2013 Balochistan earthquakes
UTC time | 2013-09-24 11:29:47 |
---|---|
ISC event | 608458290 |
USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
Local date | 24 September 2013 |
Local time | 16:29:48 PKT (UTC+5) |
Magnitude | 7.7 Mw |
Depth | 15.0 km (9.3 mi) |
Epicenter | 26°57′04″N 65°30′04″E / 26.951°N 65.501°E |
Type | Oblique-slip |
Areas affected | Pakistan |
Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent)[1] |
Casualties | 825 dead,[2][3] 700 injured[4][5][6] |
The 2013 Balochistan earthquakes took place in late September in southwestern Pakistan. The mainshock had a moment magnitude of 7.7 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). At least 825 people were killed and hundreds more were injured. On 28 September, a M6.8 aftershock occurred to the north at a depth of 14.8 kilometres (9.2 miles), killing at least 22 people.[7][8]
Tectonic setting
On a broad scale, the
Earthquake
The
The earthquake occurred as a result of the oblique-
Damage
The earthquake killed at least 825 people and injured hundreds of others.[3] The earthquake struck a sparsely populated region of Pakistan. Most homes and buildings in the region are constructed of mud bricks and collapsed during the earthquake and aftershocks. An official in the Balochistan province claimed that 80 percent of the homes in the Awaran District had collapsed or were damaged.[11] In the regional capital Quetta, some areas appeared to be badly damaged.[12][13] Officials from the Balochistan government estimated that at least 21,000 houses had been completely destroyed by the tremor, while some areas remained beyond the reach of rescue services 48 hours after the initial quake.[4]
PAGER impact estimates from the United States Geological Survey included a red alert level for initial shaking-related fatalities (35% chance of 1,000–10,000 fatalities, 27% chance of 10,000–100,000 fatalities) and an orange alert level for economic impact (35% chance of US$100 million–$1 billion, 26% chance of US$1–10 billion).[14]
The earthquake was felt in major cities across Pakistan, including Karachi, Hyderabad,
Ground effects
The earthquake was apparently powerful enough to raise a small island, later dubbed
The island is believed to be the result of a mud volcano.[22] In the region, deposits of frozen gas hydrates—which have a large methane content—exist beneath 300 to 800 metres (980–2,620 ft) of compressed sediment.[20] After such a large earthquake, the gas hydrates converted from frozen to gaseous form through the heat of friction and either raised the overlaying sediment enough to create fissures through which it escaped or rose through fissures resulting from the earthquake itself. Another possible contributing factor in the island's creation was the liquefaction of the seabed, which allowed finer, loosely packed sediments to become liquid-like and squeeze up through fissures in overlying compressed sediment. Locals who ventured to the island shortly after it formed heard a hissing noise at one end and started a fire which was difficult to extinguish. There are several mud volcanoes inland near Zalzala Jazeera and they are common in the vicinity of subducting plate boundaries; in fact, similar islands have appeared in the same region following earthquakes in 1945, 1999, 2001, and 2010. Because of its composition of softer sediments, the sea was predicted to erode the island completely within a few months.[20] By the end of 2016, the island had completely disappeared.[23]
Tsunami
Despite its inland epicentre, the earthquake generated a tsunami with a maximum height of 0.57 m (1.9 ft) in eastern Oman.[24]
Aftershocks
- mb 5.6 earthquake at 27°18′47″N 65°37′12″E / 27.313°N 65.620°E occurred at 13:01:39
- mb 5.5 earthquake at 27°07′52″N 65°28′16″E / 27.131°N 65.471°E occurred at 17:20:13
- Mww 6.8 earthquake at 27°10′59″N 65°30′18″E / 27.183°N 65.505°E occurred at 07:34:06
Aftermath
On 26 September, two days after the disaster, two rockets were fired at a helicopter carrying Maj. Gen. Muhammad Saeed Aleem, the National Disaster Management Authority chairman, as well as other officials and members of the media. Government sources blamed
See also
References
- ^ "M 7.7 - 113 km NW of Bela, Pakistan". United States Geological Survey. 24 September 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "825 dead, relief slow to reach Balochistan quake victims". Dunya News. 4 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Balochistan quake: toll jumps to 825". The Nation (Pakistan). 1 October 2013. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ^ a b c "Pakistan quake death toll rises to 350". CNN. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ "Pakistan: Death toll in the earthquake rises to 515". The Indian Express. 27 September 2013.
- ^ "More than 100,000 left homeless after Pakistan earthquake". Al Jazeera. 27 September 2013.
- ^ "M6.8 - 96 kilometres NNE of Awaran, Pakistan". United States Geological Survey. 28 September 2013.
- Agence France Presse (28 September 2013). "Powerful new Pakistan earthquake kills at least 22". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
- ^ a b This article incorporates public domain material from M7.7 - 63km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan. United States Geological Survey.
- ^ a b Menon, Meena (24 September 2013). "Quake in southern Pakistan kills 2, damages houses". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "At least 208 killed in Balochistan earthquake". Dawn. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- ^ Yusufzai, Gul (24 September 2013). "Quake kills 45 in Pakistan, creates new island in sea". Reuters. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ a b "Deadly earthquake strikes Pakistan's Balochistan". BBC News. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "M7.8 – 69km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan (BETA)". Earthquake Hazards Program. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "Powerful earthquake strikes Pakistan's Balochistan". BBC News. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ Vaidya, Sunil (24 September 2013). "Tremors from Pakistan quake felt in Muscat". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "New photos of Pakistan's 'Earthquake Island'". Fox News. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "Strong Quake in Pakistan Spares Southeast Iran". Tasnim News Agency. 25 September 2013.
- ^ "Earthquake jolts Pakistan, tremors felt in". Gulf News. 28 September 2013.
- ^ a b c d Khan, Ilyas (27 September 2013). "Pakistan quake island off Gwadar 'emits flammable gas'". BBC News. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ "Island discovered as a result of earthquake in Pakistan". IBNLive.in.com. Press Trust of India. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "Satellites reveal new views of Pakistan's 'Earthquake Island'". NBC News. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.
- ^ "Gwadar's quake island disappears". DAWN.COM. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
- ^ "Tsunami Event: BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN". NGDC.
- ^ "M 5.8 - 89km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "M 5.6 - 102km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "M5.5 – 78km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
- ^ "M6.8 - 85km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
Sources
- Avouac, J-P; Ayoub, F.; Wei, S.; Ampuero, J-P.; Meng, L.; Leprince, S.; Jolivet, R.; Duputel, Z.; S2CID 2439995
- Jolivet, R.; Duputel, Z.; Riel, B.; Simons, M.; Rivera, L.; Minson, S. E.; Zhang, H.; Aivazis, M. A. G.; Ayoub, F.; Leprince, S.; Samsonov, S.; Motagh, M.; Fielding, E. J. (2014), "The 2013 Mw 7.7 Balochistan earthquake : Seismic potential of an accretionary wedge" (PDF), Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 104 (2), S2CID 2740851
External links
- M7.7 - 61km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan – United States Geological Survey.
- Pakistan quake island off Gwadar 'emits flammable gas' – BBC News
- The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.
- ReliefWeb's main page for this event.