1918 Shantou earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1918 Shantou earthquake is an earthquake that occurred in Shantou
, Guangdong province, China
. It also caused some damages in Hong Kong
.
. It was estimated to reach intensity VII on the Modified Mercalli Scale
. As the Royal Observatory, Hong Kong
did not start operating long-period seismographs until 1921 to detect distant earthquakes. According to Hong Kong Telegraph the quake threw the whole Central District into a state of panic. The shock lasted about half a minute and was felt all over Hong Kong Island
and Kowloon
.
Shantou
Shantou , historically known as Swatow or Suátao, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guangdong province, People's Republic of China, with a total population of 5,391,028 as of 2010 and an administrative area of...
, Guangdong province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It also caused some damages in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Shantou
The quake had a magnitude of 7.3 and was centred near Shantou, about 300 km northeast of the territory of Hong Kong. The quake caused minor damages and cracks to buildings in the territory.Hong Kong
It is also the only earthquake to have caused any damages to Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It was estimated to reach intensity VII on the Modified Mercalli Scale
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
. As the Royal Observatory, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Observatory
Hong Kong Observatory is a department of the Hong Kong government. The Observatory forecasts weather and issues warnings on weather-related hazards...
did not start operating long-period seismographs until 1921 to detect distant earthquakes. According to Hong Kong Telegraph the quake threw the whole Central District into a state of panic. The shock lasted about half a minute and was felt all over Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
and Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
.