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Tag: earthquake

  • Five standout events of the year 2023 in the world

    Five standout events of the year 2023 in the world

    Diplomats like Maliha Lodhi had predicted that 2023 was going to be a “world of uncertainty” and that proved somewhat true. The world witnessed a hotchpotch of events where at one end a positive step was taken to restore peace in the Middle East when China brokered a deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia but Israel’s war on Gaza made everything fall apart.


    Apart from the man-made conflicts, nature also lashed out with climate change emerging as a dark reality the world can no longer ignore.


    Earthquake in Syria and Turkey


    Early in the year, a ferocious earthquake in Syria and Turkey cost more than 67, 000 lives, a staggering number. It hit southern and central parts of Turkey and northern and western parts of Syria on the morning of February 6. Thousands of buildings were destroyed with the severe magnitude 7.7 quake and aftershocks that struck Antakya within hours. It is estimated to be the most severe earthquake in Turkey since 1939.


    Iran and Saudi Arabia’s friendship mediated by China

    In an unexpected turn of events, China mediated a deal between arch-enemies Saudi Arabia and Iran in March, earlier this year, surprising the world. The thawing of relations was termed a major blow to the overpowering role of the USA in the region and was dubbed a “wave of reconciliation”.

    Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for the first time post the deal on the sidelines of the joint Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on December 9, 2023, a moment for the history books.

    Titan submarine

    The tragedy of the Titan submarine came at a point when the world was witnessing the humongous tragedy of the immigrant boat disaster in Greece. In the first one, five men of rich backgrounds lost their lives in an adventurous pursuit while in the latter, 80 people died, and more than 500 went missing in the sea as the over-crowded ship sank.

    The glaring irony sent shockwaves all around the world where a group paid billions of dollars for their death in the name of seeing an archive deep in the sea and the other died by getting suffocated by being cramped in the basement of a ship. The illegal immigrants were denied entry in Greece and due to overloading, it sank. The incident also pointed towards the core racism in the world because the victims were largely brown Asians and Africans while the white population was saved by the authorities.


    Barbenheimer
    The Barbenheimer phenomenon marked the revival of cinema post-covid that engulfed the world in a frenzy.

    Two big-budget movies were coming out on the same day. One was Christopher Nolan’s directorial Oppenheimer, based on the life of the American scientist, the head of the Manhattan Project, and the creator of the Atomic Bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. Even though it was about a scientist and the makers were expecting it to attract a niche audience, the movie did great business. The other was the Greta Gerwig directorial Barbie, a live-action, musical based on the life of the famous fictional doll. The audiences had high expectations of how it will be presented and they were not disappointed as the movie went on to break records. The release of the two movies activated the meme brigade to the point that a new pop-culture reference came to life in the form of Barbenheimmer.


    Israel’s War on Gaza


    The war that shook the world was the siege of Gaza by Israel. On October 7 Hamas invaded Israel and took at least 236 hostages. Israel retaliated in what is being called a disproportionate response. The genocide of the poor Gazans has not ended till now with the death toll nearing 21,000 after 80 days of war whereas the Israeli deaths remained at 1200. A short-term truce provided a little break for the return of hostages but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to not stop. Massive protests across the world saw the tide of public opinion turn towards Palestine.

    GAZA CITY, GAZA – OCTOBER 23: A woman holding a girl reacts after Israeli airstrikes hit Ridwan neighborhood of Gaza City, Gaza on October 23, 2023. (Photo by Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images)
  • At least 116 dead in northwest China earthquake

    At least 116 dead in northwest China earthquake

    At least 105 were killed and almost 400 injured in Gansu province, local officials said, after the strong, shallow tremor struck around midnight.

    According to state broadcaster CCTV, 11 others were killed and 100 injured in the city of Haidong in the neighbouring province of Qinghai.

    The quake brought homes crashing down and caused other significant damage, sending people running into the street for safety, state news agency Xinhua said.

