Serbia, Kraljevo : race against the time to repair houses +volunteers needed

Race against the clock as winter is coming soon.

Damage in Kraljevo, Serbia - Picture courtesy EMSC

Excerpt from Serbias newssite B92
Many Kraljevo residents work to repair their homes even during the night, fearing heavy rainfall, while aftershocks (although weaker and weaker) are continuing to strike the greater Kraljevo area.
The 5.6-magnitude quake hit the town early on November 3, killing two people and leaving thousands of homes either damaged or destroyed.

A commission is currently working to determine which damaged structures have been rendered uninhabitable, but the number will ber  likely approx. 1,000.

Thus far, 13,000 buildings have been reported as unsafe, and the commission has appealed on skilled staff, including engineers, to join them in order to complete the job as soon as possible.
Help is arriving to Kraljevo, but the town needs more volunteers and trucks to transport building material.
Some of the families will likely have to be housed in prefab homes, said reports.
We encourage our readers to read the full article in B92 website

 

 

Kraljevo Serbia earthquake, 310 houses uninhabitable and 4,000 structures damaged!

Click on the picture to go to the B92 article

Serbian interior minister Dacic declared that 310 structures (mostly houses) have been declared uninhabitable.

B92, a Serbia news site wrote the following article (small excerpt below) – click here for the entire article.

1,130 structures have been inspected over the past few days, and specified that private homes account for 90 percent of the 4,000 structures damaged in the powerful earthquake.
Experts from the CIP have been sent to Kraljevo to speed up the reconstruction process.
Building material and 17 drinking water tank trucks have been sent to the area in order to normalize the situation as quickly as possible.
The next stage in the relief effort is to restore houses and other residential structures asap.
All Interior Ministry employees will give their one-day earnings to charity to help their colleagues in Kraljevo.

EUR 920,000 in aid will be set aside from the Ministry’s emergency funds to repair the facilities damaged in the earthquake that hit Kraljevo early on Wednesday, killing two people and damaging around 4,000 structures.
“The Kraljevo hospital will be restored first, followed by public infrastructure facilities such as schools, daycare centers, health care facilities etc,” Kalanović told reporters during a visit to the hospital.

Dačić said that around 1,130 structures have been inspected over the past two days, and specified that private homes account for 90 percent of the 4,000 structures damaged in the powerful earthquake. 

The minister said that experts from the CIP traffic institute in Belgrade have been sent to Kraljevo to speed up the reconstruction process.

He stated that members of the Interior Ministry’s Sector for Emergency Situations have been on the ground and helping the citizens from the moment the earthquake struck.

Dačić commended the residents of Kraljevo saying there have been no incidents in the last two days that would require police intervention.

According to him, building material and 17 drinking water tank trucks have been sent to the area in order to normalize the situation as quickly as possible.

Dačić pointed out that the next stage in the relief effort is to restore houses and other residential structures as soon as possible.

He reminded that the earthquake also damaged the homes of police officers, and said the Interior Ministry will help with the repairs.

Dačić added that all Interior Ministry employees will give their one-day earnings to charity to help their colleagues in Kraljevo.

Also today, Serbian Minister for the National Investment Plan (NIP) Verica Kalanović announced Friday that RSD 100mn (some EUR 920,000) in aid will be set aside from the Ministry’s emergency funds to repair the facilities damaged in the earthquake that hit Kraljevo early on Wednesday, killing two people and damaging around 4,000 structures.

“The Kraljevo hospital will be restored first, followed by public infrastructure facilities such as schools, daycare centers, health care facilities etc,” Kalanović told reporters during a visit to the hospital.

She announced that the project designers will be chosen as early as next week and that project documents should be completed by the end of the year, while the projects will be realized in 2011.

Moderate earthquake close to Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo - Image via Wikipedia

UPDATE 14:12 UTC
A few FeelWitness reports from the epicenter area
* Wasn’t that small for a friend that works in Sano, stuff danced for their shelfs and most likely at his home too. They were close to where it originated. Still getting shakes minutes after the first tremor.
* We live in an older apartment in Kuki in Saitama, I thought my fridge was gonna fall over, some cups fell off the shelf. Me and the kids stood in the genkan with the door opened a spot, just in case it got bigger all of a sudden, freaked me out ! The kids just went back to playing!
* Over here, in western Tokyo, it was not too bad rather lengthy though.
* In Sonic City, Saitama, the Japan Philharmonic was about 12 minutes into the first movement of Tchaikovsky’s first Piano Concerto. There was a long, deep rumbling sound which I knew was not coming from any timpani – and the floor moved up and down very visibly for a few seconds, people gasping, thinking no doubt “not again!” – But the Orchestra and pianist Michie Koyama just kept on playing and never missed a beat! Well done, great concert!
Source : comments in Japantoday

UPDATE 11:16 UTC
The Japan Meteorological Center gets numerous felt reports from Tokyo and neighboring town people.
Japanese are using another Felt scale (JMA Seismic Intensity)
JMC gives for this earthquake a value of M 4.7 (a lot less) and a depth of 50 km.
The reports out of Tokyo City give a maximum JMA of II  = felt by most people in a building
The maximum received values in some close by prefectures (Tochigi and  Saitama) are IV JMA = Many people are frightened.

