2010 Yushu earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Yushu earthquake struck on April 14, 2010, and registered a magnitude of 6.9Mw
(USGS, EMSC
) or 7.1Ms
(CEA
, CENC). It originated in Yushu, Qinghai
, China
, at local time. According to the Xinhua News Agency
, 2,698 people have been confirmed dead, 270 missing, and 12,135 injured of which 1,434 are severely injured. The epicenter
was located in Rima village (日玛村/日麻村), Upper Laxiu township (上拉秀乡) of Yushu County, in remote and rugged terrain, near the border of Tibet Autonomous Region
. The epicenter is about 30 km from Gyêgu town or Jyekundo, the seat of Yushu County, and about 240 km from Qamdo. The epicenter was in a sparsely populated area on the Tibetan plateau that is regularly hit by earthquakes.
The 12th century Thrangu Monastery
and surrounding villages were severely damaged and many monks and villagers were killed.
Qinghai lies in the northeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau
, which formed due to the ongoing collision
of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate
. The main deformation in this area is crustal
shortening
, but there is also a component of left lateral strike-slip faulting on major west–east trending structures such as the Kunlun
and Altyn Tagh fault systems that accommodate southeastward translation of the Tibetan area.
The earthquake occurred on the Yushu fault, about 300 kilometres (186 mi) south of the Kunlun fault. The Yushu fault forms part of the Yushu-Garzê
-Xianshuihe
fault zone (玉树-甘孜-鲜水河断裂带), one of the most active fault zones in eastern Tibet. In history, many earthquakes greater than magnitude 7 have occurred in the Xianshuihe fault zone, for example, the magnitude 7.25 earthquake in the Luhuo area on March 24, 1923, and the Ms 7.6 earthquake on February 6, 1973 in Luhuo. Almost all sections of the Xianshuihe fault zone have produced strong earthquakes in records, except the sections of Yushu and Shimian (石棉). However, a trace of a strong earthquake occurred about 16,000 or 17,000 years ago has been found in Shimian. Hence, the Shimian section of the Xianshuihe fault zone is speculated to be currently locked and have the possibility of producing a strong earthquake in the future.
of Yushu Prefecture. At least 11 schools were destroyed in the earthquake. Over 85% of buildings in Gyegu, mostly of wood-earth construction, were destroyed, leaving hundreds trapped and thousands homeless. A vocational school collapsed and trapped many students. Power outage was also reported in Gyêgu.
In Sichuan
, strong shaking could be felt in the counties of Sêrxü
, Dêgê, and Baiyü
, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
. Road damage was reported in Sêrxü County.
Due to the rough terrain and the fact that landslides have destroyed the local infrastructure, the initial rescue operations were undertaken by the People's Armed Police
and People's Liberation Army
soldiers of Lanzhou Military Region. The Qinghai provincial government said in a public statement that five thousand tents, 100,000 thick, cotton coats, and heavy blankets were being sent to help survivors cope with the strong winds and near-freezing temperatures of around 6 °C (42.8 °F).
The Yushu Batang Airport
was re-opened at noon on Wednesday, April 14, and the first flight with personnel and supplies of the China International Earthquake Rescue Team landed there at 8 pm.
The Changu (禅古) Dam, located on the Batang River (巴塘河; a right tributary of the upper Yangtze River
) some 15 km upstream from the Yushu County seat (apparently at 32°54′40"N 97°02′50"E), was damaged by the earthquake. Chinese language news reports as translated in a press release from the International Rivers stated that it is "at the risk of collapse at any time."
and Premier Wen Jiabao
urged all-out efforts to help rescue those affected by the earthquake. Several hours after news of the quake broke, Vice Premier Hui Liangyu was sent to the region to oversee rescue efforts. Some 3,700 personnel from the Qinghai division of the People's Armed Police
was sent to the region to aid in rescue efforts. Specialty personnel also arrived from neighbouring provinces Gansu
, Shaanxi
, and Ningxia
, as well as the Tibet Autonomous Region.
President Hu Jintao was in Brazil at the time and decided to cut short a state visit and BRIC
summit and rush back to China to co-ordinate rescue efforts. He also postponed his upcoming tour to Venezuela
and Chile
. Premier Wen Jiabao
arrived in Yushu on April 15 to lead rescue work, and postponed his trip to southeast Asia. Hu arrived in Yushu three days after Wen, to help guide the relief efforts and console victims.