    “I was almost scared to death. Look at how my hands and legs are shaking,” said a woman of about 30 in a video posted to a social media account associated with the state-run People’s Daily newspaper.

    “As soon as I ran out of the house, the earth on the mountain gave way, thudding on the roof,” she said as she sat swaddled in a blanket outside, cradling a baby.

    Footage from CCTV showed family possessions visible among strewn masonry from a house that caved in during the quake.

    Rescue work was under way early Tuesday, with Chinese President Xi Jinping calling for “all-out efforts” in the search and relief work.

    Temperatures are below freezing in the high-altitude area, and rescuers should be on guard for secondary disasters, he said according to CCTV.

    The quake, which was logged as magnitude 5.9 by the US Geological Survey, struck in Gansu near the border with Qinghai, where Haidong is located.

    That epicentre is about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of Gansu province’s capital, Lanzhou.

    Xinhua reported the quake — which was felt in the major city of Xi’an in northern Shaanxi province, about 570 kilometres (350 miles) away — as being magnitude 6.2.

    Several smaller aftershocks followed the initial earthquake, and officials warned that tremors with a magnitude of more than 5.0 were possible in the next few days.

    A quake measured at magnitude 5.2 by USGS was detected further northwest in Xinjiang province on Monday morning.

    Freezing temperatures

    Power and water supplies were disrupted in some villages around the epicentre, Xinhua said.

    Footage from one of the worst-hit places on CCTV showed residents warming themselves by a fire while emergency services set up tents.

    CCTV said more than 1,400 firefighters and rescue personnel had been sent to the disaster zone, while another 1,600 remained “on standby”.

    The broadcaster added that supplies including drinking water, blankets, stoves and instant noodles were also being sent to the affected area.

    Footage showed emergency vehicles driving along snow-lined highways towards the scene with their lights flashing.

    Rescue workers in overalls were pictured shoulder-to-shoulder in the trucks, while other images showed them lining up in ranks to receive instructions.

    Other clips showed emergency personnel going through debris by torchlight, unfolding orange stretchers for the casualties.

    Hundreds of people have been evacuated in Gansu, officials said.

    The earthquake struck at a shallow depth at 11:59 pm local time Monday (1559 GMT), according to the USGS, which revised the magnitude downwards after initially reporting it to be 6.0.

    Earthquakes are not uncommon in China. In August, a shallow 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck eastern China, injuring 23 people and collapsing dozens of buildings.

    In September 2022, a 6.6-magnitude quake hit Sichuan province leaving almost 100 dead.

    A 7.9-magnitude quake in 2008 left more than 87,000 people dead or missing, including 5,335 schoolchildren.

  • Another earthquake of 6.3 magnitude hits Afghanistan

    Another earthquake of 6.3 magnitude hits Afghanistan

    As per the United States Geological Survey, yet another earthquake occurred in Afghanistan at a shallow depth at around 5:10 am local time on Wednesday, with its epicenter about 29 kilometres north of the city of Herat.

    No casualties have been reported till now.

    According to the Associated Press, Ministry of Information spokesperson Abdul Wahid Rayan has said that at least 80 people have been injured and a landslide has blocked the main Herat-Torghundi highway.

    This is the second deadliest aftershock in the region after Saturday’s earthquake which destroyed 11 villages and has devastated 12,000 people. The death toll has exceeded 2,400 fatalities. Afghanistan is frequently hit by deadly earthquakes, but this weekend’s disaster was the worst to strike the war-ravaged country in more than 25 years.

    Rescue efforts are being hampered by poor infrastructure and lack of resources.

  • Afghanistan Earthquake: Pakistan to send medical team, 50 tents, 500 blankets and more in humanitarian aid

    Afghanistan Earthquake: Pakistan to send medical team, 50 tents, 500 blankets and more in humanitarian aid

    As per the latest update, about 2,500 people have died as a consequence of a severe earthquake that jolted Afghanistan on Saturday.

    An earthquake of a magnitude of 6.3 hit the province of Herat in the troubled country, becoming one of the deadliest quakss experienced in the past two decades in Afghanistan.

