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changes in japan after tsunami and earthquake(satellite pictures)

 

Quake kills 63 in Myanmar, aftershock rattles Thailand

 

MAE SAI, Thailand (Reuters) - At least 63 people were killed in a strong earthquake that struck Myanmar, state media said On Friday, while a series of aftershocks have caused panic but only limited damage from Thailand to Laos.

The death toll from Thursday's 6.8 magnitude tremor was expected to rise slightly in Myanmar after more than 100 buildings were destroyed. Over 100 people were injured, according to state television.
The quake sparked panic, but no major damage, in other countries across Southeast Asia. This month's devastating Japan quake and tsunami have revived memories of the even more powerful 2004 Indonesia quake and tsunami which killed around 226,000 people.
An aftershock, an estimated magnitude of 5.5, rattled Thailand on Friday but caused limited damage, although residents living close to the epicentre were advised to leave their homes.
The initial quake shook the famous "Golden Triangle" region, where Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet. It was felt in the capital cities of Thailand and Myanmar and as far away as Vietnam, where people in tall buildings were evacuated.
It was 6.2 miles (10 km) below the surface but caused only slight damage on the Thai side.
The town of Tachilek in Myanmar was badly hit by Thursday's quake. People fled their homes and cracks were seen in the roads.
"We were extremely frightened to enter the house since there were several strong aftershocks," a teacher said by telephone. "Some people are haunted by what they saw on TV about the recent earthquake in Japan."
The Red Cross said a hospital in Tachilek had been damaged and trained local volunteers had been mobilised to provide relief and first aid.
FEARS OF AFTERSHOCKS
Thursday's quake was centred 111 km (69 miles) north of Chiang Rai, Thailand's northernmost province and a sparsely populated, hilly area. It forms part of the Golden Triangle, a popular tourist destination and famous for the cultivation of illicit opium.
In Chiang Rai's main town, little damage was seen. The spires of several Buddhist pagodas were bent, some tiles were smashed and a few cracks were seen on the ground close to a hotel.
Fearing more aftershocks, people in the province's Mae Sai district, 60 km from the epicentre, had left their houses and were seen setting up makeshift shelters in open spaces.
Somchai Hatyatanti, Chiang Rai provincial governor, said cracks were seen in some buildings. Power was briefly knocked out and some telephone lines were down.
Bountheun Menevilay, head of the disaster preparedness division of the Red Cross in neighbouring Laos, said the quake was felt strongly in the thinly populated border provinces of Luang Namtha and Bokeo, but no deaths or injuries were reported.
Vibul Sguanpong, director general of Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said there had been dozens of aftershocks.
"We urge those in very old houses or tall, old buildings near the northern border with Myanmar to check for cracks and other signs of damage, and consider leaving for the next two days while aftershocks are likely," he said.

TRS leader hacked to death

Hyderabad, March 27 (IANS) Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader and former top Maoist Sambasivudu was hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Andhra Pradesh's Nalgonda district, police said Sunday.
He was attacked late Saturday at Gokaram when he was returning after attending 'Telangana dhoom dham', a cultural programme to demand a separate Telangana state, at Sangem in Valigonda mandal of Nalgonda district, about 120 km from here.
About 15 assailants in two cars chased Sambasivudu who was travelling in a car with his five supporters at around midnight. The attackers forced the TRS leader's vehicle to stop and attacked him with swords, sickles and other sharp-edged weapons. Three of his supporters were injured when they tried to save him.
The 46-year-old succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to Hyderabad, police said.
The body of Sambasivudu, who was allegedly involved in attacks on former chief ministers N. Chandrababu Naidu and N. Janardhan Reddy, has been kept at Gandhi Hospital where an autopsy will be conducted Sunday.
His family members alleged that police were involved in the killing. They said police used its agent and former Maoist Nayeem to kill Sambasivudu.
The former state secretary of the Communist Party of India-Maoist had surrendered before then home minister Jana Reddy in 2009 on grounds of ill-health. He had reportedly developed differences with other Maoist leaders.
Last year, he joined TRS and was made politburo member of the party, which is spearheading the movement for a separate Telangana state.
Sambasivudu, who joined Maoist ranks in 1990, was involved in 80 cases of violence, including attack on Chandrababu Naidu in 2003, failed assassination bid on N. Janardhan Reddy, and also the Balimela attack on June 29, 2008, in which 38 policemen belonging to anti-Maoist force Greyhounds were killed.