Hundreds Dead or Missing in SW China Quake

EARTHQUAKE
MAJOR DISASTER
MASS CASUALTIES
SCENARIOS 444, 080, 070, 09, 08, 07
.

Deadly Earthquake Destroys Thousands of Homes in SW China’s Yunnan Province

At least 150 people have been killed, 180 others missing and more than 1,300 injured after a strong earthquake rocked southwest China’s Yunnan Province Sunday afternoon, reported Xinhua.

Centered at 27.1°N,  103.3°E, the strong shock occurred at a depth of 12 km in Longtoushan township, 23 km southwest of Ludian [population: ~ 266,000,] Zhaotong City, at about 16:30  (Beijing Time), said the report.

“As of 8:00 p.m., more than 120 residents were killed, over 180 were missing and 1,300 got injured in Ludian County, according to the local government.”

The quake destroyed more than 12,000 houses and damaged 30,000 more, cutting off transportation, electricity and telecommunications links throughout the county, officials have said.

The quake has killed at least 30 others in two neighboring counties, the report said.

“It’s so terrible. The aftermath is much much worse than what happened after the quake two years ago. I have never felt so strong tremors before. What I can see are all ruins,” said a resident.

“Too many buildings were damaged and we are collecting data on deaths and injuries,” said the head of the Longtoushan township, adding an rescue operation is under way.

“The road leading to the township was damaged in a landslide before the quake and the traffic has not been resumed.”

Related Links

• Strong Quake Strikes North of PNG on August 3, 2014

State of Emergency Declared in Ohio amid Major Health Threat

WATER CONTAMINATION
SCENARIOS 797, 05
.

Toxins Contaminate Toledo Water

Toxins, either from algae formed on Lake Erie or released during fracking, have contaminated the water supply of Toledo, Ohio’s fourth-largest city, forcing the governor to declare a state of emergency and the officials to warn residents not to drink the water.

Residents have been warned not to cook using tap water or use the contaminated water for bathing children. They have also been told not to boil the tap water because it will only increase the toxin’s concentration.

“The city advised about 400,000 residents in Toledo, most of its suburbs and a few areas in southeastern Michigan not to brush their teeth with or boil the water because that would only increase the toxin’s concentration. The mayor also warned that children should not shower or bathe in the water and that it shouldn’t be given to pets,” said a report.

“We don’t really want to speculate on this,” Gov Kasich told the AP. “When it comes to this water, we’ve got be very careful.”

“What’s more important than water? Water’s about life,” he said. “We know it’s difficult. We know it’s frustrating.”

“The state emergency operations center has been activated in response to the water contamination issue affecting the Toledo area,” said Ohio EMA.

Stores in Toledo area have run out of bottled water as residents rushed to stock up supplies.

“These organisms are capable of producing a number of toxins that may pose a risk to human and animal health,” officials said in a press release.

Consuming the contaminated water could result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other health problems.

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• If Anything Can Explode, Leak, Contaminate… January 12, 2014
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• Officials ‘Baffled’ by LNG Explosion in Washington April 6, 2014

Strong Quake Strikes North of PNG

UPDATED @ 12:20UTC

SEISMIC HAZARD
HEIGHTENED GLOBAL SEISMICITY
SCENARIOS 08, 07
.

M6.9 occurs near E. Caroline Islands, Micronesia

Centered at 0.844°N, 146.144°E the quake struck at a depth of 10.6km (6.6mi), said USGS/EHP.

The main shock was followed by at least 2 significant aftershocks, the largest of which measured 6.1Mw, as of posting.

The quake was initially recorded as a M7.2 by USGS/EHP, but was later downgraded.

NO destructive tsunami has occurred.

EQ Details

Magnitude: 6.9Mw
Event Time: 2014-08-03 00:22:03 UTC
Location: 0.844°N 146.144°E depth=10.6km (6.6mi)
Nearby Cities: 340km (211mi) NNW of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea

OTHER SIGNIFICANT QUAKES

M6.5 earthquake rocked Ludian County, Zhaotong City, in southwest China’s Yunnan Province at 4:30 p.m. Sunday (Beijing Time), said the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC), Xinhua reported.

The quake was centered at 27.1N,  103.3E, and occurred  at a depth of 12 kilometers, according to the CENC.

“I felt a strong jolt on my fifth-floor home and some small objects in my home fell off the shelves,” said a resident in the county seat of Ludian.

Zhaotong is about 300 km from Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan, where a magnitude 5.7 quake killed 80 people and injured more than 800 others in September 2012, said the report.

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in the same area caused about 1,500 deaths in 1974.

M5.7 – 140km WSW of Naze, Japan
Event Time: 2014-08-03 04:06:04 UTC
Location: 28.031°N 128.105°E depth=10.0km (6.2mi)
[USGS/EHP]

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