. The event, which drew many celebrities and a large viewership, raised some 2.2 billion yuan ($US 322 million), which exceeded the amount raised in a similar gala for the Sichuan earthquake. April 21 was declared a national day of mourning, reminiscent of a similar event in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake
. At Zhongnanhai
, President Hu Jintao led a minute of silence, alongside the entire Politburo Standing Committee. Newspapers printed in black and white, and all major websites also changed their home page to black and white to reflect the grave mood. Qiang Wei
, CPC Party chief of Qinghai, led a large ceremony in Xining; a minute of silence was observed across the entire province, when police sirens and horns sounded.
During the National Day of Mourning, all public entertainment activities were cancelled, and all state-run networks as well as some provincial networks redirected their regular programming to non-stop earthquake coverage. The National Mourning sparked public debate about civil rights on Chinese web forums. The programming particularly irritated football fans, who complained that UEFA Champions League
coverage of the Barcelona vs. Inter Milan match was replaced by earthquake coverage, accusing the authorities of being overly concerned with appearances.
City University of Hong Kong
professor Zheng Yutou opined that the "Day of Mourning" reflected China's political values - that collective interests and values outweigh those of individuals. Zheng said that this was diametrically opposed to the emphasis on individualism in Western countries. Zheng believed that a top-down public directive for the country is a reflection that without democracy, a formal Day of Mourning is one of a few ways to show that the leadership is concerned about the welfare of the people. A South China Morning Post article said the event was an attempt to distract the public from other ongoing social problems. Yuan Weishi, retired professor at Sun Yat-sen University
, disagreed with the assessment that the Day of Mourning should be seen as a political event. He said that the event is not at all surprising given the circumstances, and that there is no real threat to civil liberties. Yuan said that "politicizing the situation makes it needlessly tense". Duowei added that National Days of Mourning have been held in many countries for large natural disasters and emerging as the "international norm".
of Hong Kong's Phoenix Television
, and the Associated Press
, thousands of Tibetan monks were active in the search and rescue for quake victims buried in the rubble, and were successful in the retrieving of buried yet still alive victims, as well as the retrieving of dead bodies and the subsequent conducting of traditional Tibetan sky burial
or mass cremation.
Monks provided spiritual services and consoling for families of the victims, and performed burial rites. Due to the great number of ethnic Tibetan victims in the quake, local clergy from monasteries said that the traditional sky burial
funeral rites would be too difficult to manage, and that the unsanitary conditions meant that the souls of the departed may not reach heaven. A local monk said that it was determined a mass cremation, presided over by local Buddhist monks, would be the most appropriate funeral rite for the victims. The Qinghai provincial Department of Civil Affairs sent out directives that funeral customs for local ethnic minorities must be respected, that the victims themselves must be treated with respect, and for a DNA bank to be set up for bodies who have not yet been identified.
Reports later surfaced in Western media that groups of monks were also asked to leave the disaster area via telephone by local authorities. One monk said that the government may have been concerned about their safety.
(Taiwan) Red Cross Society send a 20-member medical team, composed of volunteers who have extensive experience with first aid and emergency procedures in earthquake and flooding rescue missions, to Qinghai province earthquake area, together with one tonne of medicine and equipment. “We tried to send more supplies but there was not sufficient airlift capacity in the disaster area,” an ROC Red Cross Society spokesman said.
The American Red Cross
has sent an initial sum of $50 000 in relief funds to help affected families in the Qinghai Province. Many countries and organizations around the world sent condolences and pledged assistance if necessary. The large Artistes 414 Fund Raising Campaign
was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum
on April 26, 2010.
, as 300 Guangdong
rescuers were forced to be evacuated into lower altitude area, and one Chinese reporter was confirmed dead due to pulmonary complications caused by lack of oxygen.
praised the work of monks in two separate stories, while also stressing the re-building of temples in the region. In addition, state media avoided mention of schools that may have collapsed during the quake, with fresh memories of the public and foreign media backlash from a school construction scandal in Sichuan.
