Pakistan- North India Earthquake

1. Pakistan- North India Earthquake Ariana Snowdon, Ben Smolen, Chris Jasinski, Eli Bronner

2. Geologic History of the Region • India once belonged to an Island continent called Gondwanaland • 140 million years ago, India began it's northward movement, on a collision course with the Eurasian continent • The point where the two continents were joined is known as the Indus-Yarlung Suture zone • 60 million years, the Indian and Asian plates became closely welded along this suture zone

3. Formation of the Himalayas is result of collision of continents, contraction of the Tethyan ocean, and elements from the mountains of then northern India, the oceanic crust, and the deep sea sediments from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. • 3 phases • 1st up thrust lead to the formation of a lower range of hills known as the Shivaliks, made up of erosion elements of the rising Himalayas. • 2nd lead to further uplift of the central axis, and the formation of the great peaks of the Garhwal Himalaya and Nanda Devi. • 3rd lead to rise the Himalayas, Transhimalaya, Karakorum, and the whole of the Tibetan region, which in the last 1 million years it has risen by nearly 5,000 meters, an average of 4-5 millimeters per year.

4. History of Quakes in the Region • As a result, large lakes were also formed as rising rivers were blocked by the emergent ranges. • As the rising Pir Panjal range blocked the Jhelum River, it turned what we know as The Vale of Kashmir into a lake. • Jan. 23, 1556 - Shansi, China – 830,000 Deaths – n.a. • July 27, 1976 – Tangshan, China – 255,000 Deaths – 8.0 • Dec. 26 2004 – off west coast of Sumatra – 242,000 Deaths – 9.0 • May 22, 1927 – Xining, China – 200,000 Deaths – 8.3 • Dec. 22, 856 – Damghan, Iran – 200,000 Deaths – n.a. • Dec. 16, 1920 – Gansu, China – 200,000 Deaths – 8.6 • March 23, 893 – Ardibil, Iran – 150,000 Deaths – n.a. • Oct 5, 1948 - Ashbagat, Turkmenistan – 110,000 Deaths – 7.3 • Sept. 1290 – Chihli, China – 100,000 Deaths – n.a. • Oct. 8, 2005 – Pakistan – 88,710+ Deaths – 7.6 • Nov. 18, 1727 – Tabriz, Iran – 77,000 Deaths – n.a. • Dec. 25, 1932 – Gansu, China – 70,000 Deaths – 7.6 • May 30, 1935 – Quetta, Pakistan – 30,000- 60,000 Deaths – 7.5 • June 20, 1990 – Iran – 50,000 Deaths – 7.7

5. October 8, 2005, 8:50am local time • Kashmir region of Northern India has general unstable seismicity • Result of Indian tectonic plate colliding with Eurasian plate • Hypocenter reported at a depth of 16 miles below the earth’s surface • Magnitude of 7.8 on Richter Scale • Quake caused massive damage in Northern Pakistan, Northern India, and Afghanistan • Kashmir region suffered the most damage

6. The Pakistani province of Punjab felt aftershocks of magnitudes of around 4.5. • There were 147 aftershocks felt and reported, the first day following the original earthquake. One of secondary quakes reported a magnitude of 6.2. • As of October 27, there were 978 aftershocks with magnitudes of 4.0 or over. • There were a reported 73,276 dead as a result, and around 100,000 more injured. • http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Earthquake2005Pakistan.html • Pakistan is defenseless to landslides as a result of the high relief of the unstable mountains. Monsoon rains before or after an earthquake can result in very serious damage. After the earthquake, Muzaffarabad a city in Pakistan, was pummeled with landslides.

7. Political Response and Immediate Aftermath • Pakistan government quickly realized that magnitude of the disaster was beyond their capabilities, and sought international aid. • Aid came in the form of money, medical supplies, food, helicopters, tents, and blankets • UNHCR was at forefront of response, sending over 30,000 family tents, 100,000 blankets, 2000 stoves • U.S. pledged $156 million in initial support, as well as sending military and medical personnel, mobilizing many military helicopters to assist in food and supply drops • Final statistics find that 15,000 villages were affected, several major cities were virtually flattened, over 74,000 killed, over 106,000 injured, and an estimated 3.5 million were left homeless • $5.8 million USD was contributed from the international community

8. Weak buildings contributed to high number of deaths • Poor road construction led to many roads being damaged, hampering relief efforts and cutting many villages off from the relief supplies. • Snow began falling on October 13, further impeding relief efforts. • International relief was slow to arrive, due in part to the slow response from the Pakistani government and perhaps also due in part to the two other major natural disasters in the preceding year- the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. • Slow response led to higher death toll than necessary, with many more dying from infection as minor wounds turned serious without proper medical attention, as well as cold and lack of food and sanitary water.

9. Long Term Effects • Lack of technology in the area resulted in slower response than was needed. Lacking machinery, people were forced to use pickaxes and dig by hand for survivors and bodies. • Power was destroyed to many villages, leaving many without water. • Unsanitary water resulted in the spread of many diseases, including typhoid and measles • Exposure and the high altitude of the region became more serious as the Himalayan winter approached • Line of Control between India and Pakistan, usually politically tense and violent region, was opened in five places to allow for exchange of medical supplies and relief efforts

10. As of 2006, recovery efforts are ongoing • Japan International Cooperation Agency proposed $40 billion dollar land plan to help rebuild damaged areas • A year later, some areas are still “red-zoned” and receiving no aid because of their location in geographically unstable areas • Approx. 2 million people are still living in temporary shelter • Lack of media attention and remote location have led to fall-off of international aid, despite millions still suffering.