On December 22, 1983, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck northern Guinea, killing around 300 people, and injuring 1,500. Around 200 people went missing. An earthquake of this magnitude was unusual for this region of West Africa, which was previously believed by most seismologists to be aseismic.[1] The earthquake destroyed 5,000 houses. It had an intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale,[1] although USGS reported it as VIII (Severe).[2] The earthquake caused cracks in the ground, and an entire cavern to collapse.[1]
The New York Times, citing the national radio, reported that at least 16 settlements were razed. Several towns including Labe, Gaoual, Mamou and Kindia suffered heavy damage.[4] In Gaoual, at least 143 people were killed. The earthquake also left several thousand people homeless.[5]
^ abcLanger, C. J.; Bollinger, G. A. (1992). "The December 22, 1983, earthquake in Guinea, West Africa". Natural Hazards in West and Central Africa. International Monograph Series. Vieweg+Teubner Verlag, Wiesbaden. pp. 31–36. doi:10.1007/978-3-663-05239-5_4. ISBN9783663052418.
^"M 6.3 – Guinea". United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2018-01-12.
Langer, C. J.; Bonilla, M. G.; Bollinger, G. A. (1987). "Aftershocks and surface faulting associated with the intraplate Guinea, West Africa, earthquake of 22 December 1983". Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 77 (5): 1579–1601. Bibcode:1987BuSSA..77.1579L. doi:10.1785/bssa0770051579. ISSN1943-3573.
