Global News Post: Earthquake

Quake-hit Northwestern Iran Announces Two Days of Mourning

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">TEHRAN (RIA Novosti)--- The authorities of the northwestern Iranian province of East Azarbaijan have announced two days of mourning starting on Monday after a deadly earthquake over the weekend, ISNA news agency reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The agency reported that according to the latest information 300 people were killed and some 5,000 injured in twin quakes that rocked the northwest of the country on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">An earthquake measuring 6.2 points on the Richter scale struck the city of Ahar in the East Azerbaijan province at 4:00 p.m. local time (11:30 GMT) on Saturday. Almost an hour later, another quake with magnitude 6 on the Richter scale hit Varzaqan at 5:04 p.m. local time (12:34 GMT) in the same province.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Only half of the victims have been identified so far, the agency said citing a head of the local forensics department.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Azerbaijan, the United States and the United Nations have offered Iran their assistance in dealing with the consequences of the earthquake.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In total, 110 villages have been damaged. In the Ahar area, 4 villages were destroyed completely while 60 others sustained damage from 50 to 80 percent. In the Varzaqan area, 12 villages were destroyed completely.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Iran is prone to frequent earthquakes, many of which have been devastating, as it sits astride several major faults in the earth's crust. The deadliest quake in the country was in June 1990 when the 7.7-magnitude disaster killed some 37,000 people and left over 100,000 injured in the northwestern provinces of Gilan and Zanjan, devastating 27 towns and about 1,870 villages.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Quake-hit Northwestern Iran Announces Two Days of Mourning

TEHRAN (RIA Novosti)--- The authorities of the northwestern Iranian province of East Azarbaijan have announced two days of mourning startin...

5.3-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Northeast India

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">NEW DELHI, India (NNN-Xinhua) -- An earthquake of 5.3 degrees on Richter scale hit the northeast Indian state Friday evening, causing minor injuries, said local TV reports.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The neighboring states of West Bengal, including its capital Kolkata, and Meghalaya, also fet the tremor which lasted 10-15 seconds as the quake hit Assam with its epicenter at Tezpur district of the state at 18: 15 p.m. local time (1545 GMT), said TV channel Times Now.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: kashida; text-kashida: 20%;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The quake caused the collapse of a house in Nagaon of Assem, resulting in minor injuries, the reports quoting Indian meteorological department officials as saying. -- NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

5.3-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Northeast India

NEW DELHI, India (NNN-Xinhua) -- An earthquake of 5.3 degrees on Richter scale hit the northeast Indian state Friday evening, causing m...

Another Quake Jolts Indonesia’s Aceh

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">BANDARLAMPUNG, Indonesia (NNN-Antara) -- A magnitude 5.4 earthquake again jolted Aceh province on Saturday night following the magnitude 8.5 earthquake on Wednesday afternoon. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Office (BMKG) through Kotabumi Geophysical station in Lampung noted that the aftershock happened at 7:18 p.m. local time at 639 kilometers southwest of Simeulue district. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Head of Kotabumi Geophysical station, Chrismanto said the quake was at 2.55 degrees northern latitude and 90.34 eastern longitude, at a depth of 65 kilometers. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Aftershocks continued to be felt in Aceh following an 8.5 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday. -- NNN-ANTARA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Another Quake Jolts Indonesia’s Aceh

BANDARLAMPUNG, Indonesia (NNN-Antara) -- A magnitude 5.4 earthquake again jolted Aceh province on Saturday night following the magnitude 8....

INDIA LIFTS TSUNAMI WARNING

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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">  </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">NEW DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- India has lifted tsunami warning for the first 8.6 magnitude earthquake which hit Indonesia 's northern Sumatra on Wednesday, but has extended that for the 8. 2 magnitude aftershock which hit Aceh one hour later, said local TV channel CNN-IBN.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Indian government has meanwhile has asked all bodies responsible for disaster prevention and relief to be fully prepared.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Indian Air Force has sent 80 National Disaster Response Force members and two tons of relief materials to Port Blair, the main port town of the Andaman islands and Nicobars Islands in the Bay of Bengal, where 3.9 meter high waves have been sighted by local fishermen.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Authorities have also orders ships to leave Port Blair, although officials asked local fishermen not to panic.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Strong tremors were felt across eastern coast of India after the Indonesian quake. Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kochi and some other cities also reported mild tremors. -- NNN-XINHUA</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">  </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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INDIA LIFTS TSUNAMI WARNING

NEW DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- India has lifted tsunami warning for the first 8.6 magnitude earthquake which hit Indonesia 's northern Su...

