  | |
| UTC time | ?? |
|---|---|
| Local date | 21 January – 16 April 1997 |
| Magnitude | 5.9 Mw |
| Depth | 11 kilometres (7 mi) |
| Epicenter | 39°28′N 76°59′E / 39.47°N 76.99°E |
| Areas affected | China |
| Casualties | 12 killed, 40 injured |
The Jiashi earthquakes were a series of earthquakes from 1997 to 2003, with several earthquakes larger than Ms 6 occurring between January and April, 1997.[1] Two strong earthquakes with magnitudes Ms 6.4 and 6.3 occurred on January 21, 1997, at 09:47 and 09:48 local time, respectively, in Jiashi County of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, NW China.[2] The earthquakes occurred on a major strike-slip fault beneath the Tarim Basin. The fault has no surface expression and prior to the earthquake was unknown. At least 12 people were killed and 40 injured in the earthquakes of January 21.[3] Another earthquake on March 1, 1997, at 14:04 local time with magnitude Ms 6.0 killed another person.[4] On April 6, 11 and 16, other four earthquakes with magnitudes Ms 6.3, 6.4, 6.6 and 6.3 killed 8 people.[5] Several predictions were made in this earthquake series. Some of the predictions were not fulfilled, while some preceded the predicted earthquake from 2.5 hours to 4 days. The April 11 earthquake occurred 30 minutes after a prediction was made.[6] Rebiya Kadeer wrote that her career was significantly affected by the earthquakes, which were "one of the worst natural disasters that had occurred in the Uyghur nation in recent memory." One hundred villages and one thousand homes were leveled. Kadeer organized donations and aid for the area.[7]