Earthquake of magnitude 7.3 hits Nepal: Other major quakes that struck on 12 May

Nepal was hit by an 7.3 magnitude earthquake followed by three tremors within a span of half an hour on Tuesday, and this was in addition to another quake in Afghanistan of magnitude 4.7. However, over the last five decades there have been two other major earthquakes on 12 May that have caused widespread damage. [caption id=“attachment_2228374” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Indian rescuers help a survivor to safety in Nepal. Reuters[/caption] China: 7.9 magnitude, 12 May 2008 According to the United States Geological Survey, it was in the largest and deadliest earthquake in 2008. “At least 69,195 people killed, 374,177 injured and 18,392 missing and presumed dead in the Chengdu-Lixian-Guangyuan area. More than 45.5 million people in 10 provinces and regions were affected. At least 15 million people were evacuated from their homes and more than 5 million were left homeless. An estimated 5.36 million buildings collapsed and more than 21 million buildings were damaged in Sichuan and in parts of Chongqing, Gansu, Hubei, Shaanxi and Yunnan,” the USGS website said. The impact of the quake was such that landslides triggered by the quake “dammed several rivers, creating 34 barrier lakes which threatened about 700,000 people downstream”. Even a train was buried by the landslide near Longnan, Gansu. Parts of Bangladesh, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam also felt the tremors. Turkey: 6.3 magnitude, 12 May 1971 This quake killed 100 people and scores were left injured. “This damaging earthquake occurred 220 miles southwest of Anakara in the Burdur area. Thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed,” the USGS website said. Due to the earthquake telephone communications to Burdur were severed while government buildings, schools, apartment houses and a hospital were among those damaged.