    It jostled the districts of Zenda Jan and Ghorian.

    According to Abdul Wahid Rayan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Information and Culture, about six villages have been destroyed and hundreds of civilians have been buried under the debris

    As of Sunday, 1,240 people were injured and 1,320 houses were completely destroyed.

    While Afghanistan’s healthcare system is majorly dependent on foreign aid, China’s Red Cross Society has offered $200,000 in emergency cash aid.

    UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric has stated, “The United Nations and our partners in Afghanistan are coordinating with the de facto authorities to swiftly assess needs and provide emergency assistance,”

    According to the UN, its Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has deployed teams “to join ongoing humanitarian efforts” and dispatched 10,000 hygiene kits, 5,000 family kits, 1,500 sets of winter clothes, blankets, 1,000 tarpaulins, and basic household items, “which will complement support provided by other UN agencies and partners”.

    Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar, posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter) stating that Pakistan stands in solidarity with Afghans during this difficult time.

    Pakistan Foreign Office also posted on social media stating that the country is in contact with Afghan authorities to get a “first-hand assessment of the urgent needs” of the victims and that Pakistan will extend “all possible support to the recovery effort.”

  • Earthquake predicted in Pakistan hits India, Nepal

    Earthquake predicted in Pakistan hits India, Nepal

    An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 on the Richter scale has jolted New Delhi and parts of Nepal late on Monday afternoon.

    However, according to the Solar System Geometry Survey, the magnitude of the earthquake was 5.7 while its depth was 7km.

    The earthquake is said to have lasted for more than 40 seconds, as reported by Hindustan Times.

    Simultaneously, as per the NDTV, two earthquakes shook Nepal with magnitudes of 4.6 and 6.2 in a time span of 25 minutes.

    The tremors were also felt in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, Hapur, and Amroha along with parts of Uttarakhand.

    On October 1, a Dutch research organisation predicted that a severe tremor that may hit Pakistan in the coming days.

    But the scientific community did not pay much heed to Solar System Geometry Survey (SSGS) of the Netherlands because scientifically, it is impossible to actually predict an earthquake.

    As per the predictions, nonetheless, the earthquake was to hit along the Chaman fault line, in Balochistan.

  • Morocco’s earthquake death toll rises above 2,100

    The total number of people who died in Friday’s deadly earthquake in Morocco has risen to 2,122 with the number set to rise further as recovery operations proceed.

    On Friday night, around 11:11 pm local time, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the area around the ancient city of Marrakech, with tremors spreading deep into rural communities on Atlas Mountains.

    The country has announced a three-day mourning period as local and foreign rescuers mount frantic searches for survivors buried beneath rubble.

    The earthquake, originating from the High Atlas Mountains located southwest of Marrakesh, was felt across the country, including in the provinces of Ouarzazate, Marrakesh, Azilal, Chichaoua and Taroudant; travelling all the way to southern Spain.

    As of now, 2,421 people have been injured while the United Nations has estimated that about 300,000 people have been affected.

    Since the catastrophe, locals have been sleeping on the streets in towns and cities. Rural areas have taken a huge blow, while a historically significant 12th century mosque has also collapsed along with parts of Marrakech old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

    Al-Jazeera spoke with Lanchen Haddad, a Moroccan senator and former minister, who said that the area was “not known for being active in terms of earthquakes”.

    “There’s not been very many earthquakes in that part of Morocco, most occur in the area much farther north on the Mediterranean coast near the tectonic plate,”

    World offers aid

    The rescue operation in remote mountain areas was mainly undertaken by local teams and no broad demand for international aid had been issued by the capital, Rabat, up till Sunday.

    Many countries have offered aid to Morocco including Spain, Tunisia, Qatar, Italy, Israel.
    Turkey, US and Taiwan have rescue teams and specialist search ready and are ready to dispatch their aid as soon as Morocco send a green signal.

