1930 Salmas earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1930 Salmas earthquake occurred on May 6, 1930 in Salmas
, Persia (modern day Iran
). Occurring about a year after the 1929 Baghan-Gifan earthquake
, the earthquake
measured 7.2 on the Richter scale and 7.4 surface wave magnitude
and resulted in 2,500 direct fatalities. One foreshock
occurred prior to the rupture, and multiple aftershock
s also occurred. The earthquake is also listed within the strongest eight earthquakes to occur in Iran since 1900.
. This area is extremely isolated and villages are spread apart. The houses mainly consist of mud
and adobe brick.
Two faults (Salmas and Derik) experienced faulting due to the rupture. The Salmas Fault showed offsets of 4 metres (13.1 ft) horizontally and vertically 5 metres (16.4 ft).
) along with any others located in the epicentral valley. For several hours after the main shock, stream's flows were disrupted but presumably returned to normal direction. Landslide
s and rockfall
s were also generated from the surrounding mountains.
The most damaged villages were Haftavan, Dilman, Kuche Mashk and Kalashan. Primarily these towns shared the same effects—collapsed buildings, falling walls, and similar damage. Some of these areas even experienced fissure
s. One town, Dilman
, was ultimately destroyed. However, due to a foreshock
(in which 25 died) the residents were able to evacuate the area prior to the main shock, eventually saving several-thousand lives. A total of 1,100 died in the town from the actual earthquake.
Salmas
Salmas is a city in and the capital of Salmas County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 79,560, in 19,806 families....
, Persia (modern day Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
). Occurring about a year after the 1929 Baghan-Gifan earthquake
1929 Baghan-Gifan earthquake
The 1929 Koppeh Dagh earthquake took place at 15:37 UTC on May 1, 1929, in the Kopet Dag region of Iran. It caused 3,800 casualties along the Turkmenistan-Iran border and devastated the epicentral area.- Damage and casualties :...
, the earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
measured 7.2 on the Richter scale and 7.4 surface wave magnitude
Surface wave magnitude
The surface wave magnitude scale is one of the magnitude scales used in seismology to describe the size of an earthquake. It is based on measurements in Rayleigh surface waves that travel primarily along the uppermost layers of the earth...
and resulted in 2,500 direct fatalities. One foreshock
Foreshock
A foreshock is an earthquake that occurs before a larger seismic event and is related to it in both time and space. The designation of an earthquake as foreshock, mainshock or aftershock is only possible after the event....
occurred prior to the rupture, and multiple aftershock
Aftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock...
s also occurred. The earthquake is also listed within the strongest eight earthquakes to occur in Iran since 1900.
Background
The epicentral area (Salmas Plain) is 300 square kilometres (115.8 sq mi) and is positioned northwest of Lake UrmiaLake Urmia
Lake Urmia , ancient name: Lake Matiene) is a salt lake in northwestern Iran, near Iran's border with Turkey. The lake is between the Iranian provinces of East Azerbaijan and West Azerbaijan, west of the southern portion of the similarly shaped Caspian Sea...
. This area is extremely isolated and villages are spread apart. The houses mainly consist of mud
Mud
Mud is a mixture of water and some combination of soil, silt, and clay. Ancient mud deposits harden over geological time to form sedimentary rock such as shale or mudstone . When geological deposits of mud are formed in estuaries the resultant layers are termed bay muds...
and adobe brick.
Two faults (Salmas and Derik) experienced faulting due to the rupture. The Salmas Fault showed offsets of 4 metres (13.1 ft) horizontally and vertically 5 metres (16.4 ft).
Damage and casualties
Around 60 villages within the epicentral region (the Salmas Plain) were demolished. Within these, approximately 40 churches were also destroyed. Ten of these were built between the eleventh and fifteenth century; an additional eleven were built between the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. Two statues were destroyed in Kuhnen Shahr (now Tazeh ShahrTazeh Shahr
Tazeh Shahr is a city in the Central District of Salmas County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 8,216, in 1,783 families.The city sustained damage in the 1930 Salmas earthquake....
) along with any others located in the epicentral valley. For several hours after the main shock, stream's flows were disrupted but presumably returned to normal direction. Landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s and rockfall
Rockfall
Rockfall or rock-fall refers to quantities of rock falling freely from a cliff face. A rockfall is a fragment of rock detached by sliding, toppling, or falling, that falls along a vertical or sub-vertical cliff, proceeds down slope by bouncing and flying along ballistic trajectories or by rolling...
s were also generated from the surrounding mountains.
The most damaged villages were Haftavan, Dilman, Kuche Mashk and Kalashan. Primarily these towns shared the same effects—collapsed buildings, falling walls, and similar damage. Some of these areas even experienced fissure
Fissure
In anatomy, a fissure is a groove, natural division, deep furrow, elongated cleft, or tear in various parts of the body.-Brain:...
s. One town, Dilman
Dilman
Dilman is a village and municipality in the Agsu Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 905. The municipality consists of the villages of Dilman, Xatman, and Hacıman.- References :...
, was ultimately destroyed. However, due to a foreshock
Foreshock
A foreshock is an earthquake that occurs before a larger seismic event and is related to it in both time and space. The designation of an earthquake as foreshock, mainshock or aftershock is only possible after the event....
(in which 25 died) the residents were able to evacuate the area prior to the main shock, eventually saving several-thousand lives. A total of 1,100 died in the town from the actual earthquake.