A 5.2 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Indian Capital and Neighboring States

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo:<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/araswami/407969791/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> flickr.com/araswami</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: left; text-indent: 36.0pt; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">NEW DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.2 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted the Indian capital and its surrounding areas this afternoon, but no casualties have been reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The epicenter of the quake, which was felt throughout the capital region and some northern Indian states, was near Bahadurgarh town at the Haryana-Delhi border region, just 35 km from New Delhi, said Indian Meteorological Department. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A school boundary wall in the Mayna village of Rohtak district of Haryana collapsed during the 15-second tremor, according to Indo- Asian News Service. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Residents and office staff were seen running out of houses during the quake. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On Sept. 8, 2011, a quake measuring 4.2 magnitude shook the Indian capital at 11:28 p.m. with its epicenter located at Sonipat in Haryana state. -- NNN-XINHUA <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

A 5.2 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Indian Capital and Neighboring States

Photo: flickr.com/araswami NEW DELHI (NNN-Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 5.2 magnitude on the Richter scale jolted the Indian cap...

Tokyo Prepares As Scientists Predict Big Quake

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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">By Henry Ridgwell from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Experts say there is a high likelihood of a big earthquake hitting the huge metropolis of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:city></st1:place> in the next few years. Authorities are trying to ensure the city is as prepared as possible for another large quake.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Earthquake alarms ring at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city>'s Metropolitan Government headquarters, sending workers running for cover. Across the city, workers in another tower block react to a fire alert. It is part of a city-wide drill organized by the government last month.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Japanese scientists are warning the likelihood of a big quake striking <st1:city w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:city> has increased since the huge temblor and tsunami last March in northern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Shinichi Sakai is from the Earthquake Research Institute at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>. He said, "When we did the calculations, tectonic activity was up by about six or seven times. At that point in time we established there was a 98 percent chance of a quake within 30 years,or for the next four years, it would likely be 70 percent."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Realistic animated models are being used to predict the potential fallout of a large quake on the city, the locations of weaker buildings, fire hazards, and evacuation bottlenecks.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Official estimates say a 7.3 magnitude quake in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city> could cause 11,000 casualties and destroy 850,000 buildings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At Shimizu Corporation in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city>, scientists are working on cutting-edge construction technologies to protect against earthquakes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">One building is supported on hardened rubber dampeners.  Other technologies include suspending buildings from a central pillar, which helps to absorb seismic shocks; and partially floating buildings on water which has been shown to reduce movement significantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A chief engineer at <st1:city w:st="on">Shimizu</st1:city>, Masaaki Saruta, says <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city> is better prepared than most cities.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Recently-constructed buildings are strong enough to withstand a big earthquake.  Even older buildings in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city> have been strengthened," said Saruta. "I won't say there will be no destruction at all, but we are prepared for this.  It is still a work in progress. We need more buildings to include seismic isolation technology and older ones to be additionally strengthened.  But <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city> will not be annihilated."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Amateur footage posted online shows skyscrapers in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city> swaying alarmingly when the Tohoku earthquake struck last March. Saruta says it is part of the design.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"To be honest, I have never seen anything like that so I was really surprised as well," Saruta. "But basically you do not need to worry about a building even if it's swaying.  What I mean is, you would expect a tall building to sway like that because of the design."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Last year’s quake, 300 kilometers to the north, shut down much of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:city></st1:place>, alerting authorities to prepare for a big earthquake even closer to this huge metropolis. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Tokyo Prepares As Scientists Predict Big Quake

By Henry Ridgwell from Tokyo Experts say there is a high likelihood of a big earthquake hitting the huge metropolis of Tokyo in the nex...

