1732 Irpinia earthquake

For other earthquakes that have occurred in Irpinia, see List of earthquakes in Irpinia.

1732 Irpinia earthquake
1732 Irpinia earthquake is located in Italy
1732 Irpinia earthquake
Local date29 November 1732 (1732-11-29)
Local time08:40 UTC+1
Magnitude6.6 Mw[1]
Epicenter41°04′48.0″N 15°09′00.0″E / 41.080000°N 15.150000°E / 41.080000; 15.150000[2]
Areas affectedSouthern Italy
Max. intensityMMI X (Extreme)[2]
Casualties1,940 deaths[2]

The 1732 Irpinia earthquake was a seismic event with a magnitude of 6.6[1] that affected Irpinia and part of Sannio. It occurred on 29 November 1732 at 8:40 AM local time (UTC+1). The epicenter was located in the Campanian Apennines, in the area of the Ufita Valley, which is part of the modern-day Province of Avellino.[3] Around twenty populated areas were destroyed entirely or in part and tens of others were significantly damaged. The number of deaths was estimated to be 1,940. Damage from the earthquake was classified as "severe" (indicating damage between $5 and US$24 million), and the number of homes destroyed as classified as "many" (indicating between 101 and 1,000 homes). The earthquake had a rating on the modified Mercalli intensity scale of X (extreme).[2]

Among the most devastated communities were Mirabella Eclano (which was razed to the ground), Carife, Grottaminarda, and Ariano Irpino. Damage was serious in the provincial capital of Avellino, while in Benevento, there were mainly partial collapses of buildings.[4]

  1. ^ a b "Avellino: nel cuore dell'Irpinia sismica" [Avellino: in the heart of the seismic Irpinia] (PDF). Protezione Civile (in Italian). Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (1972). "Significant Earthquake Information". doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K.
  3. ^ "Accadde Oggi: 29 Novembre 1732, terremoto in Irpinia" [Happened today: 29 November 1732, earthquake in Irpinia]. 6aprile.it (in Italian). 29 November 2016. Archived from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Regione Campania - Note storiche" [Region Campania - Historical Notes] (PDF) (in Italian). pp. 111–116. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.