2008 Yingjiang earthquakes


The 2008 Yingjiang earthquakes were a series of major earthquakes ranging from surface-wave magnitude 4.1 to 5.9 that struck Yingjiang County, Yunnan province, China between August 19 and September 3. It caused 5 deaths, 130 injuries, and RMB 2.7 billion in direct economic damage. USGS put the magnitude of the strongest one to Mw 6.0.

Earthquake

According to the China Earthquake Administration and its subordinate, a Ms 5.0 earthquake struck Yingjiang County, Yunnan province, China on August 20, 2008, at 05:35:09 China Standard Time. A CEA report published on September 17 described two additional strong quakes of Ms 4.9 and Ms 5.9 in the same area the following day; CENC's data base, on the other hand, did not include the earthquake of Ms 4.9 at 20:20 CST on August 21 as the CEA report described, but reveals additional ones after the date.

Sequence of earthquakes

#CSTUTCPlaceLat.Long.Ms
12008-08-20 05:35:092008-08-19 21:35:09Yingjiang, Yunnan25.197.95.0
22008-08-21 20:202008-08-21 12:20Yingjiang, Yunnan25.197.94.9
32008-08-21 20:24:322008-08-21 12:24:32Yingjiang, Yunnan25.197.95.9
42008-08-22 20:06:142008-08-22 12:35:09Yingjiang, Yunnan25.097.94.7
52008-09-03 02:59:182008-09-02 18:59:18Yingjiang, Yunnan24.997.94.1
62008-09-03 14:27:202008-09-03 06:27:20Yingjiang, Yunnan24.997.94.8

Note: Earthquakes #4 and after are not included in CEA summary; earthquake #2 is unaccounted for in CENC data base.

Impact

Casualties

According to CEA, these earthquakes caused 5 deaths and 21 others were seriously hurt, as well as 109 minor injuries. Through the Yunnan Earthquake Administration, the provincial government invoked Level IV emergence response protocol in the relief. The number of affected people is said to be around 210,000, roughly 2/3 of the total population in the affected areas. Direct financial damage amounted to RMB 1.3 billion. In addition to building damage, the heaviest infrastructure damage occurred to water resources facilities.

Intensity

On the seismic intensity map published by CEA, maximum intensity of these earthquakes reached liedu VIII on China seismic intensity scale, which is somewhat equivalent to VIII on the MMI and from which CSIS drew reference. Liedu-VIII zone spans 26 km2 near the epicenter. Total area of liedu VI and above is a north–south oval of 4,511 km2.