Chiang Rai earthquake: Aftershocks continue, warning of landslides

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EARTHQUAKE
Aftershocks continue, warning of landslides
Thanapat Kitjakosol
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- A 72-HOUR monitoring operation should be conducted following the tremors that rocked Chiang Rai and neighbouring provinces on Monday, and a warning has been issued of possible landslides, the Engineering Institute of Thailand under HM The King's Patronage (EIT) said at a seminar yesterday.

Among measures for monitoring are: the surveillance and inspection of dams in a 200-kilometre radius from the epicentre every six hours to watch out for quake-caused cracks or leaks; inspection of buildings on foothills, which are more vulnerable to aftershocks than those on ground level; and inspection of further damage to pillars and beams of buildings affected or damaged already, said EIT chairman Prof Suchatvee Suwansawat.

Mudslides or landslides are possible in areas affected by the quake after heavy rains are forecast for later this week.

Debris and sliding rocks may be stirred up by the tremors and washed away or cause further damage.

People in foothills at risk

People living in foothills or mountain areas close to the epicentre are advised to check out on cracks, and relocate if necessary until rainstorms had eased, he added.

A monitoring of aftershocks is also advised in areas in Chiang Rai, which is the epicentre, Phayao and Lampang, all of which are located near the Phayao fault line.

Suchatvee said there were also other fault lines at risk of future quakes, especially the Phan fault line, where the magnitude could be as strong as 6.6, compared to the original 6.3.

EIT will today dispatch a group of EIT members and experts to visit Chiang Rai and inspect buildings damaged by the quake, while local public and authorities will be lectured on basic instructions on how to stay safe in a quake and make early repairs.

He said the quake was a call to seriously impose quake-safety measures.

A law enforced by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration requires that buildings taller than 30 storeys and built before 2007 must follow quake safety regulations.

EIT has studied and been trying to formulate a regulation that schools, hospitals, or buildings for public use at any height need to have x-shaped structures that could sufficiently support the partially-collapsed buildings to make sure survivors could reach an exit.

-- The Nation 2014-05-07

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Locals in a panic as waves of tremors continue rippling through North
Pongphon Sarnsamak
The Nation
Chiang Rai



BANGKOK: -- SEVERAL WAVES of aftershocks from Monday's 6.3-magnitude earthquake have left villagers in Chiang Rai's Phan district, the epicentre, trembling in fear.

"This was the strongest and worst earthquake in my life," four months pregnant Nam-Oui Somphon said yesterday morning after medical staff at Phan Hospital announced an evacuation.

Patients, their relatives and staff were ordered to exit the hospital and gather at tents deployed at the park beside the outpatient building.

Patients with mild symptoms were told to go home while those with severe symptoms were admitted at the hospital.

The roof of a dormitory inside the hospital had crashed to the ground and its columns had snapped.

The women's patients building was also damaged as well as a new wing.

The Chiang Rung Hotel, located in the middle of the district, suffered a cracked wall.

"I'll spend more than Bt300,000 to repair my hotel," Manas Chanprasit told The Nation.

He would suspend activities at the property for a few weeks to allow agencies to investigate the soundness of the building.

According to the provincial public works and town and country planning offices, the hotel's structure appeared to remain in good condition, but further investigation was needed.

Phanpittayakhom School's main building almost collapsed as its main structure broke apart.

The school's director Sanong Sucharit said this building cannot be used in the future as it would be dangerous for everyone. He might ask the Education Ministry to provide more budget to construct a new building.

The tremor was a nightmare for Kittiphat Veeranonburaphat, a local villager in Mae Lao district whose house toppled over and inflicted a huge loss on him.

He had just borrowed Bt2 million from a bank to build the house. It needed only four more months to be finished, but his dreams of living in that house were completely destroyed.

"Even though I don't have a house anymore, I will build a new one as long as I'm still alive," he said.


-- The Nation 2014-05-07

[chainarong]

I wounder if any decision is going to made to alter the building bylaws to include a earthquake code, for all new buildings in the quake zone.

[Longtooth]

I wounder if any decision is going to made to alter the building bylaws to include a earthquake code, for all new buildings in the quake zone.

"building bylaws" ?

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{ O O }

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Edited May 7, 2014 by Longtooth

[toybits]

I have always been wary of the Thai Building Standard. Coming from a country where there are frequent earthquakes and other natural disasters, I am used to seeing buildings that are more robust in construction. Looking at Thai apartment buildings, I always wonder "How would that building stand against an earthquake like we just had?". Now, my question has been answered.

[wileycoyote]

Don't panc ,aftershocks are natural and should subside by the end of today

[Jonmarleesco]

'A law enforced by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration requires that buildings taller than 30 storeys and built before 2007 must follow quake safety regulations.'

That's comforting to know