1980 El Asnam earthquake
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| Date | October 10, 1980[1] |
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| Magnitude | 7.3 Magnitude Richter[1] |
| Epicenter | 36°20′N 01°50′E / 36.333°N 1.833°ECoordinates: 36°20′N 01°50′E / 36.333°N 1.833°E |
| Countries or regions |  Algeria |
| Casualties | 3,500 approx. dead, > 10,000 injured |
The 1980 El Asnam earthquake was an earthquake that occurred in the Algerian town of El Asnam, now known as Chlef, within the central part of the Chelif valley. The earthquake - at 7.3 on the Richter scale the largest earthquake in Algeria - was followed 3 hours later by an aftershock measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale, and these two quakes caused considerable damage and a high death toll.
The initial earthquake occurred at 12.24 GMT. Reports initially put the death toll much higher at around 20,000. The final death toll, however, ended up being around 3,500. The town's main hospital, a big department store, the central mosque, a girls' school and two housing complexes were destroyed.[1] Around 300,000 people were left homeless. The earthquake was the largest in the Atlas range since 1790.[2]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c "1980: Thousands feared dead in Algerian quake". BBC. 1980-10-10. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/10/newsid_3714000/3714612.stm. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
- ^ "The El Asnam (Algeria) earthquake of 10 October 1980; conclusions drawn from a field study". Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology. http://qjegh.lyellcollection.org/cgi/content/abstract/14/2/143. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
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