^[6] Twenty-eight of these aftershocks occurred with magnitudes greater. On October 19, a series of strong aftershocks, one with a magnitude of 5.8, ^[6] occurred about 65 km (40.5 miles) north-northwest of Muzaffarabad. ^[7] There have been more than 978 aftershocks with a magnitude of 4.0 and above, as of 27 October 2005 ^[8] that continue to occur daily. (See USGS for a list of recent aftershocks and effects.) Since then, measures from satellites have shown, that mountain parts directly above the epicenter have risen by a few meters, giving ample proof, that the rising of the Himalayas are still going on, and that this earthquake was a consequence of that.^[9]

Casualties

2005 Kashmir earthquake casualties
Location	Dead	Injured
NWFP, Pakistan Azad Kashmir, Kashmir region	73,338	100,000
Jammu & Kashmir, administered by India	1,360	6,266
Afghanistan	4	14
Total	74,500+	106,000+

Most of the casualties resulting from the earthquake were in Pakistan administered Kashmir where the official confirmed death toll is 74,698, putting it higher than the massive scale of destruction of the 1935 Quetta earthquake. Nearly 1,400 people died in Jammu and Kashmir, according to officials. ^[10] International donors have estimated that about 86,000 died but this has not been confirmed or endorsed by Pakistani authorities.

As Saturday is a normal school day in the region, most students were at schools when the earthquake struck. Many were buried under collapsed school buildings. Many people were also trapped in their homes and, because it was the month of Ramadan, most people were taking a nap after their pre-dawn meal and did not have time to escape during the earthquake. Reports indicate that entire towns and villages were completely wiped out in Northern Pakistan with other surrounding areas also suffering severe damage.

"...a second, massive wave of death will happen if we do not step up our efforts now", Kofi Annan said on 20 October with reference to the thousand remote villages in which people are in need of medical attention, food, clean water and shelter and the 120,000 survivors that have not yet been reached." ^[11]

According to Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz

"made the appeal to survivors" on 26 October to come down to valleys and cities for relief, ^[2] because bad weather, mountainous terrain, landslides and blocked roads are making it difficult for relief workers to reach each house and the winter snows are imminent."

Afghan Territory

Four deaths were reported in Afghanistan, including a young girl who died in Jalalabad after a wall collapsed on her. The quake was felt in Kabul, but the effects were minimal.

International response

Many countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations have offered relief aid to the region, in the form of donation as well as relief supplies including food, medical supplies, tents and blankets.

Rescue and relief workers were sent to the region from different parts of the world and they brought along rescue equipment, including helicopters and rescue dogs. Flights to Muzaffarabad were packed with members of family of those caught in the destruction, and many already feared dead.

The United Nations has appealed for donations to raise at least US$272 million to help victims of the quake.

File:Lions-House-Kashmir.jpg

Houses Constructed by Lions Clubs International

The International Association of Lions Clubs (LCI) & Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) donated an amount of US$ 892,000/- for the reconstruction of 150 houses along with supporting infrastructure and a water supply system at Village Anwar Sharif, Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir.

The project was completed in July 2007 and the houses were handed over to their occupants by the International Director of Lions Clubs International, Lion Malik Khuda Baksh on July 26, 2007. Mr. Raja Zulqarnain Khan, President of the Azad Kashmir was the Chief Guest of the Ceremony.

A team of volunteer New York City paramedics traveled to the remote villages of Kashmir two weeks after the earthquake and treated over 200 patients a day in a two week relief effort.^[12]

Many international relief organizations remain, particularly in the hard hit areas of NWFP and rural Kashmir ^[13].

Notes

^ The Illinois International Review - The Pakistan Earthquake of October 2005: A Reminder of Human-Science Interaction in Natural Disasters Risk Management
^ ^a ^b "Pakistan Asks Quake Survivors to Leave Mountains Before Winter" (Bloomberg), Bloomberg.com, 26 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006 Cite error: The named reference "bloomberg1" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
^ "New figures put quake toll at more than 79,000" AP, ,,MSNBC.com, 19 October 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006
^ "South Asia Earthquake: Fact Sheet #25 (FY 2006)" Reliefweb.com, 17 November 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006
^ A Biography of the Himalaya
^ ^a ^b ^c USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
^ "Pak in panic as quake rocks Kashmir" Reuters, The Financial Express, 19 October 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006
^ "Pakistan: A summary report on Muzaffarabad earthquake" ReliefWeb, 7 November 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006
^ BBC series: Earth: The Power of the Planet, part 1. Volcano
^ BBC News - Earthquake toll leaps to 73,000
^ "Thousands at risk of starving in earthquake aid shortfall" The Times, 21 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006
^ NYC Medics
^ AmeriCares Relief Efforts in Pakistan

References

"A crisis of neglect". (6 November 2005). New Sunday Times, p. 18.
"Pneumonia hits Pakistan quake zone". (8 November 2005). New Straits Times, p. 6.
"Quake death toll now 87,350". (29 November 2005). New Straits Times, p. 6.