Zagreb (Agram) Earthquake, Croatia, 1880

Abstract

In most of Slovenia, as well as in northern Croatia, earthquakes are not rare. This is the region where the collision zone between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates bends sharply. Also the proximity of the Peripienine lineament, crossing Central Europe from Cracow in Poland over Vienna up to the Udine town in Friuli (NW Italy), contributes to the increased seismic activity in the region. A strong earthquake occurred there in 1976 with the epicenter near Udine.

The city of Zagreb was destroyed by earthquake several times in history, for example, in 1830, and then twice in September and October 1838. Other strong earthquakes were felt between Zagreb and Ljubljana in 1871 and 1878. However, the event of November 9, 1880, of the magnitude M ≈ 6.3 and estimated intensity of I_o ≈ VIII–IX on the EMS scale, was the most famous. More than 500 houses, large buildings, churches, and castles were seriously damaged. The earthquake struck in the region of more than 25 km in diameter; the main shock was followed by a number of destructive aftershocks on February 26, March 24, and finally on October 23, 1881. Figure 104 presents a street scene in Zagreb during the 1880 earthquake; seismic damage to the walls of the tower Bei Steinthor (At Stony Gate) was expressed very realistically.