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Thousands
of Earthquakes Strike in
2004
By
Greg Licamele
Nearly 3,500
earthquakes were measured worldwide in the first 60 days of 2004.
However, only
18 were categorized as “significant” by the U.S. Geological Survey, as
704
people were killed, 1,992 were injured and more than 18,000 buildings
were
damaged through March 2.
The highest death
toll was recorded near the north coast of Morocco
on Feb. 24, as 628 people died in a 6.4 magnitude earthquake. More than
900
people were injured in this earthquake and over 2,500 homes were
destroyed.
Fifteen thousand people were left homeless. One hundred and forty
deaths were
recorded in the small village
of Ait Kamara, where
officials declared most of the
location destroyed (Naji, Feb.
24, 2004). This devastating natural disaster has led to a
multinational
relief effort from countries such as Finland,
Germany,
Norway,
United States,
Algeria,
Egypt
and Libya
(Sheridan, Feb. 25, 2004). The Moroccan
Red Crescent
appealed for $2.3 million in aid for 30,000 people, including 1,500
tents,
15,000 mattresses and 30,000 blankets. Red Cross, Red Crescent and U.N.
teams
have been dispatched to the area to help in recovery efforts of this
year’s
most damaging earthquake. Financial contributions include $600,000 from
the
Chinese, $625,000 from the European Commission, and $24 million from
the
Spanish government. The World Food Program designated $200,000 for
relief
(China View, Feb. 29, 2004).
Fatal quakes have
riddled other areas of the world, especially in Indonesia,
as quakes on Jan. 1, Feb. 5 and Feb. 16 measured 5.8, 7.0 and 5.3,
respectively. The 5.8 magnitude New Year’s Day quake in the Bali
region of Indonesia
hurt 29 people and damaged 6,000 facilities. The 7.0 disaster in Papua,
Indonesia,
claimed 37
lives, 682 injuries and 2,678 buildings. Infrastructure, including
bridges and
airport runways, experienced damage. On Feb. 16, in Southern Sumatra,
Indonesia, seven people were injured and 100 houses were damaged. Six
days
later, a 6.0 aftershock claimed one injury and four houses.
Other significant
quakes this year happened in Pakistan
(5.5 magnitude killing 24 people), Burundi
(4.8 magnitude claiming three lives) and in Eastern Turkey
(3.8 with six deaths).
The U.S.
Geological Survey provided the following stats for 2004 earthquakes
based on
magnitudes:
7-7.9=3
6-6.9=21
5-5.9=194
4-4.9=839
3-3.9=685
2-2.9=689
1-1.9-261
0.1-0.9=13
No Magnitude=715
Though not counted
as “significant” by the USGS, but rather “noteworthy,” 10 earthquakes
hit a
variety of places, ranging from 5.1 magnitude in the Dead Sea Region to
a 7.3
near the South Coast of Papua, Indonesia. This Feb. 7 quake was not in
the same
area as the Feb. 5 quake reported above. On Feb. 8, a 6.7 quake also
hit Papua, Indonesia,
clearly
designating that area of the world as a significant risk for earthquake
activity.
In the United
States, a 5.0 quake was recorded in Wyoming
at the Grand Tetan
National Park;
however, no damage
was reported.
References
U.S.
Geological Survey: Earthquakes Hazard Program.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov
China
View. “World Provides Relief to Earthquake Victims in Morocco.”
Feb. 29, 2004.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-03/01/content_1338730.htm.
Naji, Ali. “300
Feared Dead in Morocco
Earthquake.” The Associated Press, Feb. 24, 2004.
Sheridan, Kerry. “Morocco
Earthquake Claims 564 Lives, Hundreds
Injured.” Voice of America News, Feb. 25, 2004.
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