Powerful Earthquake Rocks Japan

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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Seismologists say a powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 rocked southern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place> Sunday, but there were no reports of damage or casualties, and no tsunami warning was issued.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
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The U.S. Geological Survey put the epicenter of the quake in the Izu islands, 486 kilometers south of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:place></st1:city>.  The quake struck at a depth of 371 kilometers.<br />
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<st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>'s Meteorological Agency said quake struck at 2:28 in the afternoon (0528 UTC) and caused buildings to sway in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:city></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
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<st1:place w:st="on">Northeastern Japan</st1:place> was devastated on March 11 by a massive earthquake and tsunami that left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Powerful Earthquake Rocks Japan

Photo: USGS Seismologists say a powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 rocked southern Japan Sunday, but there were no reports of damage o...

Strong Earthquake Hits Mexico, At Least 3 Killed

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">MEXICO   CITY</span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"> (NNN-Xinhua) -- Mexican authorities said at least three people were killed when a strong earthquake hit the southwestern coastal state of Guerrero on Saturday night and shook buildings in the capital.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">The temblor, measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale, occurred at 19:47 local time (0147 GMT Sunday), the National Seismological Service of Mexico said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">The epicenter of the quake was located about 42 km southwest of Iguala in Guerrero and about 166 km south-southwest of Mexico City, with a depth of 64.9 km, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which had estimated the magnitude at 6.8 before downgrading it to 6.7 and then 6.5.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">At least three people were killed in the quake, which sent residents rushing into the streets and interrupted public traffic and subways in Guerrero.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">According to Guerrero's Civil Protection agency, an 11-year-old boy was killed when a house's roof collapsed, a second died in the small town of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ixcateopan</st1:place></st1:city> and a driver was killed on the high way when a rock rolled down and hit his car.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">When the quake happened, panicked residents ran out of buildings and gathered in the streets. Some people began to cry and pray. The quake also interrupted public traffic and subway in Guerrero.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">Helicopters have been dispatched to check the situation, officials said.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">Marcelo Ebrard, mayor of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mexico City</st1:place></st1:city>, said by Twitter that "there is power cut in part of the city but no major damage has been reported."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">Power supplies have not been restored in 30 regions of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mexico City</st1:place></st1:city>, where some 70,000 residents are affected.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">A monstrous 8.1-magnitude earthquake hit the country in 1985 and killed as many as 10,000 people and wrecked parts of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mexico City</st1:place></st1:city>. -- NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>

Strong Earthquake Hits Mexico, At Least 3 Killed

MEXICO CITY (NNN-Xinhua) -- Mexican authorities said at least three people were killed when a strong earthquake hit the southwestern co...

Turkey earthquake death toll rises to 24

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">ANKARA</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti)- The death toll in a devastating earthquake in southeastern <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region></st1:place> has risen to 24, the CNN-Turk TV channel reported on Friday.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Seven bodies were pulled from the rubble in the past 24 hours, including five employees of a local travel agency, buried under the collapsed four-storey building of the Bayram hotel.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">As of noon <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city> time (08:00 GMT), 30 trapped people were rescued.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The 5.6-magnitude earthquake in the Van province left dozens injured and destroyed 25 buildings, including two hotels. Twenty-two buildings were uninhabited.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">About 800 rescuers are clearing the rubble at the site of the three demolished buildings, with most fatalities occurring at the Bayram hotel where Red Cross workers and journalists were staying.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">This was the second strong earthquake in the Van province in the past three weeks. On October 23, a far more powerful 7.2-magnitude quake left at least 600 people dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>

Turkey earthquake death toll rises to 24

ANKARA (RIA Novosti)- The death toll in a devastating earthquake in southeastern Turkey has risen to 24, the CNN-Turk TV channel reported...

Mild Earthquake Hits Eastern India

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">NEW DELH (NNN-Xinhua) -- A mild earthquake Saturday hit the eastern Indian state of Orissa, according to local media reports.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">However, there was no report of casualties or damage to properties because of the quake which measured 3.7 on the Richter scale and shook parts of Orissa at 08:00 a.m. local time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">The epicenter of the tremor was located at latitude 21.4 degree north and longitude 85.8 east in Keonjhar district.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit the northeast Indian state of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sikkim</st1:place></st1:country-region> in September, killing over 100 people and causing widespread damages. --NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Mild Earthquake Hits Eastern India

NEW DELH (NNN-Xinhua) -- A mild earthquake Saturday hit the eastern Indian state of Orissa, according to local media reports. However, th...

