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T
ILMAN
A
RETZ
’
S BLOG
[
http://taretz.blogspot.com
]Earthquakes in Greater China
Earthquakes in Greater China
Reports about earthquakes on Chinese soil are as old as China’s civilization. According to traditional sources, the firstquake on record occurred in 1177 BC on the territory of the Zhou dynasty
周
. However, it has to be taken intoaccount that the first generally accepted reliable date in Chinese history is 841 BC and dates of events prior to 841BC have not yet been sufficiently verified.According to some Chinese sources, there were altogether 79 major earthquakes in the nation’s history, the mostrecent 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake included; a list titled “79 extraordinary strong earthquakes recorded in China’shistory” (
Zhongguo lishishang you jizaide 79 ci teda dizhen
中國歷史上有記載的
79
次特大地震
) appeared online in May 2008. That list of 79 quakes, 62 of which struck before 1900, surprisingly does not include two of the mostdevastating temblors in China’s historythose which occurred in 1290 and in 1556. In this file, the record isseparated into quakes after 1900 and quakes before 1900. For quakes that struck centuries ago, information aboutcasualties is often not available. Moreover, the magnitude of China’s historic earthquakes can only be estimatedaccording to the affected area, reported damage and casualties. Since the information cannot be accurate, themagnitude of quakes before 1900 is not listed. (The list of quakes after 1900 shows the magnitude according to theRichter scale.)
MAJOR EARTHQUAKES IN THE
G
REATER
C
HINA AREA SINCE
1900
Chronology
Year (date) Magnitude Fatalities Location of epicenter
1902 (Aug. 22) 8.3 5650 ... north of Artux
阿圖什
(today’s Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Pre-fecture
克孜勒蘇柯爾克孜自治州
, Xinjiang)1904 (Aug. 30) 6.0 400 Dawu
道孚
(today’s Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
甘孜藏族自治州
, Sichuan Province)1906 (March 17) 7.1 1258 Minhsiung
民雄
/Meishan
梅山
(Chiayi County
嘉義縣
, southernTaiwan)1906 (Dec. 23) 8.0 280 ... west of Shawan
沙灣
(today’s Tacheng Prefecture
塔城地區
, Xin-jiang)1909 (April 15) 7.3 9 ... near Taipei
台北
(northern Taiwan)1909 (Nov. 21) 7.3 ... near Ta’nan’ao
大南澳
(Ilan County
宜蘭縣
, eastern Taiwan)1917 (July 31) 6.5 1069 Daguan
大關
(Zhaotong City
昭通市
, Yunnan Province)1918 (Feb. 13) 7.3 1000 Nanao
南澳
(Shantou City
汕頭市
, Guangdong Province)1920 (June 5) 8.3 ... off Taiwan’s east coast near Hualien
花蓮
1920 (Dec. 16) 8.6 > 234,100 Haiyuan
海原
(Zhongwei City
中衛市
, Ningxia Province)1923 (March 24) 7.3 > 3000 Luhuo
爐霍
/Dawu area (Garze, Sichuan Province)1925 (March 16) 7.1 > 3000 Dali
大理
(Yunnan Province)1927 (May 23) 7.9 > 40,000 Gulang
古浪
(Wuwei City
武威市
, Gansu Province)1932 (Dec. 25) 7.6 70,000 Changma
昌馬
(Yumen City
玉門市
, Jiuquan City
酒泉市
, GansuProvince)1933 (Aug. 25) 7.5 2865
¹
Diexi Township
疊溪鎮
(Mao County
茂縣
, Sichuan Province)1935 (April 21) 7.1 3276 Hsinchu
新竹
(northern Taiwan)1935 (July 17) 6.2 44 Wuchi
梧棲
(Taichung County
台中縣
, central Taiwan)1941 (Dec. 17) 7.1 360 Chungpu
中埔
(Chiayi County, Taiwan)1946 (Dec. 5) 6.1 74 Hsinhua
新化
(Tainan County
台南縣
, southern Taiwan)1950 (Aug. 15) 8.5 ca. 4000 Zayul County
察隅縣
(Nyingtri Prefecture
林芝地區
, Tibet)1951 (Oct. 22) 7.3 NA
²
... off central Taiwan’s east coast (near Hualien)1951 (Nov. 25) 7.3 85
²
East Longitudinal Valley (
huadong zonggu
花東縱谷
) near Taiwan’s eastcoast1955 (April 14) 7.5 84 Zheduo Dyke
折多塘
(Dardo County
康定縣
, Garze, Sichuan Prov-ince)
1
T
ILMAN
A
RETZ
’
S BLOG
[
http://taretz.blogspot.com
]Earthquakes in Greater China
1964 (Jan. 18) 6.1 106 Chiayi (Taiwan)1966 (March 8) 6.7 1693 Longyao County
隆堯縣
(Xingtai City
邢台市
, Hebei Province)1966 (March 22) 7.2 6371 Ningjin County
甯晉縣
(Xingtai City, Hebei Province)1967 (March 27) 6.3 9 Hejian
河間
(Cangzhou City
滄州市
, Hebei Province)1969 (July 18) 7.4 9 Bohai Bay
渤海灣
(off Hebei Province)1969 (July 26) 6.4 33 Yangjiang
陽江
(Guangdong Province)1970 (Jan. 5) 7.7 15,600 Tonghai
通海
(Yuxi City
玉溪市
, Yunnan Province)1973 (Feb. 6) 7.9 2175 Luhuo County
爐霍縣
(Garze, Sichuan Province)1974 (May 11) 7.1 1423 Daguan/Yongshan
永善
(Zhaotong Region
昭通地區
, YunnanProvince)1975 (Feb. 4) 7.3 1300 Haicheng
海城
(Anshan City
鞍山市
, Liaoning Province)1976 (April 6) 6.3 28 Horinger
和林格爾
(Hohhot City
呼和浩特市
, Inner Mongolia)1976 (May 29) 7.3/7.4 98 Longling County
龍陵縣
(Baoshan City
保山市
, Yunnan Province)1976 (July 28) 8.2 (7.8?)
