1946 Hsinhua earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1946 Hsinhua earthquake , also referred to as the 1946 Tainan earthquake was a magnitude 6.1 earthquake
which hit Tainan County
(now part of Tainan City), Taiwan
, on December 5, 1946 at 06:47. The quake claimed 74 lives and was the eighth deadliest earthquake in twentieth century Taiwan.
earthquake struck at 06:47 CST on Thursday December 5, 1946, as people in the area were waking up and preparing breakfast. The epicentre was in Hsinhua in the centre of Tainan County
at a relatively shallow depth of 5 kilometres (3 mi); the rupture responsible was the Hsinhua fault . Government geologists in Taiwan believe this fault may have been active a number of times during the (current) Holocene
era. There was one major aftershock, on December 17, which measured 5.7 on the Richter scale but caused no additional casualties.
, there were 74 people killed by the quake, with 200 people seriously injured and 274 lightly injured. 1,971 dwellings were completely destroyed, while a further 2,084 dwellings were partially destroyed. Soil liquefaction
and sand boil
s were observed in central Tainan County, and there was widespread damage to railways, roads, farmland, water pipes and bridges. As the disaster came just a year into the new Kuomintang rule
in Taiwan, it served as a test for the new government. It was the most serious earthquake in Tainan County in 84 years.
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...
which hit Tainan County
Tainan County
Tainan County was located in southern Taiwan. The name "Tainan" means "Southern Taiwan". Formerly a county of the Republic of China , Tainan County was merged with Tainan City at the end of 2010 to form a single special municipality....
(now part of Tainan City), Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, on December 5, 1946 at 06:47. The quake claimed 74 lives and was the eighth deadliest earthquake in twentieth century Taiwan.
Technical details
The 6.1 MLRichter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
earthquake struck at 06:47 CST on Thursday December 5, 1946, as people in the area were waking up and preparing breakfast. The epicentre was in Hsinhua in the centre of Tainan County
Tainan County
Tainan County was located in southern Taiwan. The name "Tainan" means "Southern Taiwan". Formerly a county of the Republic of China , Tainan County was merged with Tainan City at the end of 2010 to form a single special municipality....
at a relatively shallow depth of 5 kilometres (3 mi); the rupture responsible was the Hsinhua fault . Government geologists in Taiwan believe this fault may have been active a number of times during the (current) Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
era. There was one major aftershock, on December 17, which measured 5.7 on the Richter scale but caused no additional casualties.
Damage
According to Taiwan's Central Weather BureauCentral Weather Bureau
The Central Weather Bureau is the government meteorological research and forecasting institution of the Republic of China . In addition to meteorology, the Central Weather Bureau also makes astronomical observations, reports on sea conditions, and conducts research into seismology and provides...
, there were 74 people killed by the quake, with 200 people seriously injured and 274 lightly injured. 1,971 dwellings were completely destroyed, while a further 2,084 dwellings were partially destroyed. Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction describes a phenomenon whereby a saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, usually earthquake shaking or other sudden change in stress condition, causing it to behave like a liquid....
and sand boil
Sand boil
Sand boils or Sand Volcanoes occur when water under pressure wells up through a bed of sand. The water looks like it is "boiling" up from the bed of sand, hence the name.-Flood protection structures:...
s were observed in central Tainan County, and there was widespread damage to railways, roads, farmland, water pipes and bridges. As the disaster came just a year into the new Kuomintang rule
Taiwan after World War II
Taiwan after World War II is the history of Taiwan which is ruled by the government of the Republic of China, since 25 October 1945 for present.-Early postwar society:...
in Taiwan, it served as a test for the new government. It was the most serious earthquake in Tainan County in 84 years.