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

 

 

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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.

Pictures of the earthquake that struck Kraljevo, Serbia

The local Serbian press has published pictures who say more than many words can tell.
As a courtesy to the original publisher, we are showing hereunder thumbnails of these pictures with a direct link to B92 website.

When clicking on the thumbnail, the original picture in the B92 website will be shown.

 

Kraljevo earthquake, Serbia

Kraljevo earthquake, Serbia

Kraljevo earthquake, Serbia

Kraljevo earthquake, Serbia

Deadly earthquake in Serbia

Serbia earthquake - Car damaged by falling stones

See overview of the latest articles here

UPDATE November 4, 21:30 UTC
revised to M 3.9 (EMSC)

UPDATE November 4, 21:30 UTC
Aftershock in Kraljevo
M 4.3      2010/11/04 21:09    Depth 2.0 km     KRALJEVO, SERBIA
local time 22:09 2010-11-04
Moderate aftershock with epicenter to the north west of Kraljevo. Already damaged houses can be damaged even more with such an aftershock, the strongest since the main-shock
Send an “earthquake experience report” for this earthquake

UPDATE 16:32 UTC
Excerpt of an in-depth article in the Serbian news site B92
According to Tanjug’s correspondent, the damage caused by the earthquake is visible in the streets of Kraljevo – rubble, broken glass, cracked facades. The hospital building in Kraljevo was also damaged by the earthquake, but no patients were injured. The operating block and polyclinic sustained the most damage.
The town’s administration  declared a state of emergency, with about a quarter of the urban area still without electricity.
Landline telephony that was briefly out of service has also been restored.
Authorities also announced that tap water was not safe to drink.
The government will set aside some EUR 55,000 in short-term help for the town.
Click here for the much larger in-depth article in B 92

UPDATE 14:12 UTC
2 persons killied, 100 injured
Two persons were killed and dozens were injured in an earthquake of 5.4 degrees Richter, which struck Kraljevo, a town in central Serbia, and places in its vicinity, at 1.56 a.m.
The epicentre was 10km north of Kraljevo, in the village of Vitanovac.
Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic paid a visit to Kraljevo and confirmed that a married couple, Tanja and Sinisa Stosic, from Grdice in Kraljevo, were killed when a concrete plate fell on their house.
Some 100 injured citizens have been admitted to the Emergency Unit.
Many buildings have been damaged, including the hospital, but no patients were injured. The material damage is extensive.
The places that have been hit most by the earthquake have been visited by the units of Gendarmerie and the Emergency Sector of the Serbian Interior Ministry.
Source : Radio Srbija

Earthquake Report comment :
What appears as a moderate earthquake has made a lot of misery in Serbia’s Kraljevo, at least 2 people were reported killed, 15 injured and a lot of buildings has been damaged.

We know out of experience and based on the kind of fault lines (mostly transform fault lines) that earthquakes of + M5 can create damage and injuries near cities.
Additionally the hypocenter (focal depth) was very shallow at 10 km.
Kraljevo is an intermediate city in size, but with 65,142 inhabitants (2002 census, the greater city has today about 100,000 inhabitants)  it can be very vulnerable for earthquakes.
Water, electricity and other amenities are currently down.
The earthquake was (of course) felt all over Serbia.
Numerous (small) aftershocks have been experienced since the main shock.
Because of the enormous number of refugees from Kosovo (around 18,500), the urban population of Kraljevo today is estimated to be close to 100,000.

Kraljevo City Center - Image via Wikipedia

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : M 5.3 (EMSC 5.4)
Wednesday, November 03, 2010 at 01:56:56 AM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 10 km
Send an “earthquake experience report” for this earthquake
Geo-location(s) :
2 km west from Kraljevo.
40 km (25 miles) SW of Kragujevac, Serbia
110 km (70 miles) WNW of Nis, Serbia
125 km (75 miles) S of BELGRADE, Serbia

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