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2013 Balochistan earthquakes

Coordinates: 26°57′04″N 65°30′04″E / 26.951°N 65.501°E / 26.951; 65.501
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2013 Balochistan earthquakes
Epicentre
Epicentre
UTC time2013-09-24 11:29:47
ISC event608458290
USGS-ANSSComCat
Local date24 September 2013
Local time16:29:48 PKT (UTC+5)
MagnitudeMw 7.8
Depth12.8 kilometres (8.0 mi)
Epicenter26°57′04″N 65°30′04″E / 26.951°N 65.501°E / 26.951; 65.501
TypeOblique-slip
Areas affectedPakistan
Max. intensityMMI IX (Violent)[1]
Aftershocks50 ≥Mw 4.0 (as of 25 September 2014)
Largest is Mw 6.8
Casualties840 killed, 700 injured

The 2013 Balochistan earthquakes were the deadliest to affect Pakistan since 2005. The mainshock, occurring on 24 September, had a moment magnitude of 7.8 and maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). It had an epicenter located in Awaran District, 113 km (70 mi) northwest of Bela.[1] The mainshock killed over 820 people, injured hundreds of others, and left 100,000 people homeless. The Awaran District was among the worst affected with 80 percent of its housing stock damaged or destroyed. On 28 September, the region was affected by a Mw  6.8 aftershock, killing an additional 15 people. Rescue and recovery efforts were severely hampered by insurgents who attacked military troops sent to distribute aid. These attacks also prompted the Pakistan government to close its doors to international aid.

Tectonic setting

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On a broad scale, the tectonics of southern and central Pakistan reflect a complex plate boundary where the Indian plate slides northward relative to the Eurasia plate in the east, and the Arabia Plate subducts northward beneath the Eurasia plate in the Makran (western Pakistan). These motions typically result in north–south to northeast–southwest strike-slip motion at the latitude of the 24 September earthquake that is primarily accommodated on the Chaman Fault, with the earthquake potentially occurring on one of the southernmost strands of this fault system. Further, more in-depth studies will be required to identify the precise fault associated with this event. Although seismically active, this portion of the Eurasia plate boundary region has not experienced large damaging earthquakes in recent history. In the past 40 years, only one significant event has occurred within 200 kilometres (120 mi) of this event, which was a Mw  6.1 earthquake in July 1990 that killed six people.[1]

Earthquake

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USGS ShakeMap showing for the event

The earthquake was recorded by the International Seismological Centre with a moment magnitude of 7.8, and estimated the hypocenter's depth at 12.8 km (8.0 mi).[2] The earthquake occurred as a result of the oblique-strike-slip type motion at shallow crustal depths. The location and mechanism of the earthquake are consistent with rupture within the Eurasia plate above the Makran Trench subduction zone. The event occurred within the transition zone between northward subduction of the Arabian plate beneath the Eurasian plate and northward collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasia plate.[1]

Rupture

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The mainshock produced a 200 km (120 mi) surface rupture. The seismic rupture initiated along a near-vertical fault and propagated mainly southwest along a curved fault that dipped 50° to the north. The fault segment is part of the Chaman Fault; during which its southern segment ruptured. Although the predominant rupture direction was southwest, with some rupture to the north, most of the aftershocks occurred north of the epicenter. Supershear rupture propagation velocity also occurred along some segments during the mainshock.[3]

The source fault, identified as the Hoshab Fault, was likely an old thrust fault due to its shallow dip angle. It formed within an accretionary wedge related to the Makran Trench. During the earthquake, displacements along the fault was exclusively strike-slip. A possible explanation for the faulting behavior is due to the accretionary wedge being pushed eastwards towards the Indian plate. Much of the inferred displacements occurred no less than 10 km (6.2 mi) beneath the surface. Peak slip was estimated at 10 m (33 ft) while the average slip across the rupture was 6 m (20 ft).[4] Satellite mapping of the surface rupture revealed a maximum displacement of 17 m (56 ft) and averaged out at 8.5 m (28 ft). The peak slip ranked among the second largest ever observed from a continental strike-slip earthquake, behind the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake.[5] The largest aftershock, measuring Mw  6.8, occurred on 28 September at a depth of 12.0 km (7.5 mi).[6]

