Abstract:The Ludian MS6.5 and Jinggu MS6.6 earthquakes occurred on August 3, 2014 and October 7, 2014, respectively, in Yunnan Province. The magnitude, type, and focal depth of these two earthquakes are similar; however, the number of casualties, degree of damage to buildings, and geological disaster induced by them are significantly different. As of August 3, 2014, 617 people have been reported killed and 112 and 3143 people have been reported missing and injured, respectively, in the Ludian MS6.5 earthquake. However, as of October 7, 2014, only 1 person was reported to have been killed, while 8 and 316 people were reported to have been severely and slightly injured, respectively, in the Jinggu MS6.6 earthquake. On the basis of field survey and extensive investigation of numerous diverse earthquake disasters induced by the two earthquakes, the primary reasons for the difference in seismic damage are summarized by comparing the collapse, landslide, ground fissures and deformation, sand liquefaction, and building damage caused by the two earthquakes. The area of Ⅶ and Ⅵ are similar in the intensity maps of Ludian MS6.5 and Jinggu MS6.6 earthquakes; however, the area of Ⅷ and Ⅸ in the Ludian MS6.5 earthquake is almost equal to that of Ⅷ in the Jinggu MS6.6 earthquake. A comparison of the results shows that the Ludian earthquake affected area is a complex geological structure with broken strata, dense populations, and poor anti-seismic capacity. However, the Jinggu earthquake affected area is located in a good geographic environment with thick vegetation, low population density, small peak ground acceleration among same level of earthquakes, and good anti-seismic capacity. In summary, the seismic damage induced by the Ludian MS6.5 earthquake is more serious than that induced by the Jinggu MS6.6 earthquake.
