Quake hit Laos and felt in Thailand Wednesday night

[StrontiumDog]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home...-30149434.html

Quake hit Laos and felt in Thailand Wednesday night

An earthquake measured at 4.7 Richter hit Laos late Wednesday and can be felt in many provinces of Thailand.

The quake rocked a hospital in Loei province for about 5 seconds, sending patients and others running of the buildings.

The quake can be also felt in Nan, Phrae, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Nong Buo Lampu and Khon Kaen.

The epicenter of the earthquake was in Saiyaburi province of Laos, about 55 kilometers from Nan's Mae Rim district of Thailand.

In 2007 a powerful earthquake, measured magnitue 6.1, hit western Laos, with tremors felt as far as away as Thailand and Vietnam.

Buildings swayed in both the Thai and Vietnamese capitals. People fled shopping centres and buildings were evacuated in Bangkok.

[StrontiumDog]

Bangkok Post : Laos quake no effects on Thai dams

Laos quake no effects on Thai dams

• Published: 24/02/2011 at 03:37 PM
• Online news: Local News

An earthquake with the magnitude of 4.7 that hit the northern part of Laos on Wednesday night caused no damage to dams in Thailand, an Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand official said on Thursday.

Thatree Riewcharoen, director of the information department of EGAT, said the epicentre of the quake, which took place at 10.53pm (local time) on Wednesday, was about 159km northeast of Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit province, 209km northeast of Mae Chang Dam in Lampang, and 330km northeast of Bhumibol Dam in Tak.

The accelerographs installed at the three dams, as well as other dams of EGAT, did not show any effects on them, he said.

The Meteorological Department said the quake was felt in Phrae, Nan, Loei, Udon Thani, Nong Khai and Nong Bua Lamphu provinces in Thailand but caused no damage.

[StrontiumDog]

Lao earthquake damages Nan's Phrathat Chae Haeng

Lao earthquake damages Nan's Phrathat Chae Haeng

วันพฤหัสบดี ที่ 24 ก.พ. 2554

• • 

NAN, Feb 24 -- A 4.7-magnitude earthquake hit the Lao Peoples' Democratic Republic late Wednesday, causing underground movements which could be felt in many provinces of Thailand and cracking the walls of the structure housing revered Phrathat Chae Haeng in Thailand's northern province of Nan.

The epicenter of the earthquake was in Sayaboury province of Laos, about 55 kilometers from Nan's Mae Rim district.

Wat Phrathat Chae Haeng is a sacred place of worship, situated on a mound on the eastern side of the Nan River, enshrining Buddha relics. Phrathat Chae Haeng is an important pilgrimage site for people born in the Year of the Rabbit. Northern people believe that travelling to pay respect to the Phrathat in their year of birth would reap good fortune for them.

Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Chief Tawat Petchweera said the initial inspection found cracks around the assembly hall adjacent to the stupa that houses the temple's Buddha relics. The damage could also seen on the roof of the hall.

The 500-year-old stupa is now under renovation so that the damage could not be inspected, he said.

Wattayakorn Sompit, a civil engineer, and Witthaya Chanthayot, an expert from the Fine Arts Department, said after inspecting the structure that the cracks were not as serious as initially feared.

Mr Witthaya said that the cracks occurred in walls which was not worrisome but if there were cracks in weight-bearing pillars of the structure, it would be serious.

However, the authorities would keep a close watch in case the tremours happen again and expand the cracks, which could necessitate reconstruction. (MCOT online news)