The Nation Newspaper

Tag: earthquake

  • Earthquake injures 39 in central Turkey

    A 5.1 magnitude earthquake in central Turkey has left 39 people injured and caused damage to homes, however, no one was hospitalised in serious condition, the country’s health minister reported on Tuesday.

    The quake in Adiyaman province, about 530 kilometres south-east of the capital Ankara, struck in the middle of the night.

    Footage released by the local Dogan news agency showed livestock, including goats, being rescued from beneath the rubble in the early morning hours as heavy machinery was brought in to demolish homes that had been badly damaged and risked collapse.

    Ahmet Demircan, Turkey’s Health Minister, was quoted by the state-run Anadolu news agency, as saying 35 people remained in hospital, but none faced life-threatening injuries.

    Turkey sits across major geographic fault lines and has suffered devastating earthquakes in the past, including one near Istanbul in 1999, that left more than 17,000 people dead.

    dpa/NAN

  • 5.9-magnitude earthquake hits southern Iran

    An earthquake measuring 5.9 in magnitude shook Kaki Region in Iran’s Southern Bushehr province at 11:05 a.m. local time (0635 GMT) on Thursday, Iran Seismological Centre said.

    With a depth of 18 km, the earthquake’s epicenter was at 28.353 degrees north latitude and 51.559 degrees east longitude, it said.

    Rescue teams have been dispatched to the quake area, but there was no immediate report of damage or casualties.

    Xinhua/NAN

  • Seismic Impact

    Seismic Impact

    Nearly two decades ago, an earthquake jolted Selma Demirelli into action—and she hasn’t stopped since.

     

    It took only 45 seconds. In the early hours of August 17, 1999, an earthquake struck Turkey’s Marmara region, killing tens of thousands of people, including Selma Demirelli’s husband. Like the millions of other survivors, her life would never be the same.

    After getting through the initial shock, Demirelli found salvation in helping others, signing up to work as a field coordinator for an NGO, the Foundation for the Support of Women’s Work. She soon witnessed the many and varied problems earthquake survivors endure; she also learned that while traumas caused by natural disasters are in theory gender neutral, they often affect women, children and the handicapped more than others.

    She was lucky to have been an exception. A few days after her husband’s funeral, his relatives asked her for the deed to her house, which was flattened by the earthquake. Turkey has equal rights of inheritance, but there are still certain patriarchal legal practices that work against women. A widow without a child, for instance, becomes obliged to share her husband’s property with his relatives. And in marriages where the husband is the only income provider, the property is registered under the name of the husband.

    As it turned out, Demirelli was legally entitled to keep her house, but the realization that not everyone was so lucky prompted her to found the country’s first women’s housing cooperative to empower women as property owners.

    “The amount of money we started with was so small that when I took it to the bank, the manager made fun of me,” she recounted. “‘Why are you wasting your time?’ he said. ‘You are a beautiful woman, find a man and remarry.’”

    His comment left her in tears, but it also strengthened her resolve. She made countless trips to the capital city of Ankara to secure the allotment of real estate, then enlisted NGOs and institutions such as Istanbul Technical University to help with aspects such as housing design.

    Meanwhile, she became involved in another housing project. When a local charity group composed of businessmen offered to provide a yearlong supply of food to earthquake survivors, she explained that it would be better to help with a more long-term solution: She convinced them to construct houses for 200 families instead.

    It was typical of Demirelli, who has become known for her efforts to make assistance sustainable. Her work in camps built for earthquake survivors, for example, involved gathering women to talk and to provide them training. Soon however she realized that many of them were not able to participate because there was no place to leave their children.

    That prompted her to found the Water Lily Women’s Cooperative—once again, she made numerous trips to the capital to secure the allotment of a real estate for a center to provide day care for children up to the age of six. It took years of persistent efforts; national and local government bureaucracies hoped to wear her down, but the opposite happened. When they realized she would not give up, they gave up. She got the real estate for the center, beating out rival groups who wanted it for a commercial project or gas station.

    Today the activities of the Water Lily Women’s Cooperative are not limited to childcare. Mothers use the free time they now have to attend training programs—in finance, business development, entrepreneurship—that enable them to join the work force.

    Most recently, Demirelli has turned her focus to projects to end violence against women, which has reached alarming levels in Turkey. In addition to raising awareness, she is seeking new approaches to combat this problem. “I’m not against shelters where women who are victims of violence can seek refuge,” she said. “But at the end of the day, it deprives them of their freedom. Why should women have to leave their homes? We also need to address the men who use violence against women.”

