1999 Aïn Témouchent earthquake
  Algiers  | |
| UTC time | 1999-12-22 17:36:56 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 1658425 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | December 22, 1999 |
| Local time | 18:36:56 |
| Magnitude | 5.6 Mw [1] |
| Depth | 10 km (6 mi) [1] |
| Epicenter | 35°12′N 1°21′W / 35.2°N 1.35°W [1] |
| Type | Reverse[2] |
| Total damage | $60.93 million [2] |
| Max. intensity | MMI VII (Very strong)[3] |
| Casualties | 22–24 dead [2] 175 injured [2] 15,000 displaced [2] |
The 1999 Aïn Témouchent earthquake occurred on December 22 at 18:36:56 local time in northern Algeria. The dip-slip event had a moment magnitude of 5.6[1] and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong).[3] At least 22 were killed, 175 were injured, and 15,000 were homeless.[2] The Belgian Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters' EM-DAT database and the USGS' National Geophysical Data Center both list financial losses of $60.93 million.[2]
Tectonic setting
Aïn Témouchent lies within the Tell Atlas mountain range that runs southwest–northeast along the northern coast of Algeria. The current seismicity of the Tell Atlas is a result of continuing convergence of 3–6 mm per year between the African and Eurasian Plates, in a northwest–southeast direction. The structures produced by the current phase of tectonics are reverse/thrust faults and fault-related folds.[4]
The Quaternary aged Tafna Basin lies to the southeast of Aïn Témouchent. It is deformed along its northwestern margin by the active Tafna Fault. An anticline is developed in the hanging wall (upper block) of the northwest-dipping Tafna Fault known as the Berdani Fold.[4]
Earthquake
The earthquake had a magnitude of 5.6 Mw . The maximum felt intensity was VII on the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale.The area affected by shaking of this level or greater was 30 km across, including Aïn Témouchent at its northeastern end. The focal mechanism is consistent with reverse faulting on a southwest–northeast trending fault.[5]
Due to the lack of any surface rupture that might constrain the causative fault, this has been investigated using Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). The analysis used European Space Agency (ESA) ERS-2 SAR data. The observed fringes are consistent with a maximum displacement of 1 m on a 20 km long 32°-dipping blind thrust fault.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d ISC (2016), ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1900–2012), Version 3.0, International Seismological Centre
- ^ a b c d e f g USGS (September 4, 2009), PAGER-CAT Earthquake Catalog, Version 2008_06.1, United States Geological Survey
- ^ a b National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) (1972), Significant Earthquake Database (Data Set), National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
- ^ a b c Belabbès, Samir; Meghraoui, Mustapha; Çakir, Ziyadin; Bouhadad, Youcef (2009). "InSAR analysis of a blind thrust rupture and related active folding: The 1999 Ain Temouchent earthquake (M w 5.7, Algeria) case study" (PDF). Journal of Seismology. 13 (4): 421–432. Bibcode:2009JSeis..13..421B. doi:10.1007/s10950-008-9135-x. S2CID 67833926.
- ^ Yelles-Chaouche, A. K.; Djellit, H.; Beldjoudi, H.; Bezzeghoud, M.; Buforn, E. (2004). "The Ain Temouchent (Algeria) Earthquake of December 22nd , 1999". Pure and Applied Geophysics. 161 (3): 607–621. Bibcode:2004PApGe.161..607Y. doi:10.1007/s00024-003-2465-2. hdl:10174/6286.
External links
- M5.6 – northern Algeria – United States Geological Survey
- The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.
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