1983 Guinea earthquake

On December 22, 1983, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck northern Guinea, killing around 300 people, and injuring 1,500. Around 200 people went missing. An earthquake of this magnitude was unusual for this region of West Africa, which was previously believed by most seismologists to be aseismic.^[1] The earthquake destroyed 5,000 houses. It had an intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale,^[1] although USGS reported it as VIII (Severe).^[2] The earthquake caused cracks in the ground, and an entire cavern to collapse.^[1]

Shakemap of the earthquake

1983 Guinea earthquake

UTC time	1983-12-22 04:11:29
ISC event	563420
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	December 22, 1983 (1983-12-22)
Local time	04:11
Magnitude	6.3 Mw
Depth	11.3 km (7 mi)
Epicenter	11.866°N 13.529°W / 11.866; -13.529
Type	Oblique – Normal
Max. intensity	MMI IX (Violent)
Casualties	300 dead, 1,500 injured, 200 missing

Geology

The earthquake occurred on the edge of the Paleozoic Bové Basin, near the western margin of the Precambrian West African Craton and close to the southern end of the late Proterozoic to Hercynian Mauritanide Belt.^[3]

Impact

The New York Times, citing the national radio, reported that at least 16 settlements were razed. Several towns including Labe, Gaoual, Mamou and Kindia suffered heavy damage.^[4] In Gaoual, at least 143 people were killed. The earthquake also left several thousand people homeless.^[5]

See also

• Guinea portal
• Earth sciences portal

• Geology of Guinea
• List of earthquakes in 1983

References

1. Langer, C. J.; Bollinger, G. A. (1992). "The December 22, 1983, earthquake in Guinea, West Africa". Natural Hazards in West and Central Africa. International Monograph Series. Vieweg+Teubner Verlag, Wiesbaden. pp. 31–36. doi:10.1007/978-3-663-05239-5_4. ISBN 9783663052418.
2. "M 6.3 – Guinea". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
3. Dorbath, C.; Dorbath, L.; Gaulon, R.; George, T.; Mourgue, P.; Ramdani, M.; Robineau, B.; Tadili, B. (1984). "Seismotectonics of the Guinean Earthquake of December 22, 1983". Geophysical Research Letters. 11 (10): 971–974. Bibcode:1984GeoRL..11..971D. doi:10.1029/GL011i010p00971.
4. "West Africa Quake Is Reported To Leave 200 Dead in Guinea". The New York Times. Associated Press. 24 December 1983. p. 6. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
5. "Death Toll Rises to 300 in Guinea Earthquake". The New York Times. Reuters. 25 December 1983. Retrieved 8 August 2024.

Further reading

• Langer, C. J.; Bonilla, M. G.; Bollinger, G. A. (1987). "Aftershocks and surface faulting associated with the intraplate Guinea, West Africa, earthquake of 22 December 1983". Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 77 (5): 1579–1601. Bibcode:1987BuSSA..77.1579L. doi:10.1785/bssa0770051579. ISSN 1943-3573.