A 5-magnitude earthquake struck Dien Bien.

At noon on May 16th, a magnitude 5 earthquake (M magnitude) occurred in the Muong Cha district (Dien Bien province). According to the Institute of Earth Sciences, the natural disaster risk level in the epicenter is level 2.

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, Director of the Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center (Institute of Earth Sciences ), an earthquake has just occurred in Muong Cha district (Dien Bien province).

At 11:17 AM today, a magnitude 5 earthquake occurred in the Muong Cha district. The epicenter was at a depth of approximately 10km. Many people in Dien Bien and even Lao Cai felt the aftershocks of this earthquake. The Institute of Earth Sciences assessed this earthquake as a level 2 natural disaster risk in the epicenter area.

The earthquake that struck Dien Bien province this afternoon has been assessed as a level 2 natural disaster risk.

The Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center (Institute of Earth Sciences) is currently continuing to monitor these earthquakes. In Vietnam, earthquakes with a magnitude of 5-5.9 are considered moderate earthquakes.

These earthquakes can cause moderate to severe damage to poorly designed structures; no damage or minor damage to well-designed structures; and can be fatal depending on the circumstances of the impact.

Dien Bien province is located in the Northwest region, where two major seismic fault lines, Dien Bien - Lai Chau and Song Ma - Son La, are situated, resulting in frequent earthquakes. Previously, Dien Bien province experienced three very strong earthquakes.

According to historical records, three very strong earthquakes have occurred in Dien Bien with magnitudes ranging from 5.3 to 6.9: in 1935 (6.9 in the Dien Bien basin); 1983 (6.7 in Tuan Giao town); 2001 (5.3 in Dien Bien Phu city); and 2019 (4.3 in Muong Ang district). The 5.3 magnitude earthquake in 2001 alone caused approximately 210 billion VND in damage and destroyed numerous structures.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Xa-hoi/dien-bien-xay-ra-dong-dat-manh-5-do-i768563/