1895 Lower Silesian earthquake
| UTC time | 1895-06-11 08:27 |
|---|---|
| Local date | 11 June 1895 |
| Local time | 09:27 |
| Magnitude | ≥ 4.4 (Mw )[1] |
| Epicenter | 50°45′N 17°00′E / 50.75°N 17.0°E[1] |
| Areas affected | Lower Silesia, Austrian Silesia, Bohemia and Moravia[2] |
| Max. intensity | MMI VII (Very strong) (Very strong)[3] |
| Casualties | No deaths recorded in the modern literature[3] |
The 1895 Lower Silesian earthquake occurred on 11 June 1895 in the Sudetic region of what is now southwestern Poland. It is one of the most important historically documented earthquakes in Silesia and among the best recorded seismic events in the Sudetes before the introduction of instrumental seismology.[3]
The earthquake occurred at approximately 09:27 local time (08:27 UTC) and was felt throughout large parts of historical Silesia and neighbouring regions of the Sudetes. Reports of shaking came from hundreds of towns and villages across present-day Poland, the Czech Republic and parts of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.[2]
Earthquake
Modern macroseismic analysis indicates that the earthquake reached a maximum intensity of about VII on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.[3] The strongest shaking was reported from the region around Strzelin and Ziębice in Lower Silesia.[3]
Although the earthquake was moderate in magnitude, it was widely felt across the Sudetic region. Contemporary accounts describe a sudden shock accompanied by loud subterranean rumbling sounds resembling thunder or heavy wagons passing over cobblestones.[2]
More than 500 towns and villages reported shaking. The earthquake was perceptible throughout much of Lower Silesia and adjacent parts of Bohemia, Moravia and Austrian Silesia.[2]
Damage and effects
Historical reports collected shortly after the event describe numerous effects on buildings and the natural environment. Many observers reported cracked walls, fallen plaster, and damaged chimneys. Roof tiles were displaced and in some cases fell from buildings during the shaking.[2]
In houses, windows rattled strongly and dishes, glassware and household objects were thrown from shelves or tables. Hanging lamps and chandeliers swung violently, and furniture was observed to move or shift during the shock.[2]
Numerous witnesses also described environmental effects. Water in wells, ponds and small reservoirs began to oscillate, and vegetation such as trees and vines visibly trembled even though the weather was calm.[2]
The earthquake caused considerable alarm among residents, and many people rushed out of buildings into the streets or open spaces during the shaking. Despite the widespread reports of shaking and local structural damage, modern studies indicate that the event did not result in significant casualties.[3]
Contemporary investigation
The earthquake attracted scientific attention shortly after it occurred. On 12 June 1895 the Royal Prussian Geological Survey distributed a circular requesting detailed reports of the earthquake's effects from local authorities, railway officials, schools and private observers.[2]
The collected reports were analysed by the geologist Ernst Dathe and published in 1897 in the monograph Das schlesisch-sudetische Erdbeben vom 11. Juni 1895. Dathe compiled more than 900 positive observations from over 600 localities, making the earthquake one of the best documented historical seismic events in Central Europe.[2]
These historical observations later became an important source for modern macroseismic re-evaluation and seismic hazard research in Poland and the Sudetic region.[3][1]
Geological setting
The earthquake occurred in the tectonic environment of the Sudetes and the northeastern Bohemian Massif. Although the region is generally characterised by low to moderate intraplate seismicity, it contains several long-lived fault systems.[4]
One of the most prominent tectonic structures in the region is the Sudetic Marginal Fault, which has been studied as a potentially active fault zone. Although the exact source of the 1895 earthquake has not been conclusively identified, the event is generally interpreted as part of the natural tectonic seismicity of the Sudetic region.[4]
Scientific significance
The 1895 earthquake is an important example of a historically documented intraplate earthquake in Central Europe. Because of the large number of contemporary eyewitness reports collected shortly after the event, it provides valuable material for reconstructing historical seismic intensity patterns.[1]
Modern seismological studies continue to use these historical observations to reassess the earthquake and to improve seismic hazard assessment for southwestern Poland and neighbouring parts of Central Europe.[3]
See also
- List of earthquakes in Poland
- Sudetic Marginal Fault
- Bohemian Massif
References
- ^ a b c d Guterch, Barbara (2015). Studies of Historical Earthquakes in Southern Poland. Cham: Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-15445-9.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Dathe, Ernst (1897). Das schlesisch-sudetische Erdbeben vom 11. Juni 1895. Berlin: Königlich Preussische Geologische Landesanstalt.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Sana, Hamid; Štěpančíková, Petra; Szameitat, Annika; Stemberk, Josef (2021). "Macroseismic Intensity Re-Evaluation of the 11 June 1895 Mid-Silesia, Poland, Earthquake". Seismological Research Letters. 92 (2A): 1159–1172. doi:10.1785/0220200359.
- ^ a b Štěpančíková, Petra; Hók, Jozef; Nývlt, Daniel; Dohnal, Jiří; Sýkorová, Ivana; Stemberk, Josef (2010). "Active tectonics research using trenching technique on the south-eastern section of the Sudetic Marginal Fault (NE Bohemian Massif, central Europe)". Tectonophysics. 485 (1–4): 269–282. doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2010.01.004.