    That 1999 earthquake may have destroyed much of Demirelli’s world, but it did not destroy her. Instead, she used that tragedy as a springboard to help build better lives for so many others.

  • Earthquake strikes off the coast of Honduras

    Earthquake strikes off the coast of Honduras

    A 7.6-magnitude earthquake rocked an island archipelago 150 kilometres off the coast of Honduras late Tuesday, setting off regional tsunami advisories which were later cancelled.

    The quake’s epicentre was 44 kilometres east of Honduras’ sparsely inhabited Swan Islands at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to reviewed results published by the U.S. Geological Survey.

    According to the news report, tremors were felt in a number of places around the country after the quake hit at 8.51 pm (0251 GMT Wednesday), but there were no initial reports of damage or casualties.

    The earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador, as well as the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.

    Read Also: Buhari commiserates with Iranians, Iraqis over earthquake

    Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez urged citizens to “stay calm, report emergencies and follow the instructions of authorities.

    Meanwhile, the country’s emergency services placed three of the country’s departments on a 12-hour tsunami alert: Gracias a Dios, Colon Atlantida and Islas de la Bahia.

    The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also issued an advisory for a number of countries in the Caribbean but they later recalled all warnings, saying that the threat had passed.

    Report says the region near Honduras is regularly hit by powerful earthquakes.

    In 2017, two strong quakes struck Mexico, collapsing buildings and causing hundreds of fatalities.

    In 2010, Haiti was hit by a devastating 7.0-magnitude quake, leading to over 200,000 deaths.

    NAN

  • Buhari condoles with Mexico over earthquake

    Buhari condoles with Mexico over earthquake

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday commiserated with the President of Mexico, Mr Enrique Pina Nieto, over the devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of 65 people in that country.

    The powerful 8.2 tremor that hit the southern states of Chiapas, Tabasco and Oaxaca registered 8.2 on the Richter scale, damaging buildings and created fear of Tsunami.

    Nigeria’s Ambassador to Mexico,  Aminu Iyawa, conveyed President Buhari’s condolences in a letter to the Mexican President through the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    President Buhari said that Nigerians sympathised with Mexico and are praying for the repose of the souls of the departed and the quick recovery of the injured.

    The powerful earthquake was felt as far away as the capital, Mexico City, sending residents out in the streets for fear of aftershocks.

    Amb. Iyawa said that all Nigerians living in Mexico had been accounted for and were in touch with the embassy.

    The neighboring country of Guatemala was also affected by the Friday’s powerful earthquake.

  • Earthquake kills at least four in Mexico

    Earthquake kills at least four in Mexico

    At least four people were killed in a powerful magnitude-8.1 earthquake that hit off the South-Western coast of Mexico, toppling buildings and triggering tsunami warnings on Friday.

    The quake was centred about 87 kilometres off the state of Chiapas and struck at a depth of 69.7 kilometres at 11:49 p.m. on Thursday (0449 GMT Friday), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

    Two children died as a result of the earthquake, said Arturo Jimenez, the governor of the state of Tabasco, located north of Chiapas.

    One of the children died at hospital after a power failure caused life-saving equipment to stop operating while the other was killed when a wall collapsed, he said.

    In Chiapas, two women were killed by falling debris, according to local media.

    Waves surging more than three metres above normal tide are possible along the coast of Southern Mexico.

    Waves reaching up to one metre could take place in Central American states and in western Pacific islands such as Fiji and New Zealand, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.

    The shock was felt in the capital Mexico City, about 1,000 kilometres away, where frightened residents fled from swaying buildings and into the streets, many of them in their nightdresses.

    Patients were evacuated from some hospitals across the quake zone as a precaution.

    Classes were cancelled on Friday across southern Mexican states in order to inspect buildings to make sure they are structurally sound.

    Electricity was knocked out in several areas of the country.

    In neighbouring Guatemala, President Jimmy Morales said damaged assessments would soon begin. “Please remain calm,’’ he urged on Twitter.

    Mexico has substantial quake activity and is also prone to other natural threats such as hurricanes, floods and volcanoes.

    On Sept. 19, 1985, thousands were killed when two violent earthquakes destroyed large parts of the capital.

  • Our Girls: Earthquake Supreme Court Judgement

    Our Girls: Earthquake Supreme Court Judgement

    Our Girls are still missing since April 15, 2014. Pray and work for their release.

