2005 Kashmir earthquake

2005 Kashmir Earthquake
2005 Pakistan earthquake.png
Date October 8, 2005
Magnitude 7.6 Moment magnitude scale
Depth: 10 km
Epicenter location: Muzaffarabad, AJK
Countries/
regions affected		 Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan, Flag of India.svg India, Flag of Afghanistan.svg Afghanistan
Casualties: 74,500+ dead (14th deadliest earthquake of all time)
106,000+ injured

The 2005 Kashmir Earthquake (also known as the South Asian earthquake or the Great Pakistan earthquake) was a major earthquake centred in Azad Kashmir (Pakistan-administered Kashmir) and in North West Frontier Province (NWFP). It occurred at 08:50:38 Pakistan Standard Time (03:50:37 UTC) on 8 October, 2005. It registered a debatable 7.6 or 7.7 on the Richter scale making it similar in intensity to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, 1935 Quetta earthquake, and the 2001 Gujarat earthquake. As of 8 November, the government of Pakistan's official death toll was 79,000, while officials say nearly 1,400 people also died in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (Indian-administered Kashmir) and four people in Afghanistan. The severity of the damage caused by the quake is attributed to severe upthrust, coupled with poor construction.

Contents

Human impact

People lived in mountainous regions with access impeded by landslides that blocked the roads, leaving an estimated 3.3 million homeless in Pakistan. The UN reported that 8 million people were directly affected, prior to the commencement of winter snowfall in the Himalayan region. It is estimated that damages incurred are well over US$ 5 billion (300 billion Pakistani rupees) [1] Five crossing points were opened on the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan to facilitate the flow of humanitarian and medical aid to the affected region, and international aid teams from around the world came to the region to assist in relief.[2] [3] [4]

The earthquake

Map depicting tectonic plates shows Indian subcontinent and Eurasian landplate divide through Pakistan and the Indian administered state of Jammu & Kashmir where earthquake activity is common.

Azad Kashmir lies in the area of collision of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. [5]. The geological activity born out of this collision, also responsible for the birth of the Himalayan mountain range, is the cause of unstable seismicity in the region. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured its magnitude as a minimum of 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale, with its epicentre at , about 19 km (11.8 miles) northeast of Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, and 100 km (65 miles) north-northeast of the national capital Islamabad. The earthquake is classified as "major" by the USGS. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 26 km (16.2 miles) below the surface [6]. The Japan Meteorological Agency estimated its magnitude at a minimum of 7.8. By comparison, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake had a magnitude of 9.15. The earthquake caused widespread destruction in northern Pakistan, as well as damage in Afghanistan and northern India. The worst hit areas were Azad Kashmir, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), western and southern parts of the Kashmir valley. It also affected some parts of the Pakistani province of Punjab, the capital city of Islamabad, and the city of Karachi experienced a minor aftershock of magnitude 4.6. There have been many secondary earthquakes in the region, mainly to the northwest of the original epicentre. A total of 147 aftershocks were registered in the first day after the initial quake, of which one had a magnitude of 6.2 [6] Twenty-eight of these aftershocks occurred with magnitudes greater. On October 19, a series of strong aftershocks, one with a magnitude of 5.8, [6] occurred about 65 km (40.5 miles) north-northwest of Muzaffarabad. [7] There have been more than 978 aftershocks with a magnitude of 4.0 and above, as of 27 October 2005 [8] that continue to occur daily. (See USGS for a list of recent aftershocks and effects.) Since then, measures from satellites have shown, that mountain parts directly above the epicenter have risen by a few meters, giving ample proof, that the rising of the Himalayas are still going on, and that this earthquake was a consequence of that.[9]

Never ever again

This is what they said about whether they wanted it to happen again

Casualties

2005 Kashmir earthquake casualties
Location Dead Injured
NWFP & Azad Kashmir, Pakistan 73,338     100,000    
Jammu & Kashmir, India 1,360      6,266
Afghanistan 4      14
Total 74,500+ 106,000+

Most of the casualties resulting from the earthquake were in Pakistan administered Kashmir where the official confirmed death toll is 74,698, putting it higher than the massive scale of destruction of the 1935 Quetta earthquake. Nearly 1,400 people died in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to officials. [10] International donors have estimated that about 86,000 died but this has not been confirmed or endorsed by Pakistani authorities.

