2013 Aceh earthquake
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| Date | July 2, 2013 |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 07:37:02 UTC |
| Duration | 15 seconds |
| Magnitude | 6.2 Mw |
| Depth | 10 km (6 mi) |
| Epicenter | 4°41′53″N 96°41′13″E / 4.698°N 96.687°ECoordinates: 4°41′53″N 96°41′13″E / 4.698°N 96.687°E |
| Countries or regions | Indonesia |
| Total damage | 4,292 houses damaged[1] |
| Landslides | Yes |
| Aftershocks | 4.3, 5.5, 5.2 Mw |
| Casualties | 35 dead, 8 missing, 276 injured |
The 2013 Aceh earthquake was a magnitude 6.1 Mw earthquake struck the province of Aceh on the Indonesian island of Sumatra on July 2, 2013,.[2] The quake killed at least 35 people and injured 276 others.[3] Approximately 4,300 homes were damaged or destroyed.[3]
Background
Earthquakes are common in Sumatra as it lies at the convergent boundary where the Sunda Plate is subducting beneath the Indo-Australian Plate. The plates are converging obliquely at a rate of 60 mm per year and the right lateral component is accommodated by strike-slip faulting within Sumatra, mainly on the Great Sumatran fault.[4] In 2004, Sumatra was devastated by the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake and resulting tsunami that killed tens of thousands in the area and 230,000 people around the Indian Ocean.[5][6] In 2009, an earthquake near Padang on Sumatra killed more than 1,000. In April 2012, an 8.6-magnitude quake killed five people in Aceh.[6]
Earthquake characteristics
At 2:37pm local time (07:37 UTC) on July 2, 2013, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) with an epicenter near Sumatra's northwestern tip, 55 kilometres (34 mi) south of Bireun.[4] It occurred on the Semangko Fault.[7] The quake lasted approximately 15 seconds and was felt from regional capital Banda Aceh to Bener Meriah.[5] The quake was powerful enough to cause concern in Banda Aceh, 320 miles (510 km) from the epicenter, and shaking was felt as far as Malaysia.[6] At least fifteen aftershocks occurred, with three powerful ones registering magnitudes of 4.3, 5.5 and 5.2.[7][8]
Damage
As of July 5, the official death toll stood at 35, with eight people still missing.[3] A further 276 people were injured.[3] The Bener Meriah and Central Aceh districts were hardest hit by the quake.[2]
In Bener Meriah, nine deaths were reported.[3] More than 100 people were hospitalized due to their injuries and 537 houses were badly damaged in the district.[6][3] A further 252 houses suffered minor damage.[3] Several hundred residents slept outdoors the night of July 2, afraid to return to their homes for fear of aftershocks.[5] "There were strong aftershocks last night and people didn’t want to go back home, so they stayed in the open overnight," commented an official, "but we don’t have enough tents".[6]
In Central Aceh, 26 deaths were reported.[3] A mosque collapse killed six children and trapped 14 others.[5] Rescuers dug through the rubble throughout the night of July 2-3, but did not locate any of the trapped children. Numerous landslides occurred in the district and 1,368 houses were destroyed.[3][6] A further 2,135 houses suffered minor damaged.[3] On July 3, a local official commented "People are still frightened, especially after the aftershocks last night. Nobody dared to stay at home. Everyone slept on the roads or in car parks."[6] The main hospital was overcrowded with patients, causing tents to be set up outside to handle the overflow.[6]
Response
A government plane and helicopter were sent in to assist local police and soldiers in rescue efforts.[9] Several roads were destroyed in the quake or blocked by landslides, hampering rescue efforts.[5] Power and cell phone tower outages made communications difficult.[6] Three truckloads of bottled water, food, and other supplies were dispatched to the region.[7] The Aceh Disaster Mitigation Office said more help would be provided when they had better data on what was needed.[6]
On July 3, 40 billion rupiah (approximately US$4 million) was allocated for emergency relief efforts. A one-week emergency response period, which can be extended if necessary, was enacted in Bener Meriah.[7] Five shelters were set up in Bener Meriah and 10 in Central Aceh.[7]
References
- ↑ "Death toll in Indonesia quake rises to 35; rescuers search for missing", CNN, July 6, 2013
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jethro Mullen; Kathy Quiano (July 3, 2013). "Quake in Indonesia kills 22, injures more than 200". CNN. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 "Aceh earthquake death toll reaches 35". Jakarta Post. July 5, 2013. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "M6.1 - 55km S of Bireun, Indonesia". USGS. July 3, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Rescue after deadly earthquake in Indonesia's Aceh". BBC. July 3, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Nurdin Hasan; Fikri Ramadhavi; Muhammad Hamzah (July 3, 2013). "42 Reported Dead in Aceh as Rescue Crews Search Earthquake Wreckage". Jakarta Globe. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Indonesia imposes week emergency response period in Aceh earthquake". Xinhua. July 3, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ↑ "USGS - two further earthquakes". USGS. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
- ↑ "22 Indonesians killed, over 200 injured in Aceh quake". Xinhua. July 3, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
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