Loke Yen Rong (23)

1 Charity
Geography Integrated Assignment

2009 Earthquake in Karonga, Malawi

Map 1: Location of Afar Triangle (shaded, center) – a

Triple junction where three plates are pulling away from one
another: the Arabian Plate and the two parts of the African
Plate (The Nubian and the Somali) splitting along the
East African Rift Zone

Map 2: Map of Malawi, Karonga in the north

KARONGA, Malawi – The Karonga district in northern Malawi struck by series of earthquakes in December 2009. The latest quake of 6.2 Magnitude struck at 1.19 a.m. local time on Sunday, 20th December 2009. The epicenter was located at 150km north of Mzuzu, Malawi at a depth of 10km.

Malawi is within the seismically active belt of the East Africa Rift system. Karonga district lies on the Great Rift Valley fault line, the divergent plate boundary which extends from the Afar Triple Junction and is in the process of splitting the African Plate into Nubian Plate and Somali Plate. The earthquake was caused by the rejuvenation of fault lines.

Fissure caused by the earthquake


Another fissure appeared on the ground

Fissure in the village after the earthquake


2 Malawian children share a bowl
of maize porridge outside their destroyed hut.

A row of destroyed houses



A wooden house destroyed by the earthquake


House destroyed by the earthquake

The earthquake killed 4 people and injured more than 200. About 270,000 people left their homes. A kitchen collapsed and killed a child. Victims included students in a dormitory.

The quakes damaged schools and almost 1,000 houses. Most houses in Karonga are made of mud and wattle and were weakened by the quakes. Many public buildings were closed because of cracks and instability. 12,300 people lived in tents with poor sanitary facilities and no fresh water.

The Malawi Government set up a task force to assess the damage and provided tents and 17,000USD to the displaced people. Additional aid was distributed by the Malawi Red Cross. The Malawi government officially declared a national disaster. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies released approximately 300,000 Swiss francs from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to support Malawi Red Cross.


I think understanding geological history and seismic activities can minimise damage from earthquakes. The government can formulate effective plans for disaster preparedness and damage control. Buildings must be designed earthquake-proof. Scientific equipments should be installed to give warning. People should be educated and be prepared. Aids to affected area must be fast to minimise damage.

(300 words)
Reported by Loke Yen Rong
28th Feb. 2010

References

- Raphael Tenthanl http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8401720.stm, extracted 28-2-10

- Frank Nyakairu http://www.alertnet.org/db/an_art/55866/2010/00/12-163912-1.htm, extracted 28-2-10

- Mtheto Lungu http://www.africanews.com/site/Three_dead_252_injured_in_Malawi_earthquake/list_message, extracted 28-2-10

- Ntham Bazale http:/nthambazale.com/2009/12/the-december-2009-malawi-karonga-earthquakes/ , extracted 28-2-10
- Willy Muyila(2009) Malawi Science Centre Project, http://afrisciheroes.wordpress.com/2009/12/19/the-missing-pieces-of-the-karonga-earthquake, extracted 28-2-10

- ACT (Action by Churches Together)(2009) http://www.act-intl.org/alerts.php?uid=111, extracted 28-2-10

- WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Rift_Valley, extracted 28-2-10
- B.Wisner,P.Blaikie, T.Cannon and I.Davis (2004) At Risk-natural hazards, people’s vulnerability and disasters. ,Wiltshire Routledge, UK