A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Dien Bien.

A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Dien Bien - Photo 1.

Map of the area affected by the 5-magnitude earthquake in Dien Bien - Photo: Institute of Earth Sciences

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online on the afternoon of May 16th, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh - director of the Earthquake Reporting and Tsunami Warning Center (Institute of Earth Sciences) - said that an earthquake had 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 region.

The Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center (Institute of Earth Sciences) is currently continuing to monitor these earthquakes.

Ms. Thanh (from Dien Bien Phu city) said she was inside her house when she felt it shake violently. "The house shook so hard, I was worried it would collapse. Luckily, the earthquake only lasted about 3-4 seconds," Ms. Thanh said.

"My family was having dinner when we saw the plates and bowls shaking. Everyone dropped their bowls and ran outside," shared Ms. Quàng Thị Loan (from Mường Chà district).

Located about 200km as the crow flies from the epicenter, Ms. Thuy (in Lao Cai city, Lao Cai province) said she also felt the tremors of the earthquake. "I was lying down looking at my phone when I felt the bed shaking and trembling slightly for a few seconds."

In Vietnam, earthquakes with a magnitude of 5-5.9 are classified as 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.

Between 1,000 and 1,500 earthquakes occur worldwide each year.

Dien Bien has experienced three very strong earthquakes.

In March 2022, a 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Dien Bien Dong district (Dien Bien province).

Dien Bien province is located in the Northwest region, where there are two major seismic fault lines: Dien Bien - Lai Chau and Song Ma - Son La, so earthquakes frequently occur in the province.

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); in 1983 (6.7 in Tuan Giao town), in 2001 (5.3 in Dien Bien Phu city), and in 2019 (4.3 in Muong Ang district).

The 5.3 magnitude earthquake in 2001 alone caused approximately 210 billion VND in damage and destroyed many buildings.

WISDOM

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dong-dat-manh-5-do-o-dien-bien-20250516115336567.htm