January 11, 1962 Earthquake: Croatia, Balkans NW

The Makarska earthquake is one of the most important seismic sequences in Croatia in the last 50 years. The main shock occurred between the main land and the islands of Hvar and Brac, at a depth between 5 and 20 km. The earthquake caused a vertical sea-bottom displacement of 15 cm and a sea-floor deformation on the order of 10 km (Herak et al. 2001). Several newspapers reported that the earthquake was also felt at sea. At 7:15 am the ship Vladimir Nazor which runs regularly between Ploce and Split, sailed into the Makarska port. At the time of the earthquake the boat was somewhat more than one (nautical) mile away from the coast, in the direction of Igrane. All the crew has declared that they felt a bump, as if the boat had stranded in full speed against an underwater ridge. All those that were sleeping at the time in their cabins or in the parlour, were awaken by the strength of the shock. According to the first engine-man Josip Bergam, at the time of the earthquake the steam ship (Budva) was just coming into the port of Igrane. They were about 100 m away from the quay. They felt a strong shock, which was twice as strong as the one they felt at sea on Sunday.-I was in the engine-room, Josip Bergam told us-and the first thing of what I thought was that we had run in full speed into underwater cliffs and that the ship is mounting onto the coast' (Vjesnik 1962). In another report we read ‘The earthquake was also felt at sea, so cap. Juraj Boric´, the captain of m/b Gusar, helmsman Josip Vela and the sailors, were thrown out of their beds while the ship was at the quay in Podgora. On board ship Takovo, which was at the time at sea between Sumartin and Split, 150 passengers felt a strong shock and the sea became disturbed. Also the passengers, who happened to be yesterday morning on board ship Vuk Karadžic´, felt the shock from the earthquake, while the ship was passing through the strait of Splitska Vrata' (Slobodna Dalmacija 1962, of 12/01). Strong shaking was also felt in the island of Brac: The sea also trembled like water in a saucepan. The sailors from the ship Takovo, which was at the time of the earthquake in the port of Sumartin on the island of Brač, say that the earthquake was also felt at sea-they call it maremoto-the sea was trembling like water in a saucepan, they say' (Slobodna Dalmacija 1962, of 14/01).

(above reference #11164)

It began on 7 January 1962 with a foreshock of ML 5.9. The mainshock occurred four days later, on 11 January at 05:05. It had a magnitude ML 6.1, and the largest estimated intensity was VIII. The greatest damage was observed in villages and towns on and beneath the Biokovo Mt. in the Makarska municipality, on the central Adriatic islands (Hvar, Brac, Korcula, Lastovo) and on the Peljesac peninsula. The whole epicentral area was evacuated after the mainshock. The contemporary reports (e.g., Bozicevic, 1962) state that 2290 houses were left destroyed to the level of being unsuitable for living in, 78 schools and other public buildings were damaged, as well as 6 km of roads. Over 100 earthquakes were felt in the shaken area in the first week alone. (reference #2862)

The two largest events of 7 January and 11 January had magnitudes of M = 5.9 and M = 6.1, and were felt with intensities of 8 and 8-9 MCS, respectively. The earthquakes caused large damage in the Biokovo area, and practically define the earthquake hazard there. (reference #11686)

Note: Damages from the earthquake on 07 January 1962, in the same region, are combined with this listing.