As Saturday is a normal school day in the region, most students were at schools when the earthquake struck. Many were buried under collapsed school buildings. Many people were also trapped in their homes and, because it was the month of Ramadan, most people were taking a nap after their pre-dawn meal and did not have time to escape during the earthquake. Reports indicate that entire towns and villages were completely wiped out in Northern Pakistan with other surrounding areas also suffering severe damage.

"...a second, massive wave of death will happen if we do not step up our efforts now", Kofi Annan said on 20 October with reference to the thousand remote villages in which people are in need of medical attention, food, clean water and shelter and the 120,000 survivors that have not yet been reached." [11]

According to Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz

"made the appeal to survivors" on 26 October to come down to valleys and cities for relief, [2] because bad weather, mountainous terrain, landslides and blocked roads are making it difficult for relief workers to reach each house and the winter snows are imminent."

Damage

Indian-administered Kashmir

  • 1,500 houses were destroyed in Uri. About 90% of the families living in the town, which has a population of 30,000, were affected by the quake. *More than 1,100 houses were flattened in Indian Kashmir. The main minaret of the Hazratbal shrine, which is believed to house a relic of the prophet Muhammad was damaged. [12]
  • The 200-year-old Moti Mahal fort in Poonch district, Kashmir, collapsed. [13]
  • Buildings in Delhi and Amritsar were damaged, and tremors caused panic in Gujarat.
  • The tremors were also felt in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.
  • There were over 73000 dead.

Afghan Territory

Four deaths were reported in Afghanistan, including a young girl who died in Jalalabad after a wall collapsed on her. The quake was felt in Kabul, but the effects were minimal.

International response

Main article: International response to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake

Many countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations have offered relief aid to the region, in the form of donation as well as relief supplies including food, medical supplies, tents and blankets.

Rescue and relief workers were sent to the region from different parts of the world and they brought along rescue equipment, including helicopters and rescue dogs.

The United Nations has appealed for donations to raise at least US$272 million to help victims of the quake.

Houses Constructed by Lions Clubs International

The International Association of Lions Clubs (LCI) & Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) donated an amount of US$ 892,000/- for the reconstruction of 150 houses along with supporting infrastructure and a water supply system at Village Anwar Sharif, Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir.

The project was completed in July 2007 and the houses were handed over to their occupants by the International Director of Lions Clubs International, Lion Malik Khuda Baksh on July 26, 2007. Mr. Raja Zulqarnain Khan, President of the Azad Kashmir was the Chief Guest of the Ceremony.

A team of volunteer New York City paramedics travelled to the remote villages of Kashmir two weeks after the earthquake and treated over 200 patients a day in a two week relief effort.[14]

Many international relief organizations remain, particularly in the hard hit areas of NWFP and rural Kashmir [15].

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The Illinois International Review - The Pakistan Earthquake of October 2005: A Reminder of Human-Science Interaction in Natural Disasters Risk Management
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Pakistan Asks Quake Survivors to Leave Mountains Before Winter" (Bloomberg), Bloomberg.com, 26 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006
  3. ↑ "New figures put quake toll at more than 79,000" AP, ,,MSNBC.com, 19 October 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006
  4. ↑ "South Asia Earthquake: Fact Sheet #25 (FY 2006)" Reliefweb.com, 17 November 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006
  5. ↑ A Biography of the Himalaya
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
  7. ↑ "Pak in panic as quake rocks Kashmir" Reuters, The Financial Express, 19 October 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006
  8. ↑ "Pakistan: A summary report on Muzaffarabad earthquake" ReliefWeb, 7 November 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006
  9. ↑ BBC series: Earth: The Power of the Planet, part 1. Volcanostefffff steff steff steff steff
  10. ↑ BBC News - Earthquake toll leaps to 73,000
  11. ↑ "Thousands at risk of starving in earthquake aid shortfall" The Times, 21 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006
  12. ↑ "Nearly 300 killed as quake jolts J&K, Hazratbal tower damaged", by Mukhtar Ahmad and Onkar Singh, rediff.com, 8 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006
  13. ↑ "Hundreds die in South Asia quake", BBC News, 8 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006
  14. ↑ NYC Medics
  15. ↑ AmeriCares Relief Efforts in Pakistan

References

  • "A crisis of neglect". (6 November 2005). New Sunday Times, p. 18.
  • "Pneumonia hits Pakistan quake zone". (8 November 2005). New Straits Times, p. 6.
  • "Quake death toll now 87,350". (29 November 2005). New Straits Times, p. 6.

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