August 22, 1856 Earthquake: Northern, Algeria

Ref# 9227:

The earthquake of 22 August occurred in Djidjelli at 11:45 a.m. with underground rumbling and was felt stronger than the previous earthquake at Djidjelli, Philippeville and Bone. The hospital clock stopped during this second shock which was equally violent at Bougie, Constantine and Setif but less strong at Djebel El Ouahch near Constantine [...] The 22 August 1856 tremor caused the loss of eight lives and severely injured several among the population of Djidjelli; four people have been buried in the rubble.

Ref #2130:

Aug 22,1856, 11h40m, Sea of Alboran, Algeria, intensity IX. An earthquake occurred at the same place as the preceding one, but it was stronger. All houses of the citizens of Jijel collapsed, and several people (3 or 5) who remained in the town were killed. The firmer houses, constructed by the French army, survived, but suffered damage of varying degree. Two long fissures oriented along the shore and crossing the town were formed in the ground. The coast sank by 10-15 cm and collapsed into the water in some places. The area of heavy damage included mountain settlements far away from the shore. According to fragmentary data, the area of collapses included the districts of Ouled Abdallakh and Beni Ider. Even light huts were thrown onto the earth in Djebel Khaddida and Betaissa; rockfalls occurred in many places.

The shocks were also severe in the area to the south of Jijel. Fissures appeared in the edges of the valley of the Oued Missia. The area of destruction spread up to Bou Saada.

The liquefaction of soil was observed on the low-lying parts of the valley of Chekfa to the southeast of Jijel, in particular, within the region of Beni Ider and also occurred in the low land between the Oued Safsaf River and Djebel El Khalia where many mud volcanoes originated, that erupted water for many minutes after the earthquake.

Mosques, barracks and 49 houses of the 75 in Collo in the eastern direction were destroyed. Less serious damage was done to the district of Philippeville, where there were no victims. Almost all the houses in Stora, and in a lesser degree in Gastonville, underwent strong shocks; several recently constructed buildings in Robertville were seriously damaged. Some old houses cracked in Conde Smendou. The damage in Philippeville was not great and resulted in partial destruction of the top of the minaret and of the belltower, in a number of buildings cracking, in chimneys falling onto roofs and so on. Various effects were observed far away from the focal zone. Long-period low velocity oscillations lasted 30 s in Bougie; some slight damage was done to the houses built of adobe; water-saturated ground was displaced in some places. Several local buildings cracked in Setif. Tremors of lesser strength were observed in Batna (150 km south-southeast of Jijel). Fissures formed in several old houses of Constantine. Several old houses of adobe cracked badly in the low-lying regions of Bene, several stoves tumbled down, and the clock on the building of a hospital started ringing.

The earthquake was felt in Collo 240 km east of Jijel, but it was not noticed farther than Souk Ahras. It was felt 240km to the west, up to the town of Algiers.

The earthquake was felt in Cagliari on Sardinia Is., in Carloforte on S. Pietro Is. where the parish clock rang. It was weaker than the preceding one in Mahon, stronger in Nice, it was felt in Genoa, and, possibly in Geneva.

Aftershocks continued for a year. The earthquake generated tsunami waves.

Aug 21, 22, 1856, 21h, 12h, 37.1 N, 5.7 E, intensity IX and X (second shock) (ref #1099)

Aug 22, 1856, 11:50, 37 deg 6 min N, 5 deg 42 min E. (ref #1193)

Aug 22, 1856, 37 deg 1 min N, 5 deg 7 min E, intensity IX at Djidjelli, VIII at Bejaia (Candle); epicentre at sea, premonitory on August 21. (ref #1201)

Just before noon, at 11h 40m of the 22nd Aug (ref #4022)