    Hail the Political Earthquake Supreme Court’s Judgement, SCJ to ‘Cancel’ the election of politicians for what amounts to fraudulent electoral practice – an attempt to pervert the people’s will, a civilian coup plot and treason. But the real power of the SCJ is that it has two parts. The Supreme Court also magnificently and wisely ordered at least one of the two sacked lawmakers to refund all money taken during the time of criminally illegal occupation of the post they conspired to occupy when they maliciously and deliberately participated in lying to and cheating fellow Nigerian voters’ representatives, usurped legitimate winners. For 24 months serially stole salaries and perks were stolen under false pretences. Corruption Free Elections are possible. Hurray!!!

    This second part of the SCJ is hugely significant at this pre- Election 2019 time when clandestine and other activities, like scheming to steal, money from government coffers and contracts, are being planned by politicians and parties toward ‘Election Exam Scam Success’ by ‘Any Means Necessary’ in Election2019. This must stop and a new moral compass must guide elections. The UK, USA, France had elections steeped in verbal violence but no fake results, maiming, murder, or property losses. Crime must be punished with penance, return/recovery/restitution of stolen money –‘illegally acquired’ while masquerading as a legitimately elected politician. We have screamed this for years and happily the Supreme Court is biting back when the citizen is bitten…..

    In a Splash FM Corruption Lecture at Trenchard Hall University of Ibadan in 2014, I said, slightly modified ….

    ‘‘We take licence without consequence, power without responsibility and fight elections without morals.’ …

    Politics must learn the lessons of good sportsmanship and have a radical rethink. Demand dismissal for cheating in elections, NEVER A RERUN. A rerun is not for a cheat but for a genuine mistake. Armstrong, the cheating cyclist, and hundreds of athletes have been dismissed, and suspended, not offered a race rerun. Politics can be no different. The people’s mandate is finite, life-changing and more valuable. When a politician is found guilty of cheating, he should be 1] Dismissed, 2] Prosecuted and 3] Jailed for ‘Stealing the people’s mandate through fraud and deception’ and the financial crime of ‘attempting to extort salaries and perks for himself under false pretences and through falsifying the facts by illegitimate and illegal means’. The second in the race should automatically take his place, no rerun, and so on until there is a stainless candidate. Cheating is a common but illegitimate tool, a terror event and must lead to personal and party responsibility, dismissal and banning. 4] Punishment -The political party should be punished for its member’s actions as the party gains power illegally by such cheating and terror, even more violent than a military coup. The name ‘election malpractice’ covers a serious crime worse than ‘examination malpractice’ for which politicians happily prescribed 21 years jail for cheating students. Both party and candidate should be severely punished for terror activities–a fine, ban on the party proportional to the damage,”

    In The Nation Oct 26, 2016, I wrote “Nigeria must initiate a STANDARD ANTI-CORRUPTION PROCESS/RULE- SUSPENSION, RECOVERY, PROSECUTION AND IF GUILTY – REMOVAL FROM OFFICE, RECOVERY OF ASSETS AND RESTITUTION TO VICTIMS”. Sack to enjoy ill-gotten gains is a stamp of approval. It is an additional crime by government too lazy or too intimidated to prosecute. Prosecution is next and restitution must follow. Property must be sold and bank account funds evaluated and recovered.” Today we must demand 5] IMPRISONMENT COMMENSURATE WITH THE CONSEQUENCE AND CRIME.

    Well at last ‘fighting elections without morals’ has consequences. The Supreme Court judgement has caused a seismic shift between politicians and the electoral process – Long overdue.

    However welcome the SCJ is, prevention of election malpractice is better than a 2-year late SCJ. How many others have slipped through the net? We could have completely avoided the recent nightmare.  A country Nigeria was subject to whims and caprices of cheats who manipulated the political system to disenfranchise those elected- a crime, moral theft and anti-democratic action by evil people masquerading as democrats. When is a democrat not a democrat? When he or she and political party deliberately use an evil blueprint and collude to maliciously, fraudulently falsify and derail the electoral process to steal victory for ‘ill-gotten gains’ of position, power, salaries, allowances, perks, trips, recognition and unearned ‘status’.

