1996 Lijiang earthquake

The 1996 Lijiang earthquake occurred at 19:14 on 3 February near Lijiang City, Yunnan in southwestern China. The shock measured 6.6 on the moment magnitude scale and had a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme).

1996 Lijiang earthquake
UTC time1996-02-03 11:14:22
ISC event945500
USGS-ANSSComCat
Local dateFebruary 3, 1996 (1996-02-03)
Local time19:14:22 CST
Magnitude6.6 Mw[1]
Depth11 km (6.8 mi)[1]
Epicenter27.30°N 100.29°E / 27.30; 100.29[1]
Areas affectedChina, Lijiang City, Yunnan
Max. intensityX (Extreme)[2]
Casualties309–322 killed[1]
16,925–17,057 injured[1]

Earthquake

According to authorities, up to 322 people died and more than 17,000 were injured.[3] About 358,000 buildings were destroyed, and 320,000 people were made homeless.[1]

Damage

The earthquake destroyed many structures and buildings in the region; property damage was estimated at 506 million US dollars.[3] In addition to damage to structures, it triggered more than 200 landslides in a 12,000 km2 area. Many further landslides occurred in the months afterwards, as monsoon rains swept away debris already loosened, and as late as 1999, scientists warned that widespread ground fracturing throughout much of the area might lead to further landsliding in the event of heavy rain.[4]

Aftershocks

One hundred and eighty-four aftershocks occurred in the first 26 hours, including 18 which measured between 4.0 and 4.8 on the Richter scale.[5]

Aftermath

Many high-rise buildings in the area were torn down and traditional single-family dwellings were constructed in their place. Reconstruction assistance from the provincial government and the World Bank was used to restore traditional streets, bridges, and canals. These efforts played a major role in Lijiang's efforts to achieve the World Heritage Site designation by UNESCO.[6]

See also

References
  1. USGS (September 4, 2009), PAGER-CAT Earthquake Catalog, Version 2008_06.1, United States Geological Survey
  2. USGS (December 1, 2008), EXPO-CAT Earthquake Catalog, Version 2007-12, United States Geological Survey
  3. "Significant Earthquake". www.ngdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
  4. Tang, C.; J. Grunert (1999). "Inventory of Landslides Triggered by the 1996 Lijiang Earthquake, Yunnan Province, China". Transactions of the Japanese Geomorphological Union. 20 (3): 335–49. ISSN 0389-1755. Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  5. Tyler, Patrick E. (1996-02-05). "China Appeals for Aid After Earthquake Kills 200". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
  6. Ebbe, Katrinka. "Lijiang, China - Earthquake Reconstruction and Heritage Conservation". The World Bank. Retrieved 2007-12-01. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

Further reading
  • Zhou, Jia-Wen; Xu, Wei-Ya; Yang, Xing-Guo; Shi, Chong; Yang, Zhao-Hui (2010), "The 28 October 1996 landslide and analysis of the stability of the current Huashiban slope at the Liangjiaren Hydropower Station, Southwest China", Engineering Geology, 114 (1–2): 45–56, doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2010.04.001
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