ReliefWeb

Ref. OCHA/GVA - 2000/0006
China - Earthquake
OCHA Situation Report No. 1
17 January 2000

1. Two strong earthquakes hit Yao'an county in the Yunnan province in southwest China early in the morning of Saturday 15 January 2000. According to the United States Geological Survey, the first earthquake measured 5.2 on the Richter scale with the epicentre situated at latitude 25.5 degrees north and longitude 101.1 degrees east. It occurred at 22.09 hrs GMT on 14 January, or 06.09 hrs local time on 15 January. The second, even stronger quake, measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, followed one and a half hours later.

2. Initial media reports indicate that five people lost their lives in the earthquake, and that 31,064 houses were either seriously damaged or completely destroyed. A further 1,542 people are reported to have been injured. Most of the damage was caused by the second tremor, and the low death toll was partly due to the fact that many people fled the area when the first quake shook their homes.

3. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is in close contact with the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Beijing, China, and will revert with further information if the situation warrants it.

4. No request for international assistance has been received by OCHA to date.

5. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int

In case of emergency: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Press contact: Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53

Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack/Mr. R. Mueller/Mr. S. Matsuka,
OCHA Disaster Response Branch, direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 44 / 31 31 / 40 34

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org