There were earlier rumours that the authorities were attempting to hide the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake. In response, Guo Weimin of the State Council Information Office responded that "all the information coming out of the disaster zone has been accurate, timely, transparent... we will not, have not, and have no reason to alter any of the statistics regarding fatalities." News reporting has also been relatively open; foreign media have been reporting in the area without government interference. In addition, bloggers and independent journalists were also allowed to report in the area, although more "sensitive" issues such as ethnic relations and religion face restrictions. Tibetan activist Woeser acknowledged that the government's relief efforts have been robust, but remarked that relief funds risk embezzlement from local officials. In regards to the authorities declining entry of foreign personnel to the region, the National Ministry of Defence stated that the terrain in Qinghai is rough and that funding and personnel have been largely sufficient for the relief efforts, and that foreign organizations could contribute through monetary donations.
and followed by several aftershock
s, four above magnitude 5, including a M5.8 aftershock at a 4 km (2.5 mi) depth on April 14.
Officials have warned that aftershocks above magnitude 5.5 are likely to continue, and the China Earthquake Networks Center warned that further aftershocks above magnitude 6 are likely for several days following the main earthquake.
Only shocks with magnitude 4.0 or higher are listed. Shocks with magnitude 5.5 or higher are highlighted in light blue. The main shock with moment magnitude 6.9 Mw
is highlighted in dark blue.
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
(USGS, EMSC
European Alert System
The European Alert System is an earthquake warning system for member states of the Council of Europe's EUR-OPA Major Hazards Agreement....
) or 7.1Ms
Surface wave magnitude
The surface wave magnitude scale is one of the magnitude scales used in seismology to describe the size of an earthquake. It is based on measurements in Rayleigh surface waves that travel primarily along the uppermost layers of the earth...
(CEA
China Earthquake Administration
The China Earthquake Administration , is mandated by the Law of the People's Republic of China on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters of PRC to enforce the earthquake administration in the nation under the administration of State Council of the People's Republic of China.Some...
, CENC). It originated in Yushu, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, at local time. According to the Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press conferences in the PRC. It is the largest news agency in the PRC, ahead of the China News Service...
, 2,698 people have been confirmed dead, 270 missing, and 12,135 injured of which 1,434 are severely injured. The epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
was located in Rima village (日玛村/日麻村), Upper Laxiu township (上拉秀乡) of Yushu County, in remote and rugged terrain, near the border of Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
. The epicenter is about 30 km from Gyêgu town or Jyekundo, the seat of Yushu County, and about 240 km from Qamdo. The epicenter was in a sparsely populated area on the Tibetan plateau that is regularly hit by earthquakes.
The 12th century Thrangu Monastery
Thrangu Monastery
Thrangu Monastery is located about 7 km south of Jyekundo in Kham, in what is now the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province of China.-Description:...
and surrounding villages were severely damaged and many monks and villagers were killed.
Geology
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
, which formed due to the ongoing collision
Continental collision
Continental collision is a phenomenon of the plate tectonics of Earth that occurs at convergent boundaries. Continental collision is a variation on the fundamental process of subduction, whereby the subduction zone is destroyed, mountains produced, and two continents sutured together...
of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate
Eurasian Plate
The Eurasian Plate is a tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia , with the notable exceptions of the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian subcontinent, and the area east of the Chersky Range in East Siberia...
. The main deformation in this area is crustal
Crust (geology)
In geology, the crust is the outermost solid shell of a rocky planet or natural satellite, which is chemically distinct from the underlying mantle...
shortening
Thrust tectonics
Thrust tectonics or contractional tectonics is concerned with the structures formed, and the tectonic processes associated with, the shortening and thickening of the crust or lithosphere.-Deformation styles:...
, but there is also a component of left lateral strike-slip faulting on major west–east trending structures such as the Kunlun
Kunlun fault
The Kunlun fault is a strike slip fault to the north side of Tibet. Slippage along the long fault has occurred at a constant rate for the last 40,000 years. This has resulted in a cumulative offset of more than . The fault is seismically active, most recently causing the magnitude 7.8 2001 Kunlun...
and Altyn Tagh fault systems that accommodate southeastward translation of the Tibetan area.
The earthquake occurred on the Yushu fault, about 300 kilometres (186 mi) south of the Kunlun fault. The Yushu fault forms part of the Yushu-Garzê
Garzê County
Garzê County is one of the 18 subdivisions of the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province, China. The Yalong River passes just south of the town Garzê, also known as Ganzi, the capital town of the county, which has some 9,000 inhabitants , many of them ethnic Tibetans, and is famous...
