1883 Casamicciola earthquake

The 1883 Casamicciola earthquake, also known as the Ischia earthquake occurred on 28 July at 20:25 local time (Central European Time) on the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples in Italy. Although the earthquake had an estimated moment magnitude (Mw) of 4.2 to 5.5, considered moderate in size,[3] it caused intense ground shaking that was assigned XI (Extreme) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. Of the 26,000 inhabitants in the town of Casamicciola, at least 2,313–3,100 people lost their lives. The city also suffered great property losses, with 80% of all homes destroyed.[4] This earthquake was exceptionally destructive for its magnitude mainly due to the shallow focal depth of the earthquake.

1883 Casamicciola earthquake
Local date28 July 1883 (1883-07-28)
Local time20:25 CET
Magnitude4.2–5.5 Mw[1]
Depth1 km (0.62 mi)[2]
Epicenter40.7°N 13.9°E / 40.7; 13.9
TypeVolcanic
Areas affectedItaly
Max. intensityXI (Extreme)[2]
Casualties2,313–3,100 dead, 762 injured

Tectonic setting

Ischia island is situated in the circular caldera which forms the Phlegraean Fields of volcanoes. The volcanic field itself is part of the greater Campanian volcanic arc. The island's highest point, Monte Epomeo, is not a volcanic cone. Instead, it is a geological horst, a block of volcanic material deposited by eruptions that have been uplifted by active faulting.[5]

Earthquake

The earthquake occurred on the northern slopes of Mount Epomeo along a near-vertical fault with an estimated length of 2 km.[6] An east-west or east northeast-west southwest fault structure was suggested as the cause of the earthquake.[1][6]

Earthquakes on Ischia island have been relatively small in magnitude (≤ 5.5 Mw ), but despite this, damage and losses have been high. Prior to 1883, two earthquakes in 1828 and 1881 also caused major destruction. Another earthquake in 2017 measuring 3.9 Mw  caused two deaths and significant damage. The relatively small magnitude can be attributed to the brittleness of rock at shallow depths caused by volcanic heat.[7]

Impact

The was felt with a maximum intensity of XI in a 3 km2 area, or 1.5 km from the epicenter, in the northern part of Ischia, causing localized damage. The earthquake was most devastating in the northern part of the city of Casamicciola, collapsing or seriously damaging many homes. Private buildings, hotels, churches, and country houses were among the many infrastructures destroyed by the earthquake. Damage was reported in every part of the island, with only a handful of buildings left untouched by the quake.[2]

See also

References
  1. E. Cubellis; G. Luongo (1998). Il terremoto del 28 luglio 1883 a Casamicciola nell'isola d'Ischia. Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato.
  2. F. Bramerini; S. Castenetto; E. Cubellis; M. G. Martini; M. Rebuffat; P. Soddu (1995). "Earthquake, GIS and multimedia. The 1883 Casamicciola earthquake". Annals of Geophysics. 38 (5–6). doi:10.4401/ag-4085.
  3. Boschi E.; Guidoboni E; Ferrari G.; Valensise G.; Gasperini P. (1997). "Catalogo dei forti terremoti in Italia dal 461 a.C. al 1980" [Catalog of strong earthquakes in Italy from 461 BC. to 1980]. Ing-Sga (in Italian). Bologna, Italy. 2: 644.
  4. "Significant Earthquake Information". ngdc.noaa.gov. ITALY: ISCHIA IS: CASAMICCIOLA, FORINO, LACCO AMENO: NCEI. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  5. "Island of Ischia, Italy". NASA Earth Observatory. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  6. S. Carlino; E. Cubellis; A. Marturano (2010). "The catastrophic 1883 earthquake at the island of Ischia (southern Italy): macroseismic data and the role of geological conditions". Natural Hazards. 52 (231): 231–247. doi:10.1007/s11069-009-9367-2. hdl:10.1007/s11069-009-9387-y. S2CID 140602189.
  7. Jacopo Selva; Raffaele Azzaro; Matteo Taroni; Anna Tramelli; Giuliana Alessio; Mario Castellano; Cecilia Ciuccarelli; Elena Cubellis; Domenico Lo Bascio; Sabina Porfido; Patrizia Ricciolino; Andrea Rovida (2021). Gaspar-Escribano, Jorge M. (ed.). "The Seismicity of Ischia Island, Italy: An Integrated Earthquake Catalogue From 8th Century BC to 2019 and Its Statistical Properties". Frontiers in Earth Science. 9 (629736): 203. Bibcode:2021FrEaS...9..203S. doi:10.3389/feart.2021.629736.

Further reading
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