Indonesia: Earthquake Jolts Ambon

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">AMBON- Indonesia (NNN-ANTARA) -- An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale shook Ambon, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Maluku</st1:placename>  <st1:placetype w:st="on">Province</st1:placetype></st1:place>, on Saturday at 6.50 am local time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The quake`s epicenter was located at 2.91 degrees southern latitude and 129.67 degrees eastern longitude, around 185 Km northeast of Ambon, and at a depth of 25 Km, Head of the Ambon Geophysics Station Benny Sipolo said here on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The temblor did not trigger a tsunami, Sipolo said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Indonesia</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> is prone to seismic upheavals due to its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Pacific</st1:placename>  <st1:placetype w:st="on">Basin</st1:placetype></st1:place>. Maluku province lies at the meeting point of the country`s two main bp;ano chains.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Sipolo said none of quakes that had affected Maluku had the potential of causing a tsunami. Most of the quakes affecting the province so far were local and shallow, measuring three to four on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Quake-prone areas in Maluku include its southeastern parts, Ambon, Seram and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Buru</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Islands</st1:placetype></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile, <st1:place w:st="on">Bali</st1:place> was rocked by an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale on October 13, 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the quake was centered 143 km southwest of Dua Dua, <st1:place w:st="on">Bali</st1:place>, at a depth of 10 km.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But the temblor did not have the potential to cause a tsunami.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At least 46 people have been taken to <st1:placename w:st="on">Sanglah</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype> in <st1:place w:st="on">Bali</st1:place> following the quake. --NNN-ANTARA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div>

Indonesia: Earthquake Jolts Ambon

AMBON- Indonesia (NNN-ANTARA) -- An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale shook Ambon, Maluku Province , on Saturday at 6.50 am l...

Death Toll Rises to 264 in Turkey Earthquake: Interior Minister

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">ANKARA (NNN-Xinhua) -- The death toll from the powerful earthquake in southeast <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Turkey</st1:place></st1:country-region> has risen to 264, Turkish Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin told local media Monday. </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay earlier put the death toll at 239 and the number of the injured at some 1,300. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Speaking at a televised news conference, Atalay said rescue teams had managed to reach all areas in Van province that was hit by the quake. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tents, woollen blankets and food were being distributed in the quake-stricken zone, expected to cover all the quake-hit zone Monday. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Local media reports said earlier that the death toll was expected to rise further as hundreds remain unaccounted for. -- NNN-Xinhua<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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Death Toll Rises to 264 in Turkey Earthquake: Interior Minister

ANKARA (NNN-Xinhua) -- The death toll from the powerful earthquake in southeast Turkey has risen to 264, Turkish Interior Minister Idris ...

Residential building collapses in Turkey quake, people trapped under rubble

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<div class="MsoNormal"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">ANKARA</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti)-A powerful earthquake struck the city of <st1:city w:st="on">Van</st1:city> in south-east <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Turkey</st1:place></st1:country-region>, causing the collapse of a seven-storey building and trapping people under the rubble, the city mayor told NTV on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the city at 13:40 local time (10:40 a.m. GMT) on Sunday. Its epicenter was located at a depth of 5 kilometers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Many local residents are reported to have suffered from the earthquake but there have been no reports about victims so far.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Residential building collapses in Turkey quake, people trapped under rubble

ANKARA (RIA Novosti)-A powerful earthquake struck the city of Van in south-east Turkey , causing the collapse of a seven-storey building ...

Japan to increase emergency oil reserves

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW (RIA Novosti)- The Japanese government plans to expand stockpiles of crude oil and petroleum products as part of preparations for possible disasters, the Kyodo news agency reported on Saturday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The country is to be divided into six or seven regions with several dozen commercial facilities set up nationwide as the state's oil stockpiling points.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">This should enable each region to have around three to five days of supplies in case of emergency, government sources said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The move comes in response to shortages of gasoline and heating oil experienced in areas devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Japan to increase emergency oil reserves

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti)- The Japanese government plans to expand stockpiles of crude oil and petroleum products as part of preparations for po...

