The Inverness Earthquake of September 18

Abstract

THE earthquakes of the Inverness district rank among the strongest ever felt in this country, but we must go back nearly a century to find one that surpassed the recent shock in intensity and extent of disturbed area. That of August 13, 1816, of which Sir T. Dick Lauder's brief but graphic account is the chief memorial left to us,¹ damaged several buildings in Inverness, and was felt over the whole of Scotland. After this, no shock of much consequence occurred until that of February 2, 1888, which was felt so far as Edinburgh and Glasgow and was perceptible over a district the area of which is estimated at about 15,000 square miles.² The earthquake of November 15, 1890, was slighter still; buildings were practically uninjured by it, and its disturbed area did not exceed 7500 square miles.³ In all three cases the epicentre lay close to Inverness and not far from the northern boundary fault of the Highland district, and it is, therefore, natural that movements along this fault or system of faults should be held responsible for the origin of the earthquakes.