    The performance of dishonourable and undistinguished individuals while in stolen offices demonstrates low morals and poor ‘leadership qualities’. Nigeria sadly recalls arrogant NASS-antics, unrestrained by NASS leadership made on the Securities Exchange Commission, SEC, harassment of the then Director General, her magnificent battle defending SEC and her person and revealing the corrupt demands of ‘NASS oversight’ to the detriment of development, and malicious NASS abuse of power of summons, inquiry, delaying approvals, ransoming and cancelling budgets, all hamstringing progress of MDAs. The actual cancellation of budgetary allocation to SEC staff was spiteful, despicable and unbelievable arrogance of a person in office now found to be criminally holding office ‘under false criminal pretences’. NASS leadership and the ‘Committee of the Whole’ conspired in this fraud by not Monitoring & Evaluating and then reversing its Committee’s Report. The Committee became accuser, judge and jury. To be continued…..

    NB: Find ‘I LOVE NIGERIA’CANDIDATES for Election2019.

  • Earthquake along Ecuador’s coast kills two, halts refinery

    A 5.8-magnitude earthquake shook Ecuador’s Pacific coast early on Monday, killing at least two people, injuring 15 others and halting production at the Esmeraldas oil refinery, officials said.

    The country’s geological institute recorded the quake off the coast of Atacames in Esmeraldas province, northwest of Quito, the capital.

    The quake was followed by 15 lesser-magnitude aftershocks. President Rafael Correa was meeting with local officials in the area, which earlier this year was devastated by a 7.8-magnitude quake that killed about 670 people, displaced thousands and caused millions of dollars in damage.

    “We regret that a 75-year-old woman suffered a heart attack because of the quake,” National Risk Management Secretary Susana Duenas told local

    radio.

    There were no immediate details on the second person killed.

    The Esmeraldas refinery, which has a 110,000-barrel-per-day capacity, was halted as a precaution, Pedro Merizalde, head of state oil

    company Petroecuador, told media.

    Merizalde said refinery infrastructure would be checked over and that the stoppage would last about two days.

    Authorities said three hotels in the area, a popular tourist destination, were destroyed, and other buildings sustained substantial damage.

    (Rueters/NAN)

  • Indonesia quake in north kills 52

    The death toll from a 6.5 magnitude earthquake that struck the northern province of Aceh has risen to 52,Indonesian authorities have said.

    National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Nugroho said the number of casualties was expected to rise and over 70 people had been seriously injured.

    The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck just after 5 a.m at a depth of 17 km on Aceh’s north-eastern coast.

    Indonesia is a country that is prone to earthquakes.

  • ‘Establish centres to monitor earthquakes’

    Following the tremor that recently occurred in some parts of  Oyo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Kaduna states, a group, the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), has lent its voice to calls for the establishment of more seismological stations to monitor crustal movements in the identified earthquake-prone areas in the country.

    The group urged the government to invest in earthquake electromagnetic precursors monitoring devices to avert future earthquakes.

    The group, in a statement, recalled that about a year ago, it drew the attention of the government to the possibility of an earthquake;  advising it to reduce the spate of substandard building construction through vigilant monitoring.

    The statement signed by its National President, Kunle Awobodu and National Publicity Secretary, George Akinola, said a nation without an effective national building code would end up in ruins if an earthquake occurred, noting that the enforcement of building regulations without compromise would prevent serious calamity in the future.

    It explained that vibrations accompanying the earth tremors in the affected areas resulted in the collapse of mud houses and infliction of visible cracks in modern buildings within the affected areas.

    This development, it observed,  ossified the harbinger on the possibility of the country having an  earthquake induced-disaster in the near future.

    “The perception that Nigeria is safe or far from the seismic active regions is no longer tenable. Shaki in Oyo State has been subjected to intermittent earth tremors this year and climaxed in the first week of June 2016. Communities in Bayelsa and Rivers states on July 10, 2016 had a similar experience, but in this case due to prolonged effect of oil exploration,” the Guild said, adding that earth tremors have occurred in the country in 1933, 1939, 1964, 1984,1990, 1994, 1997, 2000, 2009 and 2016. It, however, said a series of earth tremors might not necessarily lead to high intensity earthquake.

    The guild explained that a study  by Dr. Adepelumi Abraham of the Department of Geology, Obafemi  Awolowo University (OAU), Ile- Ife, showed that after the tremor of 2009 in the Southwest, the probability of earthquake occurrence in the study area between the year 2009 and 2028 had increased from 2.8 per cent to 91.1 per cent.

    The group, therefore, urged investors in buildings to be concerned about the durability of the buildings they are funding, warning that in earthquake, substandard buildings had been the major cause of high death toll. It regretted that there is no National Building Code in existence in the country.

    It warned that Nigeria could not afford to repeat the mistake of Haiti and Nepal, where stringent building regulations are lacking, thereby aggravating the effects of earthquakes on buildings.