Earthquakes, September to December, 1948

An earthquake, recorded at the Institute Geofisico de los Andes Colombianos on October 9, 1946 (iP 19h56m54s U.T., Sn ‐ Pn distance 120 km), was felt in Bogota as a weak tremor, reports J. E. Ramirez. The government of the U.S.S.R. reported that the destruction of the earthquake of November 2 (18h28m U.T., see Tables 1 and 2) was centered in the industrial districts of Namangan, Andizhan, and Fergana in Uzbek, and in the Dzhala Abad region of Kirghiz. Official sources said the earthquake caused civilian deaths and building destruction. According to B. Gutenberg the Panadena records showed a magnitude of about 7‐¾. On November 10 slight tremors were felt in the vicinity of Yankton in southeastern South Dakota at about 09h00m U.T. No damage was reported. On November 10 a very destructive earthquake occurred in northern Peru (see Tables 1 and 2). The areas of greatest destruction were in the Andean departments of La Libertad and Ancachs. The mountainous country adjacent to and west of the Rio Marenon was especially affected. Preliminary estimates of the casualties were as high as 800 killed and 500 injured, with an untotaled number homeless as a result of the many structures destroyed. The following towns reported severe damage; Sihuas, Pomabama, Mollepata, Mollebama, Conehucos, Pampas, and Palta Bueno. The recorded magnitude at Pasadena was reported by B. Gutenberg as 7‐½. This earthquake was followed by a series of aftershocks. The Central Meteorological Observatory of Japan reported that a mild earthquake was felt in Tokyo on November 15 (probably local date). The Observatory placed the epicenter in northeastern Tokyo Bay and assigned a depth of foeutt of 80 km. In a press dispatch released on November 16 the station recalled that “disturbancee originating deep in Tokyo Bay preceded the great Tokyo earthquake of 1923 and warned ‘the latest tremblor bears watching.’” A shock reported as “violent” but nondestructive was felt in Lima, Peru, on November 19. No detailed information was available as of January 1, 1947. A slight tremor which rattled dishes and windows was felt in Massena, Now York, on November 24, W. A. Lynch writes that the vertical seismograph of the Fordham station recorded a slight tremor at 10h22m52s U.T. An earthquake was “felt strongly” at Eureka, California, on December 18. Light fixtures swayed and dishes rattled. B. Gutenberg reported the following readings from Pasadena: P! 14h22m25s; SI 14h24m00s U.T.