-Xianshuihe
Xianshui River
Xianshui River is a river in Sichuan, China, and a tributary of the Yangtze. It has two sources, the rivers of Da-chu and Nyi-chu . From the confluence of the two rivers in Luhuo, the name changes to Xianshui River. It flows into the Yalong River at Yajiang. A hydroelectric plant in Luhuo was...
fault zone (玉树-甘孜-鲜水河断裂带), one of the most active fault zones in eastern Tibet. In history, many earthquakes greater than magnitude 7 have occurred in the Xianshuihe fault zone, for example, the magnitude 7.25 earthquake in the Luhuo area on March 24, 1923, and the Ms 7.6 earthquake on February 6, 1973 in Luhuo. Almost all sections of the Xianshuihe fault zone have produced strong earthquakes in records, except the sections of Yushu and Shimian (石棉). However, a trace of a strong earthquake occurred about 16,000 or 17,000 years ago has been found in Shimian. Hence, the Shimian section of the Xianshuihe fault zone is speculated to be currently locked and have the possibility of producing a strong earthquake in the future.
Damage
In Qinghai, building damage was reported with no casualties in the counties of Zadoi, Nangqên, and QumarlebQumarleb County
Qumarlêb County Qumarlêb County Qumarlêb County (Tibetan pinyin: ཆུ་དམར་ལེབ་རྫོང; is a county in the northeast of the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, south-central Qinghai province, Western China...
of Yushu Prefecture. At least 11 schools were destroyed in the earthquake. Over 85% of buildings in Gyegu, mostly of wood-earth construction, were destroyed, leaving hundreds trapped and thousands homeless. A vocational school collapsed and trapped many students. Power outage was also reported in Gyêgu.
In Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, strong shaking could be felt in the counties of Sêrxü
Sêrxü County
Sêrxü County , or Sershul, Dzachuka, Serxu, Shiqu, is a county of the Garzê Prefecture, in the Sichuan province, China.-Geography:Serxu District is situated at the northernmost tip of Sichuan province....
, Dêgê, and Baiyü
Baiyü County
Baiyü County is a county of far western Sichuan province in Southwest China, on the border with the Tibet Autonomous Region. It is under the administration of the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture....
, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in Sichuan whose capital is Kangding . It is sometimes spelled as "Kardze" by non-government sources....
. Road damage was reported in Sêrxü County.
Due to the rough terrain and the fact that landslides have destroyed the local infrastructure, the initial rescue operations were undertaken by the People's Armed Police
People's Armed Police
The People's Armed Police , officially Chinese People's Armed Police Force is a paramilitary or gendarmerie force primarily responsible for civilian policing and fire rescue duties in the People's Republic of China, as well as provide support to PLA during wartime.In contrast to public security...
and People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
soldiers of Lanzhou Military Region. The Qinghai provincial government said in a public statement that five thousand tents, 100,000 thick, cotton coats, and heavy blankets were being sent to help survivors cope with the strong winds and near-freezing temperatures of around 6 °C (42.8 °F).
The Yushu Batang Airport
Yushu Batang Airport
The Yushu Batang Airport is the airport serving Yushu County in Qinghai Province, China. It is located 18 kilometers to the south of the county seat, Gyêgu, at the 3,890 meters elevation about the sea level, which makes it the highest civilian airport in Qinghai Province, and the third highest...
was re-opened at noon on Wednesday, April 14, and the first flight with personnel and supplies of the China International Earthquake Rescue Team landed there at 8 pm.
The Changu (禅古) Dam, located on the Batang River (巴塘河; a right tributary of the upper Yangtze River
Tongtian River
The Tongtian River is a section of the Yangtze River within China's Qinghai Province. . It is one of the...
) some 15 km upstream from the Yushu County seat (apparently at 32°54′40"N 97°02′50"E), was damaged by the earthquake. Chinese language news reports as translated in a press release from the International Rivers stated that it is "at the risk of collapse at any time."
