1839 Martinique earthquake

Earthquake in the Lesser Antilles 33 km yes 390–4,000 dead28,975 injured Yes None IX > 15 million Francs Lesser Antilles Megathrust 7.7–7.8 s7.5–8.0 w 06:00 am AST 11 January 1839 Middle America 14.5 -60.5 region:FR-GUA_type:event inline,title 1839 Fort-de-France earthquake The 1839 Martinique earthquake occurred on the morning of January 11 with an estimated magnitude of 7.8 s, the largest in the Lesser Antilles since 1690. 1972 Significant Earthquake Information https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/hazel/view/hazards/earthquake/event-more-info/1811 National Geophysical Data Center National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information 10.7289/V5TD9V7K 28 December 2020 The maximum intensity of this earthquake was assigned IX on both the Mercalli and MSK intensity scales, which left the cities of Saint-Pierre and Fort Royal almost completely destroyed. Estimation on the number of human losses varies from 390 to 4,000 making this one of the deadliest earthquakes in the Caribbean. Tectonic setting The Lesser Antilles subduction zone marks the boundary where the North American plate subducts or dives beneath the Caribbean plate at ~2 cm/yr along the subduction interface.Nathan L. Bangs Gail L. Christeson Thomas H. Shipley 2003 Structure of the Lesser Antilles subduction zone backstop and its role in a large accretionary system Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 108 B7 2358 10.1029/2002JB002040 2003JGRB..108.2358B free Interaction between these two lithospheres can sometimes produce megathrust earthquakes although there has been no recent megathrust quakes on the fault other than the 1839 and 1843 events.G. R. Robson 1964 An earthquake catalogue for the Eastern Caribbean 1530-1960 https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/ssa/bssa/article-abstract/54/2/785/116252/An-earthquake-catalogue-for-the-Eastern-Caribbean?redirectedFrom=fulltext Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 54 2 785–832 10.1785/BSSA0540020785 1964BuSSA..54..785R subscription Moderately large earthquakes have occurred near the megathrust in recent years but none on the megathrust. Since 1973, there have only been just a little over 30 thrust earthquakes on the subduction zone with magnitudes around the 5.0 range.Quantifying potential earthquake and tsunami hazard in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone of the Caribbean region https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/70057380 Geophysical Journal International 2014 196 510–521 10.1093/gji/ggt385 United States Geological Survey Hayes G. P. McNamara D. E. Seidman L. Roger J. 1 2014GeoJI.196..510H free A plausible explanation for this is the slow rate of convergence resulting in the megathrust becoming seismically devoid of activity for hundreds to thousands of years before rupturing in great quakes.Marc-André Gutscher Graham K. Westbrook Boris Marcaillou David Graindorge Audrey Gailler Thibaud Pichot René C. Maury 2013 How wide is the seismogenic zone of the Lesser Antilles forearc? https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00140/25140/29432.pdf Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France 184 1–2 47–59 10.2113/gssgfbull.184.1-2.47 A similar effect was seen prior to the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, and in Japan's Nankai Trough and the Cascadia subduction zone. At the present moment, the Lesser Antilles subduction zone has been determined to be locked and has the potential to generate an earthquake of w8.95 to 9.58. Earthquake On Martinique, intensity IX was felt throughout the island.Nathalie Feuillet François Beauducel Paul Tapponnier 2011 Tectonic context of moderate to large historical earthquakes in the Lesser Antilles and mechanical coupling with volcanoes https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2011JB008443 Journal of Geophysical Research 116 B10 B10308 10.1029/2011JB008443 2011JGRB..11610308F Wiley 10220/8653 51826757 free On the islands of Saint Lucia and Dominica, intensity IX persisted, but weakened to VIII at the southern and northern part of the islands respectively.J. Dorel 1981 Seismicity and seismic gap in the Lesser Antilles arc and earthquake hazard in Guadeloupe 10.1111/j.1365-246X.1981.tb06947.x Geophysical Journal International 67 3 679–695 1981GeoJ...67..679D free Level VIII to VI was felt in Guadeloupe and on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Barbados was hit with VII shaking. Weaker intensities of V and lesser was felt in the northern Lesser Antilles and in Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname. A moment magnitude of 8.0 is more consistent with the intensities reported. It is believed that the megathrust ruptured for 140 km and had an average slip of 8 meters. Estimates for the earthquake's magnitude varies between 7.5 and 8.0 on the w and s scales.Feuillard, M. 1985 Macrosismicité de la Guadeloupe et de la Martinique Institut de Physique du Globe de ParisChloé Seiber Nathalie Feuillet Christian Beck Gueorgui Ratzov Antonio Cattaneo Eva Moreno Pierre Morena Sediment Gravity Flow Deposits Across the Désirade Basin (Lesser Antilles Arc), as Possible Markers of Major Earthquakes Tectonophysics 2017 2017 https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm17/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/249927 American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2017 2017AGUFM.T31D0657S A probable epicenter location is east of Martinique, west of where the Saint Lucia Ridge subducts. This area is known for its high seismicity, and small earthquakes are recorded regularly. A seismic swarm was reported in the Valley of Desolation on Dominica in 1841; a similar observation made in 1843 after the w 8.5 Guadeloupe earthquake. Both earthquakes likely increased the coulomb stress on shallow faults within the island arc which promoted two significant earthquakes in 1897. They also raised the extensional strain on several volcanoes except Soufrière Hills. Impact The morning of January 11 in Martinique was disrupted by three instances of violent shaking which varied in duration from 30 seconds to two minutes. The earthquake was felt throughout the Lesser Antilles but the most serious damage was on the island of Martinique. At Fort Royal, the entire city was near totally destroyed. Of the 800 buildings, only 50 to 60 were still safe for occupancy, with 600 completely collapsed and the other 200 partially destroyed. Hotels, a theater, artillery barracks, hospital, and official buildings were among the infrastructures destroyed. The earthquake also damaged the aqueduct which supplies the city with water. Heaps of rubble up to three meters high was left in the quake's aftermath. The devastation was great due to the city being built on marshlands rather than on a stable rocky base.Remember… January 11, 1839! (in French) https://www.collectivitedemartinique.mq/souvenez-vous-le-11-janvier-1839/ 28 December 2020 Collectivité territoriale de Martinique (Territorial community of Martinique) 16 July 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220716212647/https://www.collectivitedemartinique.mq/souvenez-vous-le-11-janvier-1839/ dead Other cities saw serious destruction but not as severe like in Fort Royal. An area in Saint-Pierre was heavily affected where all but two or three houses were left standing. In other parts of the island, churches and stone construction collapsed. About 300 to 4,000 people died from the earthquake; the death toll varied because officials had not counted the number of slaves killed to avoid compensation requests by their owners. Like the earthquake which occurred in 1843, no tsunami was generated. See also List of earthquakes in the Caribbean History of Martinique References Category:1839 in France Category:Earthquakes in France Category:Earthquakes in the Caribbean Category:Megathrust earthquakes in North America Category:19th century in Martinique Category:1839 disasters in North America Category:Natural disasters in Martinique Category:Natural disasters in Dominica Category:Natural disasters in Saint Lucia Category:1839 natural disasters