Rescuers Struggle to Reach Earthquake Victims in India's Northeast

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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Anjana
Pasricha | New Delhi</b></span></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQI9oMxBE97trM7AWyIJvgvWT2RItIL8VK7Pg6yOafdfZNVsRRvFytvqVHaJlE0ZrssCWWSvJlt44WoZmqVBQOPLt2-PnFMOnKnvabbFg-3wCv6ssxHKqmsDkNfLnJkHj059bcEI0W9E0/s1600/Casualties+including+lying+patients+being+evacuated+from+different+places+of+North+Sikkim..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQI9oMxBE97trM7AWyIJvgvWT2RItIL8VK7Pg6yOafdfZNVsRRvFytvqVHaJlE0ZrssCWWSvJlt44WoZmqVBQOPLt2-PnFMOnKnvabbFg-3wCv6ssxHKqmsDkNfLnJkHj059bcEI0W9E0/s1600/Casualties+including+lying+patients+being+evacuated+from+different+places+of+North+Sikkim..jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Casualties including lying patients being evacuated from different places of North Sikkim. Photo: PIB</i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span>   </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In
India’s northeastern Sikkim state, the death toll from Sunday’s strong
earthquake has risen to 80 as rescue operations in the remote mountainous
continue to pose serious challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">At
daybreak Tuesday in Sikkim, there was some good news for the Himalayan mountain
region jolted by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake two days ago, as national help
arrived.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Air
force helicopters flew rescue and medical teams to one of the worst affected
districts, Mangan.<span>  </span>Soldiers used earth
movers to open some mountain passes blocked by landslides.<span>  </span>Monsoon rains, which had been hampering
rescue operations, stopped briefly.<span>       
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">But
the scale of the devastation is still not clear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Remote
villages closest to the epicenter of the quake had not been accessed by Tuesday
afternoon and hundreds of rescue workers sent from the capital New Delhi are
still waiting to reach these areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
region is ringed by high mountain peaks and many of the roads have been blocked
by fallen trees, boulders and other debris.<span>         </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Home
Secretary R.K. Singh says the death toll could rise, as rescue teams gain
access to remote villages. He says helicopters are being used to survey the
damage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Aerial
surveillance has started with one chopper this morning," said Singh.
"Food packets are being air-dropped in the northern areas. The state
government has informed that they have opened relief camps in each
district.”<span>    </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
quake has put the spotlight on the need to improve disaster preparedness in the
remote state.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A
rescue management specialist in New Delhi, Angeli Quatra, says rescue and
relief have been delayed because local authorities were unprepared to cope with
a natural disaster of this scale. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“There
should be facilities in the local areas so that immediate relief can be
provided," Quatra said. "There should be air ambulances within the
state.<span>  </span>All these states they need to
have local helicopters, because at this time the scenario is that that is the
only viable mode of providing relief.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Quatra
points out that nearly two days after the quake hit, there is still no accurate
assessment of the number of casualties or those injured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Most
of the deaths caused by Sunday’s earthquake have occurred in Sikkim, which bore
the brunt of the disaster. But casualties have also been reported in the
neighboring Indian states of Bihar and West Bengal, as well as in Nepal and
Tibet.---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rescuers Struggle to Reach Earthquake Victims in India's Northeast

Anjana Pasricha | New Delhi Casualties including lying patients being evacuated from different places of North Sikkim. Photo: PIB ...

6 Earthquakes Strike Guatemala in 12 Hours

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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Six separate earthquakes in 12-hours struck the Central American nation of Guatemala Monday and Tuesday, killing at least three people and causing buildings in the capital, Guatemala City, to shake.  </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The largest quake, with a magnitude of 5.8, hit just after noon local time (1834 UTC).  The quake, like the other five, was centered some 52 kilometers south of the capital.  </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The U.S. Geological Survey says the six quakes ranged in magnitude from 4.3 to 5.8.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One woman died when her house collapsed in the town of Cuilapa.  A landslide was also reported following the quakes, burying a car.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The quakes caused the evacuation of buildings in the area and affected electricity and telephone services.---VOA News</span></div>
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6 Earthquakes Strike Guatemala in 12 Hours

Six separate earthquakes in 12-hours struck the Central American nation of Guatemala Monday and Tuesday, killing at least three people an...

