February 4: On This Day in World History … briefly
The main shock was followed by thousands of aftershocks, some of the larger ones causing additional damage and loss of life.
1976: Guatemala earthquake kills 23 000, injures 76 000
The 1976 Guatemala earthquake struck on February 4 at local time with a moment magnitude of 7.5. The shock was centered on the Motagua Fault, about 160 km northeast of Guatemala City at a depth of 5km (3.1 miles) near the town of Los Amates in the department of Izabal. Cities throughout the country suffered damage, and most adobe type houses in the outlying areas of Guatemala City were destroyed. The earthquake struck during the early morning (at 3.01 am, local time) when most people were asleep. This contributed to the high death toll of 23 000. Approximately 76 000 were injured, and many thousands left homeless. Some of the areas affected went without electricity and communications for days.
The quake’s epicentre was located near the town of Los Amates, in the eastern part of the Motagua Fault, a left-lateral strike-slip fault that forms part of the tectonic boundary between the North American plate and the Caribbean plate. Ground shaking was felt during approximately 39 seconds, and caused visible rupturing over 230km along the Motagua fault, while the inferred length of faulting—based on aftershock registration – was estimated at 300km. Average horizontal displacement along the Motagua fault was 100cm, with a maximum displacement of 326cm.
Maximum seismic intensity was located in the Mixco area, some sections of Guatemala City and in Gualán. A seismic intensity of MM VI covered an area of 33 000 km². Soil liquefaction and sand boils were observed in several locations with high seismic intensity. The main quake activated secondary fault zones, including the Mixco fault, located in a densely populated area just north-west of Guatemala City.
Most notable historic snippets or facts extracted from the book ‘On This Day’ first published in 1992 by Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London, as well as additional supplementary information extracted from Wikipedia.
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