2011 Fergana Valley earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Fergana Valley earthquake was a magnitude 6.1 Mw
earthquake
that struck the Fergana Valley
region, affecting Uzbekistan
, Kyrgyzstan
and Tajikistan
. It occurred at 01:35 local time on Wednesday, 20 July 2011, with its epicenter
located in Kyrgyzstan. As of July 20, 13 people in Uzbekistan have been confirmed dead, while another 86 sustained injuries of which 35 were hospitalized. In Khujand
, Tajikistan, one man was killed after panicking during the tremor and jumping out of a window. There were no reports of casualties in Kyrgyzstan as of July 20. The earthquake was preceded by a 4.6 Mw
foreshock
at 09:22 UTC on July 19 near Dushanbe
, Tajikistan.
were damaged, with cracked walls. Numerous small houses in Margilan
were destroyed. Many residents panicked and ran into the streets. A rockfall
closed a highway between Batken
and Osh
. Apartment blocks in the city of Fergana
were evacuated. At least 800 houses have been damaged. Power was briefly knocked out in Kadamzhai, Tulgone, Kyzyl-Bulun, Halmion, Ohne, Yargutane, and Tamas. A hospital in Hamza, Uzbekistan was severely damaged.
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...
earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
that struck the Fergana Valley
Fergana Valley
The Fergana Valley or Farghana Valley is a region in Central Asia spreading across eastern Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Divided across three subdivisions of the former Soviet Union, the valley is ethnically diverse, and in the early 21st century was the scene of ethnic conflict...
region, affecting Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
and Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
. It occurred at 01:35 local time on Wednesday, 20 July 2011, with its 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...
located in Kyrgyzstan. As of July 20, 13 people in Uzbekistan have been confirmed dead, while another 86 sustained injuries of which 35 were hospitalized. In Khujand
Khujand
Khujand , also transliterated as Khudzhand, , formerly Khodjend or Khodzhent until 1936 and Leninabad until 1991, is the second-largest city of Tajikistan. It is situated on the Syr Darya River at the mouth of the Fergana Valley...
, Tajikistan, one man was killed after panicking during the tremor and jumping out of a window. There were no reports of casualties in Kyrgyzstan as of July 20. The earthquake was preceded by a 4.6 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...
foreshock
Foreshock
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....
at 09:22 UTC on July 19 near Dushanbe
Dushanbe
-Economy:Coal, lead, and arsenic are mined nearby in the cities of Nurek and Kulob allowing for the industrialization of Dushanbe. The Nurek Dam, the world's highest as of 2008, generates 95% of Tajikistan's electricity, and another dam, the Roghun Dam, is planned on the Vakhsh River...
, Tajikistan.
Earthquake
The earthquake's epicenter was 17.8 km (11 mi) below the surface of the earth. It lasted for approximately 40 seconds.Impact
As of July 20, 14 people have been confirmed dead, 90 were injured, and 35 hospitalized. Many houses in Fergana ProvinceFergana Province
Fergana Province is a viloyat of Uzbekistan, located in the southern part of the Fergana Valley in the far east of the country. It borders the Namangan and Andijan Provinces of Uzbekistan, as well as Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It covers an area of 6,800 km2...
were damaged, with cracked walls. Numerous small houses in Margilan
Margilan
Margilan is a city in Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan. It is located at latitude 40°28' 16 N: longitude 71°43' 29 E. at an altitude of 487 meters....
were destroyed. Many residents panicked and ran into the streets. A rockfall
Rockfall
Rockfall or rock-fall refers to quantities of rock falling freely from a cliff face. A rockfall is a fragment of rock detached by sliding, toppling, or falling, that falls along a vertical or sub-vertical cliff, proceeds down slope by bouncing and flying along ballistic trajectories or by rolling...
closed a highway between Batken
Batken
Batken is a small town of about 12,000 population, in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, on the southern fringe of the Fergana Valley. Its geographical location is...
and Osh
Osh
Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, located in the Fergana Valley in the south of the country and often referred to as the "capital of the south". The city is at least 3,000 years old, and has served as the administrative center of Osh Province since 1939...
. Apartment blocks in the city of Fergana
Fergana
Fergana is a city , the capital of Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan, at the southern edge of the Fergana Valley in southern Central Asia, cutting across the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan...
were evacuated. At least 800 houses have been damaged. Power was briefly knocked out in Kadamzhai, Tulgone, Kyzyl-Bulun, Halmion, Ohne, Yargutane, and Tamas. A hospital in Hamza, Uzbekistan was severely damaged.