The Qayen earthquake was a major earthquake that struck Northern Iran's Khorasan Province on May 10, 1997. The largest in the area since 1990, it measured 7.3 on the moment magnitude scale and was centered approximately 270 kilometers (170 mi) south of Mashhad on the village of Ardekul. The third earthquake that year to cause severe damage, it devastated the Birjand–Qayen region, killing 1,567 and injuring over 2,300. The earthquake—which left 50,000 homeless and damaged or destroyed over 15,000 homes—was described as the deadliest of 1997 by the United States Geological Survey. Some 155 aftershocks caused further destruction and drove away survivors. The earthquake was later discovered to have been caused by a rupture along a fault that runs underneath the Iran–Afghanistan border. Damage was eventually estimated at $100 million, and many countries responded to the emergency with donations of blankets, tents, clothing, and food. Rescue teams were also dispatched to assist local volunteers in finding survivors trapped under the debris. The destruction around the earthquake's epicenter was, in places, almost total; this has been attributed to poor construction practices, and imparted momentum to a growing movement for changes in building codes. With 1 in 3,000 deaths in Iran attributable to earthquakes, one expert has suggested that a country-wide rebuilding program would be needed to address the ongoing public safety concerns.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997_Qayen_earthquake
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1775:
American Revolutionary War: Delegates from the Thirteen Colonies met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to convene the Second Continental Congress, which would serve as the de facto national government of the future United States. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Continental_Congress
1824:
The National Gallery in London opened to the public, in the former townhouse of the collector John Julius Angerstein. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Gallery
1833:
Le Van Khoi broke out of prison to start a revolt against Vietnamese Emperor Minh Mạng, primarily to avenge the desecration of the grave of his adopted father Lê Văn Duyệt, former viceroy of the southern part of Vietnam. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%AA_V%C4%83n_Kh%C3%B4i_revolt
1849:
A personal dispute between actors Edwin Forrest and William Macready in New York City devolved into a riot that left at least 25 dead and more than 120 injured. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astor_Place_Riot
1941:
World War II: Nazi leader Rudolf Hess parachuted into Scotland, claiming to be on a peace mission. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Hess
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
cymotrichous: (anthropology) Having wavy hair. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cymotrichous
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
The most important of my achievements, if you want to call them that, was that I successfully introduced mystical ideas into pop culture, … I wanted to save our culture from the stupidity and the bigotry and the ignorance that threatened it. --Donovan https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Donovan
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