NEPAL: INDIAN EARTHQUAKE PROMPTS "WAKE-UP CALL"

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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0svSt2nQmp2lPjpXbTDMefGWoYJO0X2b3Iu_HhdN_haH6AoEx_akvrKPkvgIpyPo0uQrh_KXU-OapaSlxIaMHleOF2lSNWxpy8saWxWXpcGJPm3eG6nzDyFx31KPEhjTLm5xP2zHLCM/s1600/indiaquake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0svSt2nQmp2lPjpXbTDMefGWoYJO0X2b3Iu_HhdN_haH6AoEx_akvrKPkvgIpyPo0uQrh_KXU-OapaSlxIaMHleOF2lSNWxpy8saWxWXpcGJPm3eG6nzDyFx31KPEhjTLm5xP2zHLCM/s1600/indiaquake.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>EARTHQUAKE HITS WEST BENGAL, SIKKIM.Medical team attend to an injured earthquake victim at a hospital in Siliguri in West Bengal, India, Sept. 18, 2011.  People have been killed in India, Nepal and Tibet, and over 100 injured from the earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale shook Sikkim. About 4000 people, involved in search and rescue operations, including the personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have rescued 15 foreign tourists and 150 villagers Photo courtesy NNN-xinhua</i></b></span></div><i>  </i><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">KATHMANDU  (NNN-IRIN) -- A 6.9 magnitude earthquake on Sept 18 in northeastern India which also caused deaths in parts of Nepal and China, serves as a stark warning to the earthquake-prone region, experts say. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“This is a wake-up call for many, for all of those indifferent to earthquakes,” Amod Mani Dixit, executive director of Nepal’s National Society for Earthquake Technology-Nepal (NSET), told IRIN (www.irinnews.org) in Kathmandu. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“I am happy the earthquake took place, though I am sorry for the loss of life. I feel earthquakes are being forgotten. Now they are saying, ‘Don’t forget me’.” </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Reports say dozens of people were killed in the region - including 16 in India, six in Nepal and seven in Tibet. Scores more were reportedly injured by the quake, which was felt as far away as Delhi and parts of Bangladesh. The tremor was felt across 20 districts of Nepal. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The main affected districts included Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung, Ilam, Dhankuta, Pachthar, Sunsari, Okhaldhunga in the Eastern Region, and Bhaktapur in the central region, Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Centre within the Ministry of Home Affairs reported on Sept 19. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The tremor in Kathmandu, though relatively mild, brought people onto the capital's streets, 272km west of the epicentre in India's mountainous Sikkim State. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Some residents leapt from windows, a reaction experts say reinforces the need for greater preparedness - in particular what to do and what not to do before, during and after an earthquake. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“This generation has never experienced an earthquake like this before,” said Umesh Prasad Dhakal, executive director of the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRC), urging the need for increased earthquake preparedness and awareness. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kathmandu Valley has a history of major earthquakes every 70-80 years. The last big quake (8.1 on the Richter scale) was in 1934 and killed 10,700 people. Scientists say major seismic activity is inevitable; the city has been bracing itself for “a big one” for years. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">According to NSET, if an earthquake of the same magnitude that struck Haiti in January 2010 were to hit Kathmandu, some 200,000 people would die, 200,000 would be severely injured, some 1.5 million would be made homeless, and 60 percent of homes would be damaged beyond repair. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And while some experts believe the Sept 18 quake was a seismic energy release which could help avoid such a scenario, others warn against complacency. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“At the moment we are not very sure whether or not this will be repeated,” said Rita Dhakal, humanitarian affairs specialist with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “Regardless, this is a signal for Nepal to be prepared.” </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Nepal’s most recent big earthquake was 6.8 on the Richter scale in 1988 and killed 721 people. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“We were lucky this time the tremor was mild. If it was a stronger earthquake the destruction could have been massive,” the NRC’s Umesh Prasad Dhakal said. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Over 16 major earthquakes have struck Nepal since 1223, the last occurring in 1988, according to the 2009 Nepal Disaster Report by the government of Nepal and the Disaster Preparedness Network-Nepal (DPNET). -- NNN-IRIN</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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NEPAL: INDIAN EARTHQUAKE PROMPTS "WAKE-UP CALL"

EARTHQUAKE HITS WEST BENGAL, SIKKIM.Medical team attend to an injured earthquake victim at a hospital in Siliguri in West Bengal, India...

