Asia-Pacific experiences more natural disasters than any other region

[ASEAN NOW News]

Between 2014 and 2017, nations in this region were affected by 55 earthquakes, 217 storms and cyclones, and 236 cases of severe flooding, impacting 650 million people and causing the deaths of 33,000 people.

 

This week we reported that the Kon Plong District in the Central Vietnam Highlands province of Kon Tum experienced 12 earthquakes of 2.5-4.7 in magnitude from Tuesday afternoon to early Wednesday.

 

Kon Tum

 

The first, at 2:08 p.m. last Tuesday, had a magnitude of 4.7 on the Richter scale, making it the strongest earthquake to ever hit Kon Tum, causing tremors in neighboring provinces of Gia Lai, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, and Da Nang.

 

The next 11 quakes had a magnitude of 2.5-2.9. The latest was recorded at 1:21 a.m. on Wednesday.

Altogether, the 12 events caused the tiled roof of a household in Kon Plong's Dak Ring Commune to collapse.

 

Luckily, no human fatalities were reported.

 

The Ministry of Science and Technology has been ordered to work with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology to determine the cause of the quake series, estimate the risk levels and propose response solutions.

 

134 Earthquakes recorded

 

According to Vietnam's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the country experienced 134 earthquakes in the 20th century, including two that were between M8. 0 and M9.

 

In recorded history, two earthquakes with estimated magnitudes of M5.0–6.0 are known to have shaken Hanoi in 1278 and 1285, an M6.5 quake occurred in the lower section of the Ma River in 1635, and an M6.0 temblor struck on the Ca River in 1821.

 

In the past 100 years, there have been two major earthquakes of M6.0–7.0 near the province of Dien Bien in 1935 and 1983. Seismic hazard in Vietnam is mainly attributed to the Red River fault system.

 

Could North Vietnam Experience a Christchurch-Like Event?

 

According to Verisk, sometimes even earthquakes of moderate strength can cause considerable damage, which is what happened in Christchurch, New Zealand.

 

The M7.1 and M6.2 earthquakes that struck Christchurch in 2010 and 2011, respectively, were wake-up calls because the region was thought to have little seismic activity, until the city was hit by a swarm of earthquakes that occurred on previously unknown faults.

 

Because Christchurch had so many unreinforced masonry buildings (and/or buildings with insufficient detailing), and because so much of the city was built on loose sand and silt deposits—both of which are of great concern in Vietnam—there was an unprecedented amount of damage from liquefaction.

 

 

Much of the Hanoi metropolitan area is located in the Red River delta on alluvial soil composed of loosely layered clay, silt, or sand, which makes it highly susceptible to liquefaction.

 

Most buildings in Vietnam predate the introduction of seismic building codes, which makes them vulnerable to earthquakes.

 

Where are earthquakes common in Asia?

 

From Afghanistan to Bangladesh, much of South Asia is in one of the highest seismically active regions in the world.

 

More than 600 million people live along the fault-line across the Himalayan belt that runs through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan.

 

The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, which causes the country to have frequent seismic and volcanic activity. 

 

Many earthquakes of smaller magnitude occur very regularly due to the meeting of major tectonic plates in the region.  

 

The last reported earthquake was reported there on August 23rd 2022.

 

The largest was the 1918 Celebes Sea earthquake with Mw8.3.

 

Thailand has moderate earthquakes

 

Thailand is prone to natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, tropical storms, and forest fires, but  weak to moderate (below magnitude 6.0) earthquakes are not uncommon and earthquake risk should not be underestimated.

 

In the last two decades, three notable earthquakes have affected Thailand, resulting in extensive damage and/or loss of life.

 

In May 16, 2007, an M6.3 earthquake in neighboring country Laos caused damage to public buildings, including a school, a hospital, and historic structures.

 

An M6.9 temblor that struck near the border with Thailand and Laos on March 24, 2011, caused one death in northern Thailand and was felt in the northwest as well as in Bangkok.

 

And most recently the May 5, 2014, M6.1 Mae Lao earthquake in Chiang Rai, northern Thailand, was one of the most significant seismic events ever recorded in the country.

 

This temblor resulted in extensive damage to more than 15,000 buildings and infrastructures, as well as one death and 107 injuries.

 

According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation at Chiang Rai, the estimated total economic loss reached USD 300 million.

 

Over the past 40 years, Thailand has experienced mid-sized earthquakes (magnitudes 5.0-5.9) 8 times or once every 5 years.

 

Meanwhile, earthquake disasters are not common in Cambodia. There is no record of significant disasters caused by earthquakes.

 

Natural disasters

 

Typhoon in China

 

Humanity is faced with more natural disasters, which last longer and impact more people than ten years ago. Climate change, population growth and urbanization are contributing to an increase in both the number and severity of disasters, with the Asia Pacific region particularly badly hit.
 

According to the United Nations’ Global Humanitarian Overview 2019 report, in the period between 2014 and 2017, 870 million people from 160 countries, either lost their lives, their livelihoods or were displaced from their homes because of disasters caused by natural hazards.

Floods, severe storms, droughts and other climate-related extremes are responsible for over 90% of global disasters and affect the most people.