1703 Apennine earthquakes

Series of earthquakes in Italy

1703 Apennine earthquakes

14 January

16 January

2 February

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14 January

16 January

2 February

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Local date| 14 January 1703 (1703-01-14)
Magnitude| 6.7–6.2–6.7 ML
Epicenter| 42°42′N 13°04′E﻿ / ﻿42.7°N 13.07°E﻿ / 42.7; 13.07
(first event)
Areas affected| Italy
Casualties| 10,000 deaths

The 1703 Apennine earthquakes were a sequence of three earthquakes of magnitude ≥6 that occurred in the central Apennines of Italy, over a period of 19 days. The epicenters were near Norcia (14 January), Montereale (16 January) and L'Aquila (2 February), showing a southwards progression over about 36 kilometres (22 mi). These events involved all of the known active faults between Norcia and L'Aquila.[1] A total of about 10,000 people are estimated to have died as a result of these earthquakes,[2] although because of the overlap in areas affected by the three events, casualty numbers remain highly uncertain.

## Tectonic setting

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The central part of the Apennines has been characterised by extensional tectonics since the Pliocene epoch (i.e. about the last 5 million years), with most of the active faults being normal in type and NW-SE trending.[3] The extension is due to the back-arc basin in the Tyrrhenian Sea opening faster than the African plate is colliding with the Eurasian plate.[4]

## The Norcia earthquake

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The earthquake occurred at 18:00 UTC on 14 January with an estimated magnitude of 6.7.[5] It was caused by movement on an en echelon set of three normal faults, known as the Norcia Fault System.[1]

### Damage

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There was extensive damage in the area around Norcia, with Spoleto and Rieti also affected.[6] Modern estimates give a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (Extreme).[7] Ground rupture was observed at several locations and these have been confirmed by modern investigations.[1]

### Casualties

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Estimates of the death toll vary from 6,240[8] to 9,761.[5]

## The Montereale earthquake

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The earthquake occurred at 13:30 UTC on 16 January with an estimated magnitude of 6.2.[5] It is thought to have been caused by movement on the Montereale Fault.[1] Damage was recorded in Montereale, Cittareale, Accumoli and Amatrice. Although of lower magnitude than the other two events, this earthquake was still felt in Rome.[6] The estimated intensity for this event is VIII (Severe).[7] No separate casualty figures are available for this event.

## The L'Aquila earthquake

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The earthquake occurred at 11:05 UTC on 2 February with an estimated magnitude of 6.7.[5] It was caused by movement on the Mt. Marine Fault.[1]

### Damage

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Most of the buildings in L’Aquila were badly damaged or completely destroyed. Damage was reported from as far away as Rome.[6] Modern estimates give a maximum intensity of X (Extreme).[7] The earthquake caused a huge landslide on the Mt. Marine ridge, a large slope failure near Posta and liquefaction along the Aterno River.

### Casualties

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Estimates of the death toll vary from 2,500[7] to 5,000.[9]

## Summary of earthquakes

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Details taken from Catalogue of Strong Earthquakes in Italy (461 BC – 1997) and Mediterranean Area (760 B.C. – 1500)[10]

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Name | Date | Time | Coordinates | Magnitude | Intensity

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Norcia  | 14 January  | 18:00  | 42°42′N 13°04′E﻿ / ﻿42.70°N 13.07°E﻿ / 42.70; 13.07 | 6.7  | XI
Montereale  | 16 January  | 13:30  | 42°37′N 13°06′E﻿ / ﻿42.62°N 13.10°E﻿ / 42.62; 13.10 | 6.2  | VIII
L'Aquila  | 2 February  | 11:05  | 42°26′N 13°18′E﻿ / ﻿42.43°N 13.30°E﻿ / 42.43; 13.30 | 6.7  | X

## Relationship between the events

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Some seismologists interpret these events as related. It has been suggested that the Norcia earthquake led directly to the Montereale event, which had the effect of further loading the fault at Aquila, thus triggering the final event.[1] Such sequential adjacent events are examples of coulomb stress transfer.

