1897 Assam earthquake
  | |
| Local date | 12 June 1897 |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 8.2–8.3[1] Mw |
| Depth | 34 km |
| Epicenter | 26°00′N 90°42′E / 26.0°N 90.7°E[2] |
| Areas affected | India, Bhutan, Bangladesh |
| Max. intensity | MMI X (Extreme)[3] |
| Casualties | 1,542[4] |
The Assam earthquake of 1897 occurred on 12 June, in
Earthquake
The earthquake occurred on the south–southwest-dipping reverse Oldham Fault that forms the northern edge of the Shillong Plateau.[2][6][7] There was a minimum displacement on the main fault of 11 m, although some calculations have placed this figure at as high as 16 m; one of the greatest for any measured earthquake.[6] The calculated area of slip extended 180 km along the strike and from 9–45 km beneath the surface, indicating that the entire thickness of the crust was involved.
Damage
Thought to have happened 32 km beneath the surface, the earthquake left masonry buildings in ruins over 400,000 km2 area and was felt over 650,000 km2 from
The earthquake resulted in Shillong Plateau being thrust violently upwards by about 11 meters. The fault was about 110 km in length while the fault slip was about 18 m (accuracy more or less by 7 m). At the epicenter, vertical acceleration is thought to have been greater than 1g and the surface velocity estimated at 3 m/s.[6]
In Shillong, the earthquake damaged every stone house and half the houses built of wood.[5]: 5 The shock leveled the ground and resulted in 13 deaths. The fissure was also reported in the area. In Sohra Cherrapunji, it resulted in a landslide, which led to 600 deaths.[9] In Goalpara, it resulted in waves from the Brahmaputra River, on which bank the town is situated on, destroying the market.[9] In Nalbari, there were reported sightings of earth-waves and water waves. In Guwahati, the earthquake lasted for 3 minutes. the Brahmaputra river rose by 7.6 ft. Damage was caused to Umananda Island temple and railway lines, where five people died.[9] In Nagaon, every brick house was damaged, while traditional houses made of wood, with grass roofs, were bent. There were many small fissures/volcanos and the road was impassable for vehicles.[9]
In the
See also
References
- ^ S2CID 92991659.
- ^ S2CID 244456016.
- doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K, retrieved 2 August 2022
- ^ a b c "Documentation on past disasters, their impact, Measures taken, vulnerable areas in Assam" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Oldham, R. D. (1899). "Report of the great earthquake of 12th June, 1897". Memoirs of the Geological Society of India. 29. K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & co.
- ^ S2CID 205015797.
- ^ Hough, S.E.; Bilham, R.; Ambraseys, N.; Feldl, N. (2005). "Revisiting the 1897 Shillong and 1905 Kangra earthquakes in northern India: Site response, Moho reflections and a triggered earthquake" (PDF). Current Science. 88 (10): 1632–1638. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
- ^ Kalita, Jugal. "The Great Assam Earthquake of 1897". Assam Portal.
- ^ a b c d "The Great Assam Earthquake of 1897 | Assam Portal".
- Calcutta: Government of Assam. pp. 13–16.
- .
Further reading
- Ambraseys, N. N.; Douglas, J. (1 October 2004). "Magnitude calibration of north Indian earthquakes". Geophysical Journal International. 159 (1): 165–206. ISSN 0956-540X.
- Gahalaut, V. K.; Chander, R. (1992). "A Rupture Model for the Great Earthquake of 1897, Northeast India". Tectonophysics. 204 (1–2): 163–174. .
- Lee, W. H. K.; Meyers, M.; Shimazaki, N. (1988). Historical Seismograms and Earthquakes of the World. San Diego: Academic Press. ISBN 978-0-12-440870-8.
External links
- Tom LaTouche and the Great Assam Earthquake of 12 June 1897: Letters from the Epicenter (with photographs of damage at Shillong, Rowmari and Calcutta, detailed field report with diagrams, and mapping of the epicentre)