Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
21.
1894, November 16, 18 h 52 min. Calabrian Arc, Calabria, the shore of
the Tyrrhenian Sea. A destructive earthquake.
38
◦
15
N, 15
◦
52
E.
The sea was absolutely calm; then the water started to bubble violently, and all
of a sudden it became calm again. At Pizzo, near Villa S.Giovanni, the sea was calm
during the earthquake; a boat seemed to sink, but then it came up again. The wa-
ter in the sea was bubbling, its movement was like the movement of water caused
by the paddle-wheels of a steamboat. Fishermen from Cannitello also affirmed that
the sea was unusually teeming with fish after the earthquake and for some of the fol-
lowing days. An eyewitness from Villa S. Giovanni said that the sea in the Strait of
Messina boiled up very strongly along the tidal line several hours before the earth-
quake, and the movement of the waves was irregular and unusual.
22.
1908, December 28, 5 h 20 min. Calabrian Arc.
Catastrophic Messina earthquake and tsunami. The source was under the bottom
of the Strait of Messina; its magnitude was 7.
The tsunami stirred up bottom sediments; bubbles of gas rose up to the surface
of the strait from the bottom; sea animals and fish, unknown to fishermen, including
inhabitants of great depths—down to 1,600 m, were thrown out onto the beach
A fisherman from the village of Contemplazione near Messina told that he was
fishing in the sea, when the earthquake occurred: 'Suddenly, the sea began to boil
and to rise with sharp waves.'
23. 1953, August 9-12. Ionian Sea, Ionian Islands.
Three destructive earthquakes occurred with increasing strength on the Islands
of Kefallonia, Ithaca, Zakynthos. During the third earthquake, people on the deck of
the transport 'Alfeios' in the Bay of Argostoli were thrown up into the air.
French tourists on a small beach of the south-western coast of Kefallonia Island
observed a rough 'boiling' sea with sharp furious wind waves.
24.
1961, May 23. Aegean Sea, Asia Minor, Izmir.
36
.
7
◦
N, 28
.
5
◦
E.
The colour of the water in the Gulf of Izmir changed after the earthquake, and it
was filled with algae.
25.
1989, October 29. Sea of Alboran, Algeria. An earthquake occurred with its
epicentre 80 km to the West of the city of Algiers, M
= 6
.
1
.
The earthquake occurred in Central Algeria. From interviews with inhabitants of
coastal villages it became clear, that some people, who had been in the port during
the earthquake, noticed unusual vibrations of their vessels. Fishermen felt a strong
seaquake on their vessels, which were shifted by anomalous sea waves.
The Pacific Ocean
JAPANESE ISLAND ARC
1.
1854, December 23, around 9 h.
34
.
1
◦
N, 137
.
8
◦
E.
An extremely strong earthquake in the Tokai region. Area of most significant
destructions: 260
120 km.
'I was in my cabin at about 9 o'clock, when I felt a slight shudder. A quarter of
an hour after this earthquake the water in the vicinity of the city seemed to start to
boil—the flow of the river, that suddenly started to strengthen, produced breakers
and splashes on sand-bars. At the same time the water from the sea started to rise
strongly and, having assumed a dirty aspect, to gurgle' (from the report by Putyatin,
the captain of the frigate 'Diana').
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