Today 8:02am, a 7.0 scale earthquake hit Ya’an city, Sichuan province in China. The epicenter was near Lushan County. As of 17:24 today, 113 persons were killed and more than 2,000 were injured.

After the disaster, The Sichuan amateur radio association took immediate actions, BD8DX and BD8AAA lead team heading to disaster area providing emergency communication services.

The local amateur radio repeater works fine, and provided emergency communication for the public. BG8FUW in Lushan county, BG8EYD in Ya\’an city help providing amateur radio emergency communication.

Some amateur radio operators watches on HF or went to disaster area to help disaster relief.

Today is also the GlobalSet emergency simulation test second session. China HQ station BY3CQ made a QSO with BG8DE, who was on the way to the earthquake area to help disaster relief.

CRSA / CRAC call for all amateur radio operators, to avoid 3855KHZ, 7050KHZ and 14270KHZ on short wave for possible interference on disaster relief use.

Following received from Jorge, LU1AS.

The flooding rains have been very strong in the city of Buenos Aires and surrounding areas, and in the city of La Plata, which is the capital of the Province of Buenos Aires, located 60 kilometers south of the City of Buenos Aires.  So far 57 people have died, 51 of them in La Plata.

The frequencies that are being used on 40 meters are 7070 and 7120, ina addition to VHF and UHF repeaters kept on alert for the radio club La Plata   LU8DZE.
There are also a lot of communication activity through Facebook Emergenciaslu Amateur group, maintained by the sera, Amateur Radio Emergency Service of Argentina.

The tropical storm Crising menacing The Philippines archipelago has activated
the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) with 7.095 MHz and local nets
handling urgent traffic.

The Philippine Amateur Radio Association (PARA) Vice Chief Operating Officer,
Ramon J. Anquilan DU1UGZ has asked that a priority be given to emergency
communications.

All efforts are being made to have amateur radio ready in the likely affected
areas.  The ARES Chairman, Jojo Vicencio DU1VHY is due in Bohol and should
have more updates at least on the ground situation in Cebu, Bohol, Negros
and Siquijor.

FARE8, in the capital city of Zamboanga del Norte, Dipolog City, is monitoring
the river that cuts across the city in case it overflows as it did the last
typhoon, so that early flood warnings may be relayed.

The PARA-affiliated club works closely with the City Disaster and Risk Management
Council (CDRRMC).

On standby for the nets are HEROs Roy DU8BQI, ARES Co-Chair Panny Quintana
DU1EQ, FARE8 President Marlu DV8WX, Gene DU1RNA, Thelma DU1IVT, Alvin, DU1AJ/7,
Nathan DU5AOK, NORAD7 President Roy DU7DDJ, and Ramon DU1UGZ.

– Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.

Spare a thought for those who spent a nervous, very wet and windy Christmas period as Tropical Storm Quinta went through the south of the Philippines, in areas trying to recover from Typhoon Bopha earlier in the month.

Activated during the storm was the Philippines Amateur Radio Association emergency net on 7.095 MHz and VHF, to handle emergency and welfare traffic. A request to keep the HF frequency clear was issued by PARA’s Vice Chief Operating Officer, Ramon J. Anquilan DU1UGZ. The emergency had passed and he expressed many thanks on behalf of PARA for use of the frequency.

Among those involved in the emergency were members of the PARA-affiliated club, The District 5 Radio Amateur Network DX5RAN. They were kept busy coordinating much needed pre-emptive evacuations in Tacloban City and elsewhere alongside the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Other radio amateurs were also involved in the overall emergency.

Landslides occurred in the Visayas, Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar areas. There were more than 5,800 ferry passengers stranded with fishermen told not to venture out.

The archipelago has numerous severe weather events each year. Typhoon Bopha which made landfall over Mindanao on December the 2nd ripped through the southern provinces killing 1,067 people, leaving hundreds missing and many more homeless.

(Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee, with Ramon J. Anquilan DU1UGZ, PARA Vice Chief Operating Officer)