1980 El Asnam earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1980 El Asnam earthquake was an earthquake that occurred in the Algeria
n 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. Around 300,000 people were left homeless. The earthquake was the largest in the Atlas range
since 1790.
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n town of El Asnam, now known as Chlef
Chlef
Chlef is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. It is home to the soccer club ASO Chlef, the Hassiba Ben Bouali university, and the basilica of Saint Reparatus, which is home to the oldest Christian labyrinth in the world....
, 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
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...
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. Around 300,000 people were left homeless. The earthquake was the largest in the Atlas range
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains is a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The highest peak is Toubkal, with an elevation of in southwestern Morocco. The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert...
since 1790.