Response
Chinese President Hu JintaoHu Jintao
Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...
and Premier Wen Jiabao
Wen Jiabao
Wen Jiabao is the sixth and current Premier and Party secretary of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, serving as China's head of government and leading its cabinet. In his capacity as Premier, Wen is regarded as the leading figure behind China's economic policy...
urged all-out efforts to help rescue those affected by the earthquake. Several hours after news of the quake broke, Vice Premier Hui Liangyu was sent to the region to oversee rescue efforts. Some 3,700 personnel from the Qinghai division of the People's Armed Police
People's Armed Police
The People's Armed Police , officially Chinese People's Armed Police Force is a paramilitary or gendarmerie force primarily responsible for civilian policing and fire rescue duties in the People's Republic of China, as well as provide support to PLA during wartime.In contrast to public security...
was sent to the region to aid in rescue efforts. Specialty personnel also arrived from neighbouring provinces Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
, and Ningxia
Ningxia
Ningxia, formerly transliterated as Ningsia, is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. Located in Northwest China, on the Loess Plateau, the Yellow River flows through this vast area of land. The Great Wall of China runs along its northeastern boundary...
, as well as the Tibet Autonomous Region.
President Hu Jintao was in Brazil at the time and decided to cut short a state visit and BRIC
BRIC
In economics, BRIC is a grouping acronym that refers to the countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China, which are all deemed to be at a similar stage of newly advanced economic development...
summit and rush back to China to co-ordinate rescue efforts. He also postponed his upcoming tour to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. Premier Wen Jiabao
Wen Jiabao
Wen Jiabao is the sixth and current Premier and Party secretary of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, serving as China's head of government and leading its cabinet. In his capacity as Premier, Wen is regarded as the leading figure behind China's economic policy...
arrived in Yushu on April 15 to lead rescue work, and postponed his trip to southeast Asia. Hu arrived in Yushu three days after Wen, to help guide the relief efforts and console victims.
Tribute and Day of Mourning
On the evening of April 20, a national evening gala was hosted on China Central TelevisionChina Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
. The event, which drew many celebrities and a large viewership, raised some 2.2 billion yuan ($US 322 million), which exceeded the amount raised in a similar gala for the Sichuan earthquake. April 21 was declared a national day of mourning, reminiscent of a similar event in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake
2008 Sichuan earthquake
The 2008 Sichuan earthquake or the Great Sichuan Earthquake was a deadly earthquake that measured at 8.0 Msand 7.9 Mw occurred at 14:28:01 CST...
. At Zhongnanhai
Zhongnanhai
Zhongnanhai is an area in central Beijing, China adjacent to the Forbidden City which serves as the central headquarters for the Communist Party of China and the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The term Zhongnanhai is closely linked with the central government and senior Communist...
, President Hu Jintao led a minute of silence, alongside the entire Politburo Standing Committee. Newspapers printed in black and white, and all major websites also changed their home page to black and white to reflect the grave mood. Qiang Wei
Qiang Wei
Qiang Wei is a politician of the People's Republic of China, and the current secretary of CPC Qinghai committee.He joined the Communist Party of China in March 1975, and graduated from University of Science and Technology of China with a master's degree in economic management...
, CPC Party chief of Qinghai, led a large ceremony in Xining; a minute of silence was observed across the entire province, when police sirens and horns sounded.
During the National Day of Mourning, all public entertainment activities were cancelled, and all state-run networks as well as some provincial networks redirected their regular programming to non-stop earthquake coverage. The National Mourning sparked public debate about civil rights on Chinese web forums. The programming particularly irritated football fans, who complained that UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
coverage of the Barcelona vs. Inter Milan match was replaced by earthquake coverage, accusing the authorities of being overly concerned with appearances.
City University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong
City University of Hong Kong is a comprehensive research university in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1984 as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and became a fully accredited university in 1994. It has achieved fast growth in recent years and received international recognition for its academic achievements...
professor Zheng Yutou opined that the "Day of Mourning" reflected China's political values - that collective interests and values outweigh those of individuals. Zheng said that this was diametrically opposed to the emphasis on individualism in Western countries. Zheng believed that a top-down public directive for the country is a reflection that without democracy, a formal Day of Mourning is one of a few ways to show that the leadership is concerned about the welfare of the people. A South China Morning Post article said the event was an attempt to distract the public from other ongoing social problems. Yuan Weishi, retired professor at Sun Yat-sen University
Sun Yat-sen University
Sun Yat-sen University, also unofficially referred to as Zhongshan University , is a prominent university located mainly in Guangzhou, China. The University is named after Dr...
, disagreed with the assessment that the Day of Mourning should be seen as a political event. He said that the event is not at all surprising given the circumstances, and that there is no real threat to civil liberties. Yuan said that "politicizing the situation makes it needlessly tense". Duowei added that National Days of Mourning have been held in many countries for large natural disasters and emerging as the "international norm".
