1992 Nicaragua earthquake
UTC time | 1992-09-02 00:16:01 |
---|---|
ISC event | 270936 |
USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
Local date | 1 September 1992[1] |
Local time | 18:16 |
Magnitude | 7.7 Mw[2] |
Depth | 44.8 km (27.8 mi) |
Epicenter | 11°44′31″N 87°20′24″W / 11.742°N 87.340°W[3] |
Type | Thrust |
Areas affected | Nicaragua |
Max. intensity | MMI III (Weak) [4] |
Tsunami | Yes |
Casualties | at least 116 killed[3] |
The 1992 Nicaragua earthquake occurred off the coast of
Tectonic setting
Nicaragua lies above the convergent boundary where the Cocos Plate is being subducted beneath the Caribbean Plate. The convergence rate across this boundary is about 73 mm per year. There have been many large earthquakes in this part of the plate boundary, including events in 1982, 2001, 2012 (El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala) and 2014. The 2001 and 2014 events were a result of normal faulting within the subducting Cocos Plate, with the others representing faulting along the plate interface.[5]
Earthquake
This event was the first
Damage and casualties
The first shock of the earthquake occurred at 00:16
At least 116 people were killed, most being children sleeping in their beds,[8] with more than 68 missing and over 13,500 left homeless in Nicaragua.[3] At least 1,300 houses and 185 fishing boats were destroyed along the west coast of Nicaragua.[3] Total damage in Nicaragua was estimated at between 20 and 30 million U.S. dollars.[3]
According to the Augusto César Sandino Foundation, the most affected were "inhabitants of small poor communities who live from diverse subsistence activities. Their houses, located beside the sea, were almost entirely destroyed. These people have lost their livelihoods, poor peasants who grow basic grains for their own consumption in marginal areas, and fisherpeople who have lost their fishing equipment, boats, storage sheds and warehouses. Their already extreme poverty has been exacerbated."[9]
Tsunami
Most of the casualties and damage were caused by a tsunami affecting the west coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and it was one of three tsunamis to occur within a span of six months.
Relief efforts
From the onset of the disaster, authorities provided initial assistance.
See also
References
- ^ United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs
- ^ a b Arcos, Nicolas; Dunbar, Paula; Stroker, Kelly; Kong, Laura (2017-08-30). "The Legacy of the 1992 Nicaragua Tsunami". Eos.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Significant Earthquakes of the World in 1992". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 2009-09-12.
- .
- ^ ANSS. "El Salvador 2014: M 7.3 – 74km S of Intipuca, El Salvador". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
- ^ S2CID 4322936.
- ^ a b Pararas-Carayannis, G. (2007). "The Earthquake and Tsunami of 2 September 1992 in Nicaragua". Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
- ^ a b Folger, Tim (1992). "Waves of destruction – tsunamis – Cover Story". Discovery. FindArticles.com. Archived from the original on 2005-01-25. Retrieved 2008-06-06.
- ^ Hinman, Pip (1992-09-09). "Aid for Nicaragua". Green Left.
- S2CID 129660187. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
- ^ S2CID 45268655.
- ISSN 0972-0405.