Earthquake Report comment :
A moderate earthquake just struck Tokyo, Japan.
We presently give it a ORANGE / GREEN color as the Magnitude is moderate and the depth at 60 km also moderate. Normally this gives no damage or injuries, but as the area is so heavily populated we tend to give it also an ORANGE color.
One of our QuakeSOS app users did send a quick I AM SAFE message, which he only does when the earthquake is really well felt.
Japanese houses are almost all earthquake proof build.
The area has a lot of earthquakes, but most of them have an epicenter in the coastal waters.
Recent quakes of this Magnitude occurred frequently in the Narita airport area.
All the data (magnitude, depth and location) are still preliminary at this point.

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : M 5.0 (M 5.1 EMSC)
Friday, November 05, 2010 at 07:14:03 PM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 62 km
Send an “earthquake experience report” for this earthquake
Geo-location(s) :
37 km (23 miles) NNE (21°) from TOKYO, Japan
68 km (42 miles) SW (230°) from Mito, Honshu, Japan

Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Japan Meteorological Center Did You Feel It map
Google satellite map of the area showing the kind of terrain the earthquake took place
USGS Shaking map
USGS historic earthquakes map
USGS Pager map
LIVE SEISMOGRAM (nearest Seismograph station)

* GDACS (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System) provides near real-time alerts about natural disasters around the world. GDACS is a Joint Initiative of the United Nations and the European Commission

QuakeSOS is a FREE iPhone application developed by Armand Vervaeck, the creator and main contributor to Earthquake Report. The Application simplifies immediate group communication to friends and family members (with your exact GPS location) and is constantly feeding the users with “Earthquake Report” news. Together with your own family and friends, QuakeSOS will be your closest earthquake friend.

Moderate earthquake in the desert of Southern California

Ocotillo area - Image by moominsean via Flickr

Earthquake Report comment :
Epicenter in the desert of southern California on a safe distance from Mexicali (57 km) and San Diego.
Closest village : Ocotillo
Expected Mercalli values : V in the desert and IV in Ocotillo, III in Mexicali

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : Ml 4.6
Thursday, November 04, 2010 at 12:39:59 PM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 13.5 km
Send an “earthquake experience report” for this earthquake
Geo-location(s) :
40 km (25 miles) W of El Centro, California
45 km (30 miles) WSW of Brawley, California
55 km (35 miles) WNW of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico

Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map of the area showing the kind of terrain the earthquake took place
USGS Shaking map
USGS historic earthquakes map

* GDACS (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System) provides near real-time alerts about natural disasters around the world. GDACS is a Joint Initiative of the United Nations and the European Commission

QuakeSOS is a FREE iPhone application developed by Armand Vervaeck, the creator and main contributor to Earthquake Report. The Application simplifies immediate group communication to friends and family members (with your exact GPS location) and is constantly feeding the users with “Earthquake Report” news. Together with your own family and friends, QuakeSOS will be your closest earthquake friend.

Powerful earthquake close to Pangai island, Tonga

Pangai Tonga - Image via Wikipedia

Earthquake Report comment :
Very powerful earthquake with epicenter about 30 km from the island of Lifuku,  Pangai. The last couple of days multiple earthquakes occurred in the same area.
Epicenter on the upper slopes of the subduction zone!
Maximum expected shaking V to VI Mercalli = moderate shaking
No Tsunami Bulletins have been issued at this time by NOAA.

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : M 6.0 (Preliminary)
Thursday, November 04, 2010 at 12:34:44 PM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 33.2 km
Send an “earthquake experience report” for this earthquake
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/Contribute/testimonies.php?lang=en&id=196
Geo-location(s) :
30 km south east of Pangai
120 km (75 miles) NE of NUKU`ALOFA, Tonga

Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map of the area showing the kind of terrain the earthquake took place
USGS Shaking map
USGS historic earthquakes map
USGS Pager map
USGS Seismic Hazard Map
GDACS Green Earthquake Alert (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System)
LIVE SEISMOGRAM (nearest Seismograph station)
GDACS Green Tsunami alert

* GDACS (Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System) provides near real-time alerts about natural disasters around the world. GDACS is a Joint Initiative of the United Nations and the European Commission

QuakeSOS is a FREE iPhone application developed by Armand Vervaeck, the creator and main contributor to Earthquake Report. The Application simplifies immediate group communication to friends and family members (with your exact GPS location) and is constantly feeding the users with “Earthquake Report” news. Together with your own family and friends, QuakeSOS will be your closest earthquake friend.