1983 Guinea earthquake
On December 22, 1983 an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck northern Guinea, killing around 300 people, and injuring 1,500. Around 200 people went missing. An earthquake of this magnitude was unusual for this region of West Africa, which was previously believed by most seismologists to be aseismic.[1] The earthquake destroyed 5,000 houses. It had an intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale,[1] although USGS reported it as VIII (Severe).[2] The earthquake caused cracks in the ground, and an entire cavern to collapse.[1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/1983_Guinea_earthquake_intensity_map.jpg/220px-1983_Guinea_earthquake_intensity_map.jpg)
Geology
The earthquake occurred on the edge of the Paleozoic Bové Basin, near the western margin of the Precambrian West African Craton and close to the southern end of the late Proterozoic to Hercynian Mauritanide Belt.[3]
Impact
The New York Times, citing the national radio, reported that at least 16 settlements were razed. Several towns including Labe, Gaoual, Mamou and Kindia suffered heavy damage.[4] In Gaoual, at least 143 people were killed. The earthquake also left several thousand people homeless.[5]
See also
- List of earthquakes in 1983
- Geology of Guinea
References
- ^ a b c Langer, C. J.; Bollinger, G. A. (1992). "The December 22, 1983, earthquake in Guinea, West Africa". Natural Hazards in West and Central Africa. International Monograph Series. Vieweg+Teubner Verlag, Wiesbaden. pp. 31–36. doi:10.1007/978-3-663-05239-5_4. ISBN 9783663052418.
- ^ "M 6.3 - Guinea". earthquake.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
- ^ Dorbath, C.; Dorbath, L.; Gaulon, R.; George, T.; Mourgue, P.; Ramdani, M.; Robineau, B.; Tadili, B. (1984). "Seismotectonics of the Guinean Earthquake of December 22, 1983". Geophysical Research Letters. 11 (10): 971–974. Bibcode:1984GeoRL..11..971D. doi:10.1029/GL011i010p00971.
- ^ "West Africa Quake Is Reported To Leave 200 Dead In Guinea". Asociated Press. The New York Times. 24 December 1983. p. 6. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- ^ "Death Toll Rises to 300 In Guinea Earthquake". Reuters. The New York Times. 25 December 1983. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
Further reading
- Langer, C. J.; Bonilla, M. G.; Bollinger, G. A. (1987). "Aftershocks and surface faulting associated with the intraplate Guinea, West Africa, earthquake of 22 December 1983". Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 77 (5): 1579–1601. Bibcode:1987BuSSA..77.1579L. doi:10.1785/bssa0770051579. ISSN 1943-3573.
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- 1068 Near East (≥ 7.0)
- 1624 Fez earthquake (6.0)
- 1716 Algiers (7.0)
- 1754 Cairo (6.6)
- 1755 Meknes (7.0)
- 1761 Morocco (8.5)
- 1790 Oran (6.0)
- 1825 Blida (7.0)
- 1856 Djijelli (IX)
- 1856 Middle East (7.7–8.2)
- 1913 Asmara (VI)
- 1915 Asmara (VI)
- 1921 Massawa (6.1)
- 1954 Chlef (6.7)
- 1955 Alexandria (6.3)
- 1960 Agadir (5.8)
- 1963 Marj (5.6)
- 1969 Tulbagh (6.3)
- 1966 Toro (6.8)
- 1969 Portugal (7.9)
- 1969 Sharm El Sheikh (6.6)
- 1980 El Asnam (7.1)
- 1983 Guinea (6.3)
- 1989 Malawi (6.3)
- 1989 Chenoua (5.9)
- 1990 South Sudan (7.1)
- 1992 Cairo (5.8)
- 1994 Mascara (5.9)
- 1995 Gulf of Aqaba (7.3)
- 1999 Aïn Témouchent (5.6)
- 2002 Kalehe (6.2)
- 2003 Boumerdès (6.8)
- 2004 Al Hoceima (6.3)
- 2005 Lake Tanganyika (6.8)
- 2006 Mozambique (7.0)
- 2008 Lake Kivu (5.9)
- 2009 Karonga (6.0)
- 2010 Beni-Ilmane (5.3)
- 2011 Nabro (5.7)
- 2014 Orkney (5.5)
- 2015 South Kivu (5.8)
- 2016 Tanzania (5.9)
- 2017 Botswana (6.5)
- 2023 Morocco (6.8)