1956 Amorgos earthquake

Coordinates: 36°39′59″N 25°57′25″E / 36.6664°N 25.957°E / 36.6664; 25.957
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1956 Amorgos earthquake
1956 Amorgos earthquake is located in Greece
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1956 Amorgos earthquake
UTC time1956-07-09 03:11:45
ISC event888445
USGS-ANSSComCat
Local dateJuly 9, 1956 (1956-07-09)
Local time05:11:45
Magnitude7.7 Mw
Depth20 km (12 mi)
Epicenter36°39′59″N 25°57′25″E / 36.6664°N 25.957°E / 36.6664; 25.957
Areas affectedGreece, Santorini and Amorgos
Max. intensityMMI IX (Violent)
Tsunami30 m (98 ft)
Casualties53

The 1956 Amorgos earthquake occurred at 03:11

epicentre was to the south of the island of Amorgos, the easternmost island of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea. There was significant damage on Amorgos and the neighbouring island of Santorini. It was the largest earthquake in Greece in the 20th century.[1] It was followed 13 minutes later by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake near Santorini. It triggered a major tsunami with a maximum run-up of 30 m. The combined effects of the earthquake shaking and the tsunami caused the deaths of 53 people with a further 100 injured.[2][3]

Tectonic setting

The Cyclades island group lies within a zone of extensional tectonics in the Aegean Sea Plate, between the South Aegean Volcanic Arc to the south and the continuation of the North Anatolian Fault to the north. The extension is a result of the bulging out of the Hellenic arc due to flat-slab subduction of the African Plate.[4]

Earthquake

The earthquake's

upper mantle.[5]

Tsunami

The tsunami affected a large part of the Aegean Sea. The variable distribution of the observed run-ups, combined with inconsistent timing of the wave arrivals at different locations, suggest that earthquake-triggered underwater landslides were the main cause of the observed tsunami.[3]

Damage

Damage was severe, particularly on Santorini. The earthquake demolished 529 houses and left many others damaged.[2] Fifty-three people were killed as a result of the earthquake, with another three killed by the associated tsunami.[6]

See also

References

  1. S2CID 140605036
    .
  2. ^ a b "Comments for the Significant Earthquake". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  3. ^
    doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2009.04237.x
    .
  4. S2CID 219542417
    .
  5. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2010.05.002
    .
  6. ^ "Comments for the Tsunami Event". National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 22 February 2016.

External links

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