## See also

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* 2009 L'Aquila earthquake
* 1706 Abruzzo earthquake
* 1461 L'Aquila earthquake
* List of earthquakes in Italy
* List of historical earthquakes

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f Galli, P.; Galadini, F. & Calzoni, F. (2005). "Surface faulting in Norcia (central Italy): a "paleoseismological perspective". Tectonophysics. 403 (1–4): 117–130\. Bibcode:2005Tectp.403..117G. doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2005.04.003.1–4&rft.pages=117-130&rft.date=2005&rft_id=info:doi/10.1016/j.tecto.2005.04.003&rft_id=info:bibcode/2005Tectp.403..117G&rft.au=Galli,+P.&rft.au=Galadini,+F.&rft.au=Calzoni,+F.&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:1703+Apennine+earthquakes" class="Z3988">
2. ^ "Seismically Induced Ground Ruptures and Large Scale Mass Movements: Field Excursion and Meeting 21–27 september 2001" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
3. ^ Akinci, A.; Galadini, F.; Pantosti, D.; Petersen, M.; Malagnini, L.; Perkins, D. (6 April 2009). "Effect of Time Dependence on Probabilistic Seismic-Hazard Maps and Deaggregation for the Central Apennines, Italy". The Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 99 (2A). Seismological Society of America: 585. Bibcode:2009BuSSA..99..585A. doi:10.1785/0120080053. Archived from the original on 10 April 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
4. ^ "Magnitude 6.3 – CENTRAL ITALY 2009 April 06 01:32:42 UTC". United States Geological Survey. 6 April 2009. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
5. ^ a b c d "IISEENET (Information Network of Earthquake disaster Prevention Technologies) – Search Page". Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
6. ^ a b c "Description of the effects in Rome caused by the three earthquakes". Legacy.ingv.it. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
7. ^ a b c d "Geological effects induced by the L'Aquila earthquake (6 April 2009, Ml = 5.8) on the natural environment: preliminary report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
8. ^ "Davison, C. 1912–1913. The death-rate of earthquakes, Science progress in the twentieth century, A quarterly journal of Scientific work & thought". Retrieved 21 May 2012.
9. ^ Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc (1792). Buffon's Natural History. Vol. 2\. London: J.S. Barr. OCLC 316760617.
10. ^ Guidoboni, E.; Ferrari, G.; Mariotti, D.; Comastri, A.; Tarabusi, G.; Sgatoni, G.; Valensise, G. "Catalogue of Strong Earthquakes in Italy (461 BC – 1997) and Mediterranean Area (760 B.C. – 1500)". INGV-SGA. Retrieved 31 March 2022.

## Further reading

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* Galli, P.; Messina, P.; Peronace, E; Galderisi, A.; Ilardo, I.; Polpetta, F. (2023), "Paleoseismic evidence of five magnitude 7 earthquakes on the Norcia fault system in the past 8,000 years (Central Italy)", Frontiers in Earth Science, 11, doi:10.3389/feart.2023.1188602, ISSN 2296-6463

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Earthquakes in Italy

Historical|

* 62 Pompeii
* 1117 Verona
* 1169 Sicily
* 1222 Brescia
* 1343 Naples
* 1348 Friuli
* 1456 Central Italy
* 1570 Ferrara
* 1626 Girifalco
* 1627 Gargano
* 1638 Calabrian
* 1639 Amatrice
* 1659 Calabria
* 1688 Sannio
* 1693 Sicily
* 1694 Irpinia–Basilicata
* 1703 Apennine
* 1706 Abruzzo
* 1732 Irpinia
* 1743 Salento
* 1783 Calabrian
* 1805 Molise
* 1857 Basilicata
* 1873 Alpago
* 1883 Casamicciola
* 1887 Liguria

20th century|

* 1905 Calabria
* 1907 Calabria
* 1908 Messina
* 1915 Avezzano
* 1916 Rimini
* 1920 Garfagnana
* 1930 Irpinia
* 1930 Senigallia
* 1936 Cansiglio
* 1962 Irpinia
* 1968 Belice
* 1971 Tuscania
* 1976 Friuli
* 1980 Irpinia
* 1990 Carlentini
* 1997 Umbria and Marche

21st century|

* 2002 Molise
* 2009 L'Aquila
* 2012 Northern Italy
* August 2016 Central Italy
* October 2016 Central Italy
* January 2017 Central Italy
* 2017 Ischia
* 2018 Molise

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