³
> 242,000 Tangshan
唐山
(Hebei Province)1976 (Aug. 16) 7.2 41 Sungqu County
松潘縣
/Pingwu County
平武縣
(Sichuan Province)1985 (Aug. 23) 7.4 ... at the border between Ulugqat County
烏恰縣
(Kizilsu, Xinjiang)and Shufu County
疏附縣
(Kashgar Prefecture
喀什地區
, Xinjiang)1986 (Nov. 14) 6.8 ... ocean floor off Hualien at Taiwan’s east coast1988 (Nov. 6) 7.6/7.2 743 Lancang
瀾滄
(Simao City
思茅市
, Yunnan Province) / Gengma
耿馬
(Lincang City
臨滄市
, Yunnan Province)1995 (Oct. 24) 6.5 44 Wuding
武定
(Chuxiong Lolos Autonomous Prefecture
楚雄彝族自治州
, Yunnan Province, Yunnan Province)1996 (Feb. 3) 7.0 245 Lijiang
麗江
area (Yunnan Province)1997 (Jan. 21) 6.4 50 Peyziwat County
伽師縣
(Kashgar, Xinjiang)1997 (April 11) 6.6 8 Peyziwat (Xinjiang)1998 (Jan. 10) 6.2 47 Shangyi
尚義
(Zhangjiakou City
張家口市
, Hebei Province)1998 (Nov. 19) 5.2 5 Ninglang Lolos Autonomous County
寧蒗彝族自治縣
area (Lijiang City
麗江市
, Yunnan Province)1999 (Sept. 21) 7.6 2415 Chichi
集集
(Nantou County
南投縣
, central Taiwan)2000 (Jan. 15) 5.4 7 Yao’an County
姚安縣
(Chuxiong, Yunnan Province)2000 (Aug. 21) 5.1 1 Wuding County
武定縣
(Chuxiong, Yunnan Province)2001 (Oct. 27) 6.0 1 Yongsheng County
永勝縣
(Lijiang City, Yunnan Province)2001 (Nov. 14) 8.1 Kokoxili
可可西里
(Qinghai Province)2002 (June 29) 7.3 Wangqing County
汪清縣
(Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture
延邊朝鮮族自治州
, Jilin Province)2003 (Feb. 24) 6.8 268 ... western part of Xinjiang around Peyziwat2003 (July 21) 6.2 16 Dayao County
大姚縣
(Chuxiong, Yunnan Province)2005 (Nov. 26) 5.7 17 Ruichang
瑞昌
(Jiujiang City
九江市
, Jiangxi Province)2006 (April 1) 6.4 Taitung
台東
(eastern Taiwan)2006 (July 22) 5.1 22 Yanjin County
鹽津縣
(Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province)2006 (Dec. 26) 6.7/6.4 2 ... Taiwan’s southwest coast off Hengchun
恆春
(Pingtung County
屏東縣
)2007 (June 3) 6.4 3 Puer
普洱
(Simao City, Yunnan Province)2008 (March 21) 7.3 Keriye
于田
(Hotan Prefecture
和田地區
, Xinjiang)2008 (May 12) 8.0 69,227 Wenchuan County
汶川縣
(Ngawa Tibetan Qiang Autonomous Pre-fecture
阿壩藏族羌族自治州
, Sichuan Province)2008 (May 18)
⁴
6.0 3 Jiangyou City
江油市
(Mianyang City
綿陽市
, Sichuan Province)2008 (May 25)
⁴
6.4 8 Qingchuan County
青川縣
(Guangyuan City
廣元市
, Sichuan Prov-ince)2008 (July 24)
⁴
5.6 1 Qingchuan County (Sichuan Province)2008 (Aug. 5)
⁴
6.2 3 Qingchuan County (Sichuan Province)2008 (Aug. 21) 5.9 3 Yingjiang County
盈江縣
(Dehong Dai Jingpo Autonomous Prefec-ture
德宏傣族景頗族自治州
, Yunnan Province)
2
T
ILMAN
A
RETZ
’
S BLOG
[
http://taretz.blogspot.com
]Earthquakes in Greater China
2008 (Aug. 30) 6.1 38 Renhe District
仁和區
(Panzhihua City
攀枝花市
, Sichuan Prov-ince)/Huili County
會理縣
(Liangshan Lolos Autonomous Prefecture
涼山彝族自治州
, Sichuan Province)2008 (Oct. 5) 6.8 70
⁵
Xinjiang’s Ulugqat County 2008 (Oct. 6) 6.6 10 Gedar
格達鄉
(Yangbajing Township
羊八井鎮
, Damxung County
當雄縣
, Lhasa City
拉薩市
, Tibet)2008 (Nov. 10) 6.3 Haixi Mongol Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
