Great Neapolitan Earthquake
Encyclopedia
The Great Neapolitan Earthquake was an earthquake that occurred on December 16, 1857, in the Basilicata
region of Italy southeast of the city of Naples
. The epicentre was in Montemurro
, on the western border of the modern province of Potenza
. Several towns were destroyed, and estimated fatalities were around 11,000 - 12,000, but unofficial sources report 19000 deaths). At the time it was the third largest known earthquake, and has been estimated to have been of magnitude 7.0 on the moment magnitude scale
.
s which continued for some months.
to the northwest, the main places suffering damage being Potenza
, Polla
, Diano
, Sala
, and Padula
in the Val di Diano
, and Tito, Sarconi
, Marsico Nuovo
, Saponara
, and Montemurro
. The latter two places, along with Padula and Polla, were virtually completely destroyed.
, Robert Mallet
visited the devastated area, and spent over two months studying the effects of the disaster, paying special attention to the damage caused to buildings
. His extensive report was published in 1862, and remains a memorable work in the history of seismology.
Much of Mallet's work was devoted to determining the position and magnitude of the subterranean focus of the earthquake. He calculated that the focal cavity was a curved fissure
, about 10 miles (16.1 km) long and 31 miles (49.9 km) high and of negligible width. He estimated that the central point of the fissure, the theoretical seismic centre, was 62 miles (99.8 km) deep. Mallet located his epicentre near the village of Caggiano
, not far from Polla, but later examination of his data suggested that there was a second focus near Montemurro, about 25 miles (40.2 km) to the southeast.
Basilicata
Basilicata , also known as Lucania, is a region in the south of Italy, bordering on Campania to the west, Apulia to the north and east, and Calabria to the south, having one short southwestern coastline on the Tyrrhenian Sea between Campania in the northwest and Calabria in the southwest, and a...
region of Italy southeast of the city of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. The epicentre was in Montemurro
Montemurro
Montemurro is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.The Italian-American Lucchese crime family mobster brothers Raymond Montemurro and Monte Montemurro share their last name with the town. Monte Montemurro would later play a small part in the...
, on the western border of the modern province of Potenza
Province of Potenza
The Province of Potenza is a province in the Basilicata region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Potenza.-Geography:It has an area of 6,545 km² and a total population of 387,107 . There are 100 comuni in the province .-History:In 272 B.C. the province was conquered by the Greek army...
. Several towns were destroyed, and estimated fatalities were around 11,000 - 12,000, but unofficial sources report 19000 deaths). At the time it was the third largest known earthquake, and has been estimated to have been of magnitude 7.0 on the moment magnitude scale
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
.
Earthquake
The principal shock occurred at about 10pm on December 16, 1857, and had been preceded by minor disturbances and was followed by numerous aftershockAftershock
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 which continued for some months.
Effects
The earthquake was felt as far away as TerracinaTerracina
Terracina is a town and comune of the province of Latina - , Italy, 76 km SE of Rome by rail .-Ancient times:...
to the northwest, the main places suffering damage being Potenza
Potenza
-Transportation:Potenza is a rail junction on the main line from Salerno to Taranto, managed by FS Trenitalia; it has also a connection to Altamura, served by the Ferrovie Appulo Lucane regional company...
, Polla
Polla
Polla is a town and comune of the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-west Italy. As of 2010 its population was of 5,305.-Geography:...
, Diano
Teggiano
Teggiano is a town and comune in Campania, Italy, in the province of Salerno. It is situated on an isolated eminence above the upper part of the valley to which it gives the name of Vallo di Diano.Among the historic centers of the Province of Salerno, Teggiano is certainly one that has best...
, Sala
Sala Consilina
Sala Consilina is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. With 12,738 inhabitants it is the most populated town of Vallo di Diano.-History:...
, and Padula
Padula
Padula is a comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. It is the home of the Carthusian monastery Certosa di San Lorenzo, sometimes referred to as the Certosa di Padula.-Geography:...
in the Val di Diano
Teggiano
Teggiano is a town and comune in Campania, Italy, in the province of Salerno. It is situated on an isolated eminence above the upper part of the valley to which it gives the name of Vallo di Diano.Among the historic centers of the Province of Salerno, Teggiano is certainly one that has best...
, and Tito, Sarconi
Sarconi
Sarconi is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata....
, Marsico Nuovo
Marsico Nuovo
Marsico Nuovo is a town and comune of the province of Potenza in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. It was the seat of the bishops of Grumentum.It is an agricultural centre in the Agri river valley.-History:...
, Saponara
Grumento Nova
Grumento Nova is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. The ancient name of the town was Saponara.In the locality Spineta are the remains of the Roman town of Grumentum....
, and Montemurro
Montemurro
Montemurro is a town and comune in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata.The Italian-American Lucchese crime family mobster brothers Raymond Montemurro and Monte Montemurro share their last name with the town. Monte Montemurro would later play a small part in the...
. The latter two places, along with Padula and Polla, were virtually completely destroyed.
Scientific study
Early in 1858, aided by a grant from the Royal SocietyRoyal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, Robert Mallet
Robert Mallet
Robert Mallet FRS , Irish geophysicist, civil engineer, and inventor who distinguished himself in research on earthquakes and is sometimes called the father of seismology.-Early life:...
visited the devastated area, and spent over two months studying the effects of the disaster, paying special attention to the damage caused to buildings
Earthquake engineering
Earthquake engineering is the scientific field concerned with protecting society, the natural and the man-made environment from earthquakes by limiting the seismic risk to socio-economically acceptable levels...
. His extensive report was published in 1862, and remains a memorable work in the history of seismology.
Much of Mallet's work was devoted to determining the position and magnitude of the subterranean focus of the earthquake. He calculated that the focal cavity was a curved fissure
Fissure
In anatomy, a fissure is a groove, natural division, deep furrow, elongated cleft, or tear in various parts of the body.-Brain:...
, about 10 miles (16.1 km) long and 31 miles (49.9 km) high and of negligible width. He estimated that the central point of the fissure, the theoretical seismic centre, was 62 miles (99.8 km) deep. Mallet located his epicentre near the village of Caggiano
Caggiano
Caggiano is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy....
, not far from Polla, but later examination of his data suggested that there was a second focus near Montemurro, about 25 miles (40.2 km) to the southeast.