Tsunami

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A tsunami, likely triggered by an undersea landslide located 60–70 km (37–43 mi) off the coast of Jiwani, was recorded by tide gauges in countries surrounding the Arabian Sea. A tide gauge in Qurayyat, Oman, recorded a 1.09 m (3 ft 7 in) tsunami wave, the highest tsunami observation, and in Muscat, the tsunami measured 0.51 m (1 ft 8 in). The city of Sur recorded a 0.40 m (1 ft 4 in) wave. The tsunami also measured 0.13 m (5.1 in) in Ormara, Pakistan; 0.27 m (11 in) in Ashkhara, Oman; 0.23 m (9.1 in) in Chabahar, Iran; and 0.19 m (7.5 in) in Khawr Wudam, Oman.[7]

Island

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Satellite images of Zalzala Jazeera off the coast of Gwadar

An island measuring 200 m (660 ft) long, 100 m (330 ft) across and 20 m (66 ft) high, appeared in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Gwadar ahortly after the mainshock.[8][9][10] The island mostly comprised mud and sand, and some parts were rocky. Local residents visited the oval-shaped island a day after it appeared. A visitors on the island reported flammable gas emitted from ground cracks on the island.[9]

Columbia University seismologist John Armbruster attributed the occurrence with liquefaction of compacted and pressurised sediments beneath the seabed. The seismic disturbance caused these sediments to eject towards the surface.[11] Meanwhile, Gary Gibson of the University of Melbourne said the island likely formed from a mud volcano after methane gas pushed the overlying material upwards. The Pakistan National Institute of Oceanography observed methane emitting from the island.[12] A similar occurrence was recorded by the British Geological Survey in the 1940s when a temporary island appeared before being washed away.[11] By late 2016, the island had completely disappeared.[13]

Impact

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At least 825 people died 700 others were injured in the earthquake.[14][15][16] It was considered the worst earthquake to affect Pakistan since the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. Many survivors suffered broken bones or lost a limb when the buildings they were inside collapsed.[17] The earthquake affected a sparsely populated region of southern Pakistan where most of the population live in poverty. Homes in the region were also commonly made with mud bricks which were prone to collapse during earthquakes. The shock affected about 300,000 people across the districts of Awaran, Kech, Gwadar, Panjgur, Chaghi and Khuzdar.[18] Over 100,000 people were homeless; many survivors slept outdoors or in temporary shelters.[19]

Most homes and buildings in the region were constructed of mud bricks and collapsed during the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. An official in the Balochistan province claimed that 80 percent of the homes in the Awaran District had collapsed or were damaged.[20] There were 386 deaths in the district, 32,638 homes destroyed, and another 14,118 damaged.[21] There were also 254 deaths in Kech, 60 in Khuzdar, 17 in Kalat, 9 in Chagai and 6 in Gwadar.[22]

An aftershock on September 28 killed an additional 15 people. In Nokjo, Arawan District, the aftershock damaged most structures and trapped their occupants.[23] Terrified people evacuated a hospital in the district and in Quetta, a workers fled a local parliament building.[24]

Aftermath

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The national army said over 200 medical personnel and 1,000 soldiers were dispatched to Balochistan.[18][25] The vastly mountainous area and absence of communication challenged early stage of the recovery efforts. Within a day, some severely injured people were flown to Karachi for medical attention while others received assistance in nearby districts.[18] Sixty military vehicles from Karachi also delivered aid.[17] The government also distributed 10,000 food kits to sustain a family for 15 days.[25]

Rescue efforts were further challenged when attacks from an alleged rebel group linked with anti-government campaigns targeted military convoys transporting supplies.[26] On 26 September, two rockets were fired at a helicopter carrying a military general, the National Disaster Management Authority chairman, other officials and media crew. Government sources blamed the attack on Balochi separatists.[27]

Separatists were blamed for their role in disrupting the recovery process with their activities. In addition to attacks targeting soldiers, a medical team was also targeted.[28] Two soldiers were killed in an explosion while transporting aid.[29] Balochistan officials denied external assistance to the region citing the security concerns. However, the provincial chief minister, Abdul Malik Baloch, appealed to the federal government to allow foreign aid into the province. A minister spokesperson blamed separatists for hampering aid efforts and said they should reduce their forces during times of crisis. Several international organisations including Doctors Without Borders said the central government did not give them permission to assist despite the group's readiness.[30]

