Recent Earthquakes in Bulgaria and Greece

Abstract

WITHIN the last year, destructive earthquakes have occurred in Palestine, the Crimea, Smyrna, and Asia Minor, and, so lately as Mar. 27, in north-eastern Italy. They have been followed, during the latter half of April, by a series of equally violent shocks in the south-east of Europe. Indeed, the close succession of earthquakes—and, since April 15, scarcely a day has passed without news of fresh shocks—has given rise to the impression that earthquakes have of late been more frequent than usual. There is nothing to support the impression beyond the clustering of shocks within a limited area. Assigning roughly the intensity according to Milne's scale for destructive shocks, it would seem that, in the first four months of this year, there have been one earthquake of intensity III (strong enough to destroy towns and devastate wide regions), perhaps two of intensity II (capable of shattering many buildings and overthrowing some), and two of intermediate strength. In each of ten years during the latter half of the nineteenth century there have, during the first four months, been from three to five earthquakes of intensity III, and in each of thirteen years from three to nine earthquakes of intensity II.