Details of Disaster Information


China : Earthquake : 2000/01/15
GLIDE: EQ-2000-000033-CHN  DRR & Disaster Information

Duration 2000/01/15
Country
   or
District
China
Name Earthquake
Outline On 15 January 2000, an earthquake, measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale, hit Yao-an County, 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the Yunnan provincial capital of Kunming, at 6:06 a.m. (2206 GMT Friday). A more powerful temblor of 6.5 magnitude rocked the same area about 90 minutes later.
The death toll is 5、injured 1,544, and left more than 90,000 homeless.
The Chinese authorities clarified that the affected number of people in this earthquake was only around 200,000 people, unlike the figure of 2 million as quoted by many media reports earlier.


Headline(Source, Date)
Personal Injury Material Damage Others
OCHA Situation Report No.1 2000/01/17
Government seismologists warned that powerful aftershocks up to 6.0 Richter scale would pose a serious threat to at least 500,000 of the affected populations in the four counties in Autonomous Prefecture. Four people have died since two aftershocks measuring 5.9 and 6.5 on Richter scale hit the region. Most of the affected are staying outdoor under zero or sub-zero temperatures.
According to Oxfam field staff there has been significant damage. In Yao'an County alone (the quake's epicentre), 149,100 people, or more than 81 per cent of the population was affected.
In Yao'an County alone (the quake's epicentre), Some 82,379 rooms (not houses) were damaged, 22,739 rooms collapsed and more than 30 schools were damaged.

Related Links
Report/Articles
  • OCHA Situation Report No.2 2000/03/07

  • IFRC 2000/02/03
    Almost 100,000 people are living out in the open in the freezing cold, after a series of earthquakes struck the province of Yunnan in south-western China in mid January.
  • DisasterRelief.org 2000/02/01
    Aftershocks continue and thousands remain in desperate need of shelter, food and warm clothing.
    The IFRC has issued an international appeal for about $1.7 million to assist 80,000 of the victims.
  • Xinhua 2000/01/28
    Several recent earthquakes in southwest China's Yunnan province with magnitudes of 5 to 6 on the Richter scale are "not abnormal phenomena," and local residents should not fear for their safety, the head of the provincial seismological bureau said today.
  • Xinhua 2000/01/27
    Earthquake relief work in southwest China's Yunnan Province has been affected due to a sudden drop in temperatures and snow in mountain regions.
  • IFRC 2000/01/26
    The Chinese government agencies, including the military and civil authorities, have carried out rescue and relief efforts in all the affected areas, with the support of the Red Cross and some NGOs. The Ministry of Civil Affairs is co-ordinating all these activities and the relief distributions. In Yunnan the local authorities have to date allocated a total of 28 million yuan for the relief efforts. They initially released 500 tents and quantities of building materials for temporary shelters.
  • DPA 2000/01/21
    The Chinese government and the Red Cross this week doled out relief aid to boost flagging morale among millions of people affected by natural disasters in the past year.
  • Oxfam 2000/01/18
    Continuous aftershocks still pose a threat to 120,000 homeless people who are mostly staying outdoors under sub-zero night temperatures.
  • CNN News 2000/01/17 01:22GMT
    Four people died and 400 were injured, 29 of them seriously. More than 10,000 homes were destroyed.
  • OCHA Situation Report No.1 2000/01/17
    There are clear signs of greater shortage of food, shelter and clothing for those affected populations living in remote and poorer villages compared to those living near county towns and cities.
  • CNN News 2000/01/15 07:24GMT
    Two earthquakes killed at least four people, injured 220 people and collapsed thousands of buildings in a quake-prone region of southwest China early Saturday.
    In Yunnan province was hit first by a 6.0-magnitude quake that sent people scurrying out of their homes, followed 1 1/2 hours later by an even stronger aftershock with a magnitude of 6.5.
Emergency Relief Information
  • Japanese Red Cross Society
    Japanese only
  • DisasterRelief.org 2000/02/01
    All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. To help the victims of disaster, you may make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.
  • Action by Churches Together (ACT)
    Please send your contributions to the ACT bank account and inform this office of all pledges/contributions and transfers, including funds sent direct to the implementers.

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    Banque Edouard Constant
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