TWO CALCUTTA EARTHQUAKES OF 1906

C.S. Middlemiss (1908); Records of the Geological Survey of India Vol. XXXVI, page
214-232

[Selected transcript]

During the latter part of the year 1906, Calcutta and the neighbouring parts of Gangetic
delta experienced two smart shocks, one on 29th September and the other on 6th
December, of which the former was more noticeable. Unlike the great earthquake of
1897 and others which have periodically been felt at Calcutta, but which originated away
in the hilly areas to the northeast, these two shocks were much more local and must have
had their origins either within the delta or under it. Although doing comparatively little
damage (the latter especially), their significance lies in the conclusion that either the delta
itself, or the substructure of hard strata underlying it, is still capable of generating
occasional earthquakes, and cannot be regarded as having attained that degree of stability
and immunity from shocks so desirable in the neighborhoods of an important center such
as Calcutta. Earthquakes having a local origin of this kind, though they have not been
experienced during recent years, were more common between 1845 and 1869, when 14
were recorded.

The shock (29th September) was registered on the Milne seismograph at the Alipore
Observatory, Calcutta. The trace is described as beginning and attaining its maximum at
the same moment, namely 5 hours 8.7 minutes GMT which is 11 hours 2 minutes 3
seconds Calcutta time. Its duration is given as 12 seconds, but its amplitude can only be
known to have been relatively very great, inasmuch as the boom moved through the
whole breadth of the trace.

The outer limits of the felt shock coincided roughly with the outer dotted line on the map.
It includes the districts of Calcutta, the 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hugli, Bardwan, Nadia,
Jessore, Khulna, Faridpur, Pabna, Rajshahi, Murshidabad and Birbhum; and parts of
Midnapur, Bankura and Tippera districts. The land area of the felt shock is roughly about
50,000 square miles.

Intensities Definition applicable to India

II-III Rossi-Forel Felt by a few sensitive people lying down, or favourably
situated.

IV-V Generally noticed, no damage.

VI-VII Universally felt. Disturbance of furniture and loose objects. No

damage to buildings except in rare instances to brick- built
structures.
The higher intensities of VIII, IX and X were not experienced in the present earthquake.

Calcutta and 24 Parganas

St Xavier’s College 12 Park Street

Time about 11-2 AM. There were distinct preliminary tremulous vibrations, as if a heavy
wagon was passing below the room, followed by a smart shock with ominous creaking of
the furniture of the room; and after an interval of 6-7 seconds by another similar shock,
less sudden but quite as smart. Direction N by E (the direction of the building), observed
by water in basin in slab of marble. Then followed a third oscillation weaker than the
other two shocks. The water gradually oscillated at right angles to its previous direction.
A heavy arm chair in which observer was sitting was shaken, and the furniture creaked.

Indian Museum: Industrial Section

The earthquake appeared to run along the length of the building, judging from the
position in which the bottles [wine, tea, syrup, chutney] fell from their stands in the
showcase. Two slight cracks in the north wall of the Art Gallery, both over the eastern
half of the windows whence they severally start. There are also two cracks on each side
of King Thebaw’s throne in half-brick walls recently erected.

Other Reports

Two pillars of south verandah, 1st floor, immediately adjoining the tower of High Court
building, have cracked badly. The piers having been reported to be unsafe. Old cracks
mainly to arches in Writers Buildings, Lord Bishop’s Palace, Veterinary College,
Belgatchia, re-opened in several places but none of them serious; Minor damages in the
form of cracks in walls are reported from many buildings like Presidency General
Hospital, Alipur Central Jail, St. James Church, Judges Court, Military Orphan School
Kidderpore, Mominpore Morgue etc. Hair cracks appeared in almost all the verandah
segmental arches; Ballygunge Out-Post; Civil Engineering College, Sibpur;

Summing up the evidence for Calcutta and 24 Parganas we may estimate the intensity as
VI-VII, being nearer VII than VI. The time was about 11 hours 2 minutes AM. There
appears to have been tremulous vibrations both before and afyer, with two main shocks
between at intervals of about 7 seconds.

Midnapur District: The intensity at Ghatal appears to have been as much as IV-V, but
outside this area it must have dwindled down to at least II-III.
Howrah District: Intensity of IV to V may be inferred.
Hugli District: While ten observers describe the shock as ‘distinctly felt’, other four
describe as ‘slightly’. A general estimate of intensity for this part (Chinsurah, Mirbir,
Ghutiabazar) of the district is VI to VII.
Bardwan District: IV-V.
Nadia District: VI-VII in the south while IV-V in the more northern part.
Jessore District: The dividing line between intensity VI-VII and IV-V somewhere
between Bangaon and Jessore.
Birbhum District: Intensity IV-V
Tippera District: Intensity II-III

Earthquake of 6th December 1906

It took place about 6-8 PM. It was a sharp shock, felt by nearly everyone indoors at that
time. The upper storey of large buildings swayed. People prepared to rush out of doors.
Some asleep at that time were awakened. There were cracks produced in the plaster of
many houses in Calcutta. In terms of R-F scale the intensity was about equal to V or VI.
The earthquake was registered on the Milne seismograph at Alipore, Calcutta, the time
given being 12 hours 14.8 minutes GMT which is equivalent to 18 hours 8 minutes 9
seconds Calcutta time. Duration 36 seconds; Maximum displacement on the trace
measured from the base line 6mm. A thickening of the trace was also recorded on the
same instrument 5 minutes 30 seconds before.