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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Earthquake in China's Yunnan province razes an estimated 22,550 houses |
| 2014-08-06 |
| [LATIMES] The rising corpse count from a magnitude 6.1 earthquake in southwestern China's Yunnan province is putting the spotlight on the poor quality of construction in the rugged, mountainous terrain. By late Monday, 398 people were reported dead and 1,891 injured from the quake in Ludian County, 277 miles north of Kunming, the lovely provincial capital. More than 22,550 houses collapsed and nearly 200,000 others were damaged, according to an assessment by the International Federation of Red Thingy and Red Islamic Thingy. The rescue effort was hindered by torrential rains, mudslides, flooding and the complicated mountain topography. The earthquake may have damaged several hydroelectric dams. A "quake lake" formed around one dam under construction in nearby Huize County, and rapidly rising waters were forcing the evacuation of more villagers. The quake struck at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The U.S. Geological Survey reported its magnitude at 6.1 and its depth a relatively shallow 6 miles, which made the shaking greater. The China Earthquake Networks Center put the magnitude at 6.5. |
| Posted by:Fred |