In December 2018, the Pakistan army completed the construction of 75 new homes in a new village called Jebri, located in Arawan's Mashkai division. The project which began in May took approximately six months to complete. These homes were equipped with a solar panel and access to power and running water.[29]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d ANSS. "M 7.7 – 63 km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan 2013". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
  2. ^ ISC (2022), ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1904–2018), Version 9.1, International Seismological Centre
  3. ^ Wang, Dun; Kawakatsu, Hitoshi; Mori, Jim; Ali, Babar; Ren, Zhikun; Shen, Xuelin (March 2016). "Backprojection analyses from four regional arrays for rupture over a curved dipping fault: The Mw 7.7 24 September 2013 Pakistan earthquake". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 121 (3): 1948–1961. Bibcode:2016JGRB..121.1948W. doi:10.1002/2015JB012168. S2CID 130332801.
  4. ^ Avouac, Jean-Philippe; Ayoub, Francois; Wei, Shengji; Ampuero, Jean-Paul; Meng, Lingsen; Leprince, Sebastien; Jolivet, Romain; Duputel, Zacharie; Helmberger, Don (2014). "The 2013, Mw 7.7 Balochistan earthquake, energetic strike-slip reactivation of a thrust fault" (PDF). Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 391: 128–134. Bibcode:2014E&PSL.391..128A. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2014.01.036.
  5. ^ Reitman, N. G.; Gold, R. D.; Briggs, R. W.; Barnhart, W. D.; Hayes, G. P. (2014). Surface Rupture and Slip Distribution Resulting from the 2013 M7.7 Balochistan, Pakistan Earthquake. Fall Meeting 2014. American Geophysical Union.
  6. ^ ANSS. "M 6.8 – 96 km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan 2013". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
  7. ^ Heidarzadeh, Mohammad; Satake, Kenji (2014). "Possible sources of the tsunami observed in the northwestern Indian Ocean following the 2013 September 24 Mw 7.7 Pakistan inland earthquake". Geophysical Journal International. 199 (2): 752–766. doi:10.1093/gji/ggu297.
  8. ^ "Deadly earthquake strikes Pakistan's Balochistan". BBC News. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  9. ^ a b Khan, Ilyas (27 September 2013). "Pakistan quake island off Gwadar 'emits flammable gas'". BBC News. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Island discovered as a result of earthquake in Pakistan". Press Trust of India. CNN-News18. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  11. ^ a b Subbaraman, Nidhi (28 September 2013). "Pakistan earthquake creates new island, 'mud volcano' to blame". NBC News. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  12. ^ "New Pakistani island formed after quake unlikely to last: Experts". The Straits Times. Agence France-Presse. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Gwadar's quake island disappears". Dawn. Pakistan. 31 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  14. ^ "Balochistan quake: toll jumps to 825". The Nation (Pakistan). 1 October 2013. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  15. ^ "825 dead, relief slow to reach Balochistan quake victims". Dunya News. 4 October 2013.
  16. ^ "Pakistan: Death toll in the earthquake rises to 515". The Indian Express. 27 September 2013.
  17. ^ a b Boone, Jon (25 September 2013). "Pakistan earthquake: hundreds feared dead in remote Baluchistan province". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  18. ^ a b c "Pakistan earthquake: Hundreds dead in Balochistan". BBC News. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Relief slow to reach Pakistan quake victims". Al Jazeera. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  20. ^ "At least 208 killed in Balochistan earthquake". Dawn. Pakistan. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  21. ^ Govermment of Pakistan (19 November 2013). "Awaran Earthquake Balochistan Situation Report – 53 (18 November 2013)". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  22. ^ "Schweres Erdbeben in Pakistan – 780 Tote (vorläufige Angabe) – Kleiner Tsunami – Neue Inseln entstanden – Schwierige Lage im Katastrophengebiet – 45 Tote bei schwerem Nachbeben". erdbebennews.de (in German). 1 October 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  23. ^ "Pakistani quake area struck again". BBC News. 28 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  24. ^ "Massive aftershock rattles Balochistan, killing 15". Taipei Times. Associated Press. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  25. ^ a b "Death toll rises to 330 in Pakistan quake". CNN. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  26. ^ "New earthquake strikes Pakistan's Balochistan". Al Jazeera. 29 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  27. ^ "Pakistan quake death toll rises to 350". CNN. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  28. ^ "Poor Logistics, Attacks Hinder Quake Rescue Efforts in Balochistan". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  29. ^ a b Khan, Naimat (24 January 2019). "Balochistan residents get 'model homes' five years after quake". Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  30. ^ Siddique, Abubakar (16 October 2013). "Pakistani Quake Victims Suffer As Government Denies International Aid". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 18 September 2024.

Sources

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