INDIA: QUAKE TOLL CLIMBS TO 66, RESCUE WORK HAMPERED BY LANDSLIDES

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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">An injured man being treated in a Hospital, after an earthquake, in Gangtok on September 19, 2011.(Photo:PIB)</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">NEW DELHI (NNN-IANS) -- Landslides and inclement weather on Monday hampered rescue operations in quake-hit Sikkim as the death toll in the 6.8 magnitude temblor mounted to 66, including 39 in the Himalayan state.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The earthquake, which struck Sunday evening, left a trail of devastation damaging roads, buildings and other structures, uprooting mobile phone towers and snapping communication and power lines. After shocks made people panic in several areas forcing them to spend the night outdoors.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">West and South districts in Sikkim remained inaccessible to the Army due to landslides and inclement weather and rescuers were facing an uphill task to reach these areas, Major General S L Narasimhan, GOC 17 Mountain Division told reporters here.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sikkim accounted for 39 deaths alone, with most casualties taking place in the North District and in towns and villages like Rangpo, Dikchu, Singtam and Chungthang located along the course of Teesta river, officials in the district control room said.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Eight persons travelling in a bus of Teesta Urja Limited in North District are presumed dead as their vehicle got stuck under debris caused by a landslide, Narasimhan said. This, however, has not been incorporated in the official figure of those killed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The overnight toll climbed to 66 which included six deaths in West Bengal and seven each in Bihar, Nepal and Tibet, official reports said. Over a hundred people have been injured.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Narasimhan said army has launched 'Operation Madad' in Gangtok and other areas by deploying over 2,500 troops."We are also sending teams to Darjeeling and Kalimpong (in West Bengal)," he said. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A group of 14 tourists were rescued by the army from north Sikkim last night, Narasimhan said.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced Rs two lakh as ex-gratia to next of kin of those killed in the earthquake and Rs one lakh each for those seriously injured. -- NNN-IANS</span></div></div>

INDIA: QUAKE TOLL CLIMBS TO 66, RESCUE WORK HAMPERED BY LANDSLIDES

An injured man being treated in a Hospital, after an earthquake, in Gangtok on September 19, 2011.(Photo:PIB) NEW DELHI (NNN-IANS) ...

INDIA: HOUSING MINISTRY OFFERS TO HELP QUAKE-HIT STATES

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</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">NEW DELHI  (NNN-IANS) -- India's union ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation has offered Sikkim and other states affected by Sunday's earthquake assistance in re-constructing and rebuilding damaged houses and public infrastructure.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Selja expressed her deep sense of grief over the tragedy caused by the quake measuring 6.8 on the Ritcher Scale with epicentre in north Sikkim and made the offer, after carrying out a survey and assessment.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She also announced that Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) will take up construction of houses for the economically weaker sections of the quake victims from its corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These houses would be built with earthquake-resistant features.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">'The minister has offered the Sikkim government and other state governments assistance in re-construction and re-building of the damaged houses and public infrastructure after survey and assessment,' a sttatement said.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The minister also offered low-interest HUDCO loan assistance to the state governments for re-construction of public assets and other infrastructure damaged by the earthquake. -- NNN-IANS</span></div></div>

INDIA: HOUSING MINISTRY OFFERS TO HELP QUAKE-HIT STATES

NEW DELHI (NNN-IANS) -- India's union ministry of housing and urban poverty alleviation has offered Sikkim and other states affected ...

Magnitude-6.7 earthquake rocks Japan

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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck northeastern Japan early on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The quake hit around 7 a.m. (03:00 GMT) off the northern Iwate Prefecture on the Honshu Island, some 530 kilometers (330 miles) to the northeast of Tokyo, in the same area of the Pacific where a powerful magnitude 9 quake struck in March, triggering a deadly tsunami.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for the Iwate Prefecture, stating, however, that there was a small possibility of a destructive local tsunami, Japan's Kyodo news agency said.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries caused by the tremor.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>There is no tsunami threat to Russia's Far East following the quake, a spokeswoman for the Sakhalin Tsunami Center said.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The March 11 earthquake and tsunami killed more than 15,400 people in Japan and left hundreds of thousands of others homeless, with over 8,000 listed as missing as of June 11. The disaster seriously damaged the Fukushima Daiich Nuclear Power Plant in the Fukushima Prefecture, causing a major nuclear crisis in the region.</i></span><br />
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Magnitude-6.7 earthquake rocks Japan

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 struck northeastern Japan early on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported...