1810 North Korea earthquake
Earthquake in present-day North Korea
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An earthquake struck present-day North Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The earthquake had an estimated moment magnitude of 7.3 and affected present-day North Hamgyong Province.[1] The maximum Modified Mercalli intensity was assigned VIII to IX. Eighty-three homes collapsed and livestock were destroyed. A landslide killed at least two people while additional fatalities occurred during a stampede.[2]
  | |
| Local date | 19 February 1810 |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 7.3 Mw |
| Epicenter | 41.6°N 130.0°E |
| Areas affected | Joseon (present-day North Korea) |
| Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent) |
| Casualties | Unspecified number |
Historical documents indicate it occurred in the early morning. The towns of Myeongcheon, Gyeongseong, and Hoeryeong were affected; fortresses and homes were razed, landslides occurred and people were killed. In Buryeongbu, 38 homes were destroyed and residents also died.[3]
The earthquake may have occurred on a section of the Yilan-Yitong Fault Zone in Shangzhi, China, through paleoseismology. The Yilan-Yitong Fault Zone is the northern branch of the larger Tanlu Fault. The Tanlu Fault is a 3,600 km (2,200 mi) long continental strike-slip fault extending from southern China through the country's northeast, into Bohai Bay and Russia. The Yilan-Yitong Fault Zone is located north of Bohai Bay. It is considered a major seismic hazard in the region as it represents an active boundary between the tectonics of north Asia. A paleoearthquake identified through trenching studied may correspond to historical records of an earthquake affecting Ning'an in 1810.[4]