Role of monks and victims' rites
According to television reports filed by Chen XiaonanChen Xiaonan
Chen Xiaonan is a Phoenix Television talk show host.Chen Xiaonan began working at Beijing Television and CCTV at 1994, and joined Phoenix Television at 2000.-Reference:...
of Hong Kong's Phoenix Television
Phoenix Television
Phoenix Satellite Television Holdings Ltd or Phoenix Television is a Hong Kong-based Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese television broadcaster that serves the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong along with other markets with substantial Chinese viewers...
, and the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, thousands of Tibetan monks were active in the search and rescue for quake victims buried in the rubble, and were successful in the retrieving of buried yet still alive victims, as well as the retrieving of dead bodies and the subsequent conducting of traditional Tibetan sky burial
Sky burial
Sky burial, or ritual dissection, is a funerary practice in Tibet, wherein a human corpse was incised in certain locations and placed on a mountaintop, exposing it to the elements and animals – especially to predatory birds. The locations of preparation and sky burial are understood in the...
or mass cremation.
Monks provided spiritual services and consoling for families of the victims, and performed burial rites. Due to the great number of ethnic Tibetan victims in the quake, local clergy from monasteries said that the traditional sky burial
Sky burial
Sky burial, or ritual dissection, is a funerary practice in Tibet, wherein a human corpse was incised in certain locations and placed on a mountaintop, exposing it to the elements and animals – especially to predatory birds. The locations of preparation and sky burial are understood in the...
funeral rites would be too difficult to manage, and that the unsanitary conditions meant that the souls of the departed may not reach heaven. A local monk said that it was determined a mass cremation, presided over by local Buddhist monks, would be the most appropriate funeral rite for the victims. The Qinghai provincial Department of Civil Affairs sent out directives that funeral customs for local ethnic minorities must be respected, that the victims themselves must be treated with respect, and for a DNA bank to be set up for bodies who have not yet been identified.
Reports later surfaced in Western media that groups of monks were also asked to leave the disaster area via telephone by local authorities. One monk said that the government may have been concerned about their safety.
External aid
On April 18, the Republic of ChinaRepublic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan) Red Cross Society send a 20-member medical team, composed of volunteers who have extensive experience with first aid and emergency procedures in earthquake and flooding rescue missions, to Qinghai province earthquake area, together with one tonne of medicine and equipment. “We tried to send more supplies but there was not sufficient airlift capacity in the disaster area,” an ROC Red Cross Society spokesman said.
The American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
has sent an initial sum of $50 000 in relief funds to help affected families in the Qinghai Province. Many countries and organizations around the world sent condolences and pledged assistance if necessary. The large Artistes 414 Fund Raising Campaign
Artistes 414 Fund Raising Campaign
Artistes 414 Fund Raising Campaign was a major fund raising campaign held at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong for the victims of the 2010 Yushu earthquake. The concert began at 6pm of April 26, 2010 lasting until 11pm...
was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum
Hong Kong Coliseum is a multi-purpose indoor arena, in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong.It was built by the Urban Council and inaugurated on 27 April 1983....
on April 26, 2010.
High altitude sickness
Since Yushu is located at 4000 meter high altitude when concentration of oxygen is much thinner than that at sea level, many rescuers who come from low land have fallen ill due to high altitude sicknessAltitude sickness
Altitude sickness—also known as acute mountain sickness , altitude illness, hypobaropathy, or soroche—is a pathological effect of high altitude on humans, caused by acute exposure to low partial pressure of oxygen at high altitude...
, as 300 Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
rescuers were forced to be evacuated into lower altitude area, and one Chinese reporter was confirmed dead due to pulmonary complications caused by lack of oxygen.
Political issues
The earthquake occurred in a Tibetan region in Qinghai province, where 93% of the local population is of Tibetan ethnicity, and many locals do not speak or understand Mandarin Chinese, and the community was home to large numbers of Tibetan Buddhists. A New York Times editorial wrote that while the death toll was small compared to the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, the rapid mobilization and highly organized relief effort "underscored the Communist Party’s determination to rally the nation and transform the disaster into a showcase of its benevolence and resolve", as well as an opportunity to showcase ethnic unity and a "softer side" of the government, who is often seen as being at odds with the Tibetan population. State news broadcasts stressed ethnic unity and the heroism of the rescue workers, the military, and local officials, while monks and other religious content was downplayed in state media, particularly during the day of mourning. However, state-run English newspaper China DailyChina Daily
The China Daily is an English language daily newspaper published in the People's Republic of China.- Overview :China Daily was established in June 1981 and has the widest print circulation of any English-language newspaper in the country...
praised the work of monks in two separate stories, while also stressing the re-building of temples in the region. In addition, state media avoided mention of schools that may have collapsed during the quake, with fresh memories of the public and foreign media backlash from a school construction scandal in Sichuan.
There were earlier rumours that the authorities were attempting to hide the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake. In response, Guo Weimin of the State Council Information Office responded that "all the information coming out of the disaster zone has been accurate, timely, transparent... we will not, have not, and have no reason to alter any of the statistics regarding fatalities." News reporting has also been relatively open; foreign media have been reporting in the area without government interference. In addition, bloggers and independent journalists were also allowed to report in the area, although more "sensitive" issues such as ethnic relations and religion face restrictions. Tibetan activist Woeser acknowledged that the government's relief efforts have been robust, but remarked that relief funds risk embezzlement from local officials. In regards to the authorities declining entry of foreign personnel to the region, the National Ministry of Defence stated that the terrain in Qinghai is rough and that funding and personnel have been largely sufficient for the relief efforts, and that foreign organizations could contribute through monetary donations.
List of aftershocks
The initial earthquake was preceded by a foreshockForeshock
A foreshock is an earthquake that occurs before a larger seismic event and is related to it in both time and space. The designation of an earthquake as foreshock, mainshock or aftershock is only possible after the event....
and followed by several aftershock
Aftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock...
s, four above magnitude 5, including a M5.8 aftershock at a 4 km (2.5 mi) depth on April 14.
Officials have warned that aftershocks above magnitude 5.5 are likely to continue, and the China Earthquake Networks Center warned that further aftershocks above magnitude 6 are likely for several days following the main earthquake.
Only shocks with magnitude 4.0 or higher are listed. Shocks with magnitude 5.5 or higher are highlighted in light blue. The main shock with moment magnitude 6.9 Mw
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
is highlighted in dark blue.
| Date (YYYY-MM-DD) | Time (UTC) | Latitude Latitude In geography, the latitude of a location on the Earth is the angular distance of that location south or north of the Equator. The latitude is an angle, and is usually measured in degrees . The equator has a latitude of 0°, the North pole has a latitude of 90° north , and the South pole has a... | Longitude Longitude Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda .... | Depth | Magnitude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-04-13 | 21:40:00 | 33.183° N | 96.623° E | 18.9 km (12 mi) | 5.0 (Mw) |
| 2010-04-13 | 23:49:39 | 33.224° N | 96.666° E | 17 km (11 mi) | 6.9 (Mw) |
| 2010-04-14 | 00:01:17 | 32.875° N | 96.999° E | 10 km (6 mi) | 5.3 (Mw) |
| 2010-04-14 | 00:12:25 | 33.159° N | 96.580° E | 10 km (6 mi) | 5.2 (Mw) |
| 2010-04-14 | 01:25:15 | 33.179° N | 96.448° E | 4 km (2 mi) | 5.8 (Mw) |
| 2010-04-14 | 03:15:46 | 33.151° N | 96.701° E | 10 km (6 mi) | 4.7 (Mw) |
| 2010-04-14 | 12:19:36 | 33.077° N | 96.846° E | 10 km (6 mi) | 4.1 (Mw) |
| 2010-04-17 | 00:59:01 | 32.588° N | 92.743°E | 40.6 km (25 mi) | 5.1 (Mw) |
External links
- Hong Kong Yushu Relief (Yushu Relief)
- Yushu Earthquake Relief Information about the earthquake and relief work by Plateauperspectives, an international non-profit organization based in Xining and Yushu.
- Donate to the "Yushu Earthquake Response" team
- Worldwide condolences and support sent to Yushu 2010.4.17 CCTV
- US offers help to quake-hit China
- Dalai Lama wants to visit quake-hit in China April 17th, 2010
- Russian leader pledges help to quake-hit China Agence France-Presse, 4/15/2010
- Google Launches People Finder to Help Victims of Quake in China 2010/04/14
- France stands ready to aid China on quake rescue: FM Source: Xinhua April 14 2010
- Earthquake in Yushu, A total of 36 pictures