海西蒙古族藏族自治州
(Qinghai Province)2009 (July 9) 6.0 1 Guantun Township
官屯鄉
(Yao’an County, Chuxiong, YunnanProvince)2009 (Nov. 2) 5.0 Binchuan County
賓川縣
(Dali Borean Autonomous Prefecture
大理白族自治州
, Yunnan Province)2009 (Nov. 5) 6.0 Mingjian Township
名間鄉
(Nantou County, Taiwan)2009 (Dec. 19) 6.8 1 ... 25.5 km off Taiwan’s coast southeast of Hualien2010 (Jan. 17) 4.0 7 ... juncture area between Guanling Bouyei Hmong AutonomousCounty
關嶺布依族苗族自治縣
, Zhenning Bouyei Hmong Autono-mous County
鎮寧布依族苗族自治縣
(both Anshun City
安順市
,Guizhou Province), and Zhenfeng County
貞豐縣
(Qianxinan BouyeiHmong Autonomous Prefecture
黔西南布依族苗族自治州
, Gui-zhou Province)2010 (Jan. 31) 5.0 1 Moxi Town
磨溪鎮
(Anju District
安居區
, Suining City
遂寧市
, Si-chuan Province) / Tongnan County
潼南縣
(Chongqing City)2010 (Feb. 7) 6.3 165.7 km off Hualien’s coast (Taiwan)2010 (Feb. 25) 5.1 ... area between Lufeng
祿豐
and Yuanmou
元謀
(Chuxiong, YunnanProvince)2010 (March 4) 6.4 ... near Jiashian
甲仙
(Kaohsiung County
高雄縣
, Taiwan)2010 (April 14) 7.1 2220 Gyêgu County
玉樹縣
(Gyêgu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
玉樹藏族自治州
, Qinghai Province)2011 (March 10) 5.8 25 Yingjiang County (Yunnan Province)
Remarks
¹
The 1933 Sichuan temblor created a quake-formed lake which collapsed on Oct. 9, 1933. The death toll of thequake and the flood combined was more than 20,000.
²
Death toll for both 1951 Taiwan earthquakes combined.
³
Information about the magnitude of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake varies. When I started collecting earthquakedata following the 1999 Taiwan earthquake, according to most of the sources the Tangshan quake’s magnitude was8.2; however, after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake the Tangshan temblor’s magnitude, according to USGS and othersources, was reported to have reached 7.8.
⁴
Aftershocks following Sichuan’s May 12 quake.
⁵
Fatalities mostly in nearby Kyrgyzstan.
Links
The newest and most reliable information about earthquakes in China and Taiwan can be found on the websites of the following agenciesthe PRC’s China Earthquake Administration (
Zhongguo dizhenju
中國地震局
, abbrev. CEA),and Taiwan ROC’s Central Weather Bureau (
zhongyang qixiangju
中央氣象局
, abbrev. CWB). Besides, breaking newsabout recent earthquakes are usually published on the websites of the PRC’s Xinhua News Agency (
xinhua tongxunshe
新華通訊社
) and Taiwan ROC’s Central News Agency (
zhongyang tongxunshe
中央通訊社
, abbrev. CNA). Compre-hensive earthquake data are provided by the website of the United States Geological Survey (USGS)go to “Info by country/region”.• CEA (Chinese only)http://www.cea.gov.cn• CWB (Chinese)http://www.cwb.gov.tw/• CWB (English)http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V6e/index.htm• Xinhua (Chinese)http://www.xinhuanet.com/• Xinhua (English)http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/
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