    Its neighbour, Algeria, has a frictional relationship with Morocco, but after the tragedy, it opened its airspace that was closed for two years, to ease the flights carrying humanitarian aid and the injured.

    At the G20 Summit in New Delhi, President Emmanuel Macron said, “France is ready to offer aid to Morocco if Morocco decides it is useful,”

    “The second they request this aid, it will be deployed,” he added.

  • 18 years after 2005 earthquake, survivor reunites with family

    18 years after 2005 earthquake, survivor reunites with family

    A ‘survivor’ of the devastating earthquake of 2005 has returned to Balakot to search for his family, DAWN has reported.

    On Sunday, Ijaz Ahmed contacted local police to ask for their help in searching for his family.

    He said that his school was razed in the 2005 earthquake when he was a child. Injured by the collapse of the building, he was shifted to Rawalpindi for treatment.

    Ahmed claims he was abducted and sold to people linked to brick kilns. “I was sold four times in different cities and worked as a bonded labourer at brick kilns,” he told DAWN.

    He told the police that his father’s name was Anwar while his mother’s name was Naseem Akhtar.

    A large number of people showed up at the police station upon hearing the news. Miraculously, Anwar was among the crowd.

    The father and son had a tearful reunion. Police have said they will carry out DNA tests to ascertain paternity.

  • CDA directs evacuation of Islamabad high-rise buildings affected by earthquake

    CDA directs evacuation of Islamabad high-rise buildings affected by earthquake

    The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has instructed the owners of high-rise buildings affected by a recent earthquake to evacuate their buildings until they receive a fitness certificate from certified firms.

    The Building Control Agency of the CDA has identified minor cracks in 10 high-rise buildings in Islamabad due to the recent earthquake of high intensity. Following the directives of the CDA Chairman, the Building Control Agency conducted a survey of 90 high-rise buildings and found that the structure of 80 buildings was safe, while minor cracks were found in 10 buildings.

    The owners of the affected buildings have been directed to repair their buildings or obtain a fitness certificate from a firm certified by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) regarding the strength of their structure and submit it to the CDA. In addition, a third-party attestation will also be required.

    Meanwhile, the CDA Chairman has directed the management of private housing societies to conduct a survey of buildings on their premises and submit a report to the CDA’s Building Control Agency within three days.

    The residents of the apartments in the affected buildings have also requested alternate accommodation during the period of repair. They have stated that during the month of Ramadan, it would be difficult for them to move along with furniture.

  • ‘Check on your loved ones’: Celebrities are praying for followers after magnitude 6.5 earthquake jolts Pakistan

    ‘Check on your loved ones’: Celebrities are praying for followers after magnitude 6.5 earthquake jolts Pakistan

    On Tuesday night, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake jolted Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

    The powerful jolts killed nine while 44 were injured, according to Al-Jazeera.

    Celebrities across Pakistan urged their followers to take necessary precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

    During an earthquake, please remember to wear proper shoes and exit your home to prevent any injuries from the jolts, and stay on open ground until the situation is safe.

    Actor Saba Qamar sent her prayers and wished for everyone to stay safe:

    Cricket captain Babar Azam urged his followers to take care of their loved ones

    Pakistan cricket player Shaheen Afridi prayed that everyone remained safe during the earthquake

    Actor Mahira Khan wrote on her Instagram stories that she was praying for everyone’s safety.

  • What was happening when the earthquake came in Pakistan?

    What was happening when the earthquake came in Pakistan?

    A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake jolted parts of Pakistan on Tuesday night.

    The epicentre of the earthquake was Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region, while its depth was 180 kilometres, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

    According to reports, tremors were felt in Islamabad, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, DI Khan, Swabi, Bahawalpur, Quetta, Parachinar, Skardu and other cities of the country. 

    The tremors continued for 30 seconds, and people came out of their homes in panic.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif ordered the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other institutions to be ready to deal with any emergency.

    Below are scenes as to what was happening in different parts of the country when the earthquake came in Pakistan.