Damage by 1799 Kanazawa Earthquake in Relation to Fault Movement Akira SANGAWA Geological Survey of Japan (Received October 18, 1986) In the evening of June 29, 1799, a strong earthquake occurred in an area which is presently a part of the Kanazawa City. The damage and its location are thoroughly described in old documents. The Kanazawa Castle was severely damaged. Stone wall collapsed and warped in many places. Small vertical displacement occured on the ground in front of the Ishikawa Gate. In the city, Ohtesaki, Ohmi-cho, Hikoso-machi, Misogura-cho, Kotatsuno, Utatsu-cho and Ohhi-machi were severely damaged. In these areas, the intensity of the shock is inferred to be of the order of VI-VII. Many stone lanterns jumped up nearly 2m, showing that main shock was vertical in these areas. The locations of severe damage were situated along the Morimoto Fault, trending NE-SW in the north to central part of the city. Especially, the damage was serious on the southwestern end of the fault. The earthquake is believed to be caused by the Morimoto Fault with the epicenter located at the southwestern end of the fault.
Fig. 1. Restored map of the study area and its environs, eliminating valleys less than 500 m across. Squares show the area where following maps are available.
Fig. 2. Map showing distribution of terraces and active faults in the study area. 1: Kasamai lower surface. 2: Kasamai higher surface. 3: Izumino surface. 4: Kotatsuno surface. 5: Noda lower surface. 6: Noda higher surface. 7: Kanazawa Castle. 8: Active fault.
Fig. 3. Map showing damage in and around the Kanazawa Castle by the earthquake of 1799. 1: Moat and springs. 2: Stone wall and buildings which were collapsed and warped. 3: Crack. 4: Displacement. Numbers show the places which are described in the text.
Fig. 4. Map showing the area of severly damaged (intensity of VI-VII of EMA scale). l: Lower terraces. 2: Higher terraces. 3: Hills. 4: Area of severly damaged. 5: Active fault. Alphabets in the map show the area described in the text.
Fig. 5. Map showing the distribution of active faults and the area of Beverly damaged. 1: Dune. 2: Lagoon. 3: Hills and terraces. 4: Area of Beverly damaged. 5: Shrine of Kurotsufune. 6: Nodayama Graveyard. 7. Quick sand.
KING, G. and NABELEK, J., 1985, Role of Fault Bends in the Initiation and Termination of Eartha uake Runture, Science, 228, 984-987.