July 26, 1963 Earthquake: Skopje, Macedonia, Balkans NW, North Macedonia

July 26, 1963, 04:17:12.5 UTC, Southern Yugoslavia, 42.1 N, 21.3 E. Approximately 1,028 killed, 4,038 injured. Skopje almost destroyed. Depth about 5 km, magnitude 5.75-6 MS. (reference #45)

July 26, 1963, 04:17:16.7 UTC, 42.1 N, 21.5 E, shallow depth, magnitude 6.0 MS. The Skopje earthquake will rank among the most destructive: 1,070 dead, 3,300 injured of whom 1,200 seriously, material damage amounting to 374 thousand million dinars ($500 million), i.e., 82.5% of the total wealth of the town, not counting the complete destruction of many monuments

of historic or artistic value (press reports). (reference #1040)

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake took place in the early morning hours of July 26, 1963, with an epicenter near Skopje, capital of Macedonia in Yugoslavia. The earthquake was characterized by an extremely high destructiveness to

poorly designed but recently built office buildings, hotels, and apartment houses in the center of the city. Over 1,000 persons were killed, and 80% of the city of 200,000 were left homeless. This unduly high degree of damage can be attributed to the complete disregard of aseismic design criteria, which led to the collapse of many multistory brick bearing-wall structures, intensity of VIII (Modified Mercalli 1931) was the highest noted; the seismic ground effects common to intensities higher than VIII were absent. Skopje is located on the flood plain of the Vardar River, within the highly active Vardar Tectonic Zone, which has a we11 documented history of destructive earthquakes. Since soil conditions of the terraces of the Vardar River are superior to those of the flood plain, the amount of damage to structures on the terraces was limited. The damage was mostly confined to the relatively small area of the lowest level of the flood plain. (reference #1224)

On 26 July 1963 a relatively small earthquake occurred beneath Skopje, Yugoslavia, a city of 200,000 inhabitants. 80% of the buildings in the city were destroyed or severely damaged, and 1,100 people were killed. The total cost of reconstruction has been estimated at $200 million,

the total economic loss inflicted on the region at $1,000 million. (reference #3689)

The intensity of the Skopje earthquake in the

heart of the city has been rated differently by

different observers. Many reports indicate the maximum maximum intensity to be IX or X (MCS). We appraise

the intensity at VIII (MM). The number of fatalities was

in the neighborhood of 1,200. 10% of the buildings collapsed, and an additional 65% of the buildings were damaged beyond economical repair. (reference #3750)

July 26, 1963, Yugoslavia: Skopje, magnitude 6.0, 1,100 killed. Like Agadir 1960, this shock occurred at shallow depth right under a city; 80% of the buildings in Skopje destroyed; 295 aftershocks felt up to August 15,

1963. Skopje had earlier been destroyed by earthquakes

in 518 and 1555. (reference #1003)

July 26, 1963, Skopje, Yugoslavia, magnitude 5.8 MS, 1,200 dead. (reference #1002)

July 26, 1963, Yugoslavia, 1070 killed, $600 million damage. (reference #1231)

6-27-1963 [7-26-1963], Skopje, 1,070 killed, $600 million damage. (reference #1051)

July 26, 1963, Yugoslavia, 1,100 killed, $600 million damage. (reference #1250)