J Seismol (2015) 19:469–490 DOI 10.1007/s10950-015-9477-0

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Earthquakes in Tuhinj Valley () In 1840

Ina Cecić

Received: 27 November 2013 /Accepted: 12 January 2015 /Published online: 26 January 2015 # Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Abstract A less known damaging earthquake in Soča Valley in NW Slovenia, Ljubljana in the centre southern part of - Alps, Slovenia, and Krško-Brežiška Valley in the east are known for in 1840 is described. The main shock was on 27 strong earthquakes. In comparison to that, Tuhinj August 1840 with the epicentre in Tuhinj Valley. Valley is rarely mentioned as epicentral region for The maximum intensity was VII EMS-98 in earthquakes with maximum intensity larger than V Ljubljana, Slovenia, and in Eisenkappel, Austria. EMS-98. The latest one happened on 3 December It was felt as far as Venice, Italy, 200 km away. 2012 (Imax V EMS-98, local magnitude 3.8); it was The macroseismic magnitude of the main shock, felt by inhabitants all over Slovenia and was de- estimated from the area of intensity VI EMS-98, scribed in Slovenian journals (Čarman et al. 2013; was 5.0. The effects of the main shock and its Godec et al. 2013). This paper will describe a quite aftershocks are described, and an earthquake cata- unknown event on 27 August 1840 with the epicentre logue for Slovenia in 1840 is provided. Available near . It had caused some moderate primary sources (newspaper articles) are presented. damage and a lot of fright.

Keywords Historical earthquakes . 1840 . Slovenia . 2 Seismotectonic characteristics of Northern Tuhinj Valley . Intensities . Macroseismology Slovenia

The epicentral area of the 1840 earthquakes is situ- 1 Introduction ated in Kamnik-Savinja Alps, which are, together with Southern Karavanke, Julian Alps and the area For a number of years, the efforts are being made in of the central Slovenia, parts of the seismogenic area Seismology and Geology Office (Urad za Southern Alps (Fig. 1). The Southern Alps are seizmologijo and geologijo, ARSO) to make our characterised by regional thrusts from the north to knowledge about historical earthquakes in Slovenia the south, among which the thrusts of the Julian and more complete. Especially interesting are the events Kamnik-Savinja Alps are the most prominent. that have caused damage. Some strong events, e.g., There are plenty of regional faults (NW-SE 1895 Ljubljana earthquake or 1511 Idrija one, are orientation) in the area. The seismicity of the zone well known due to the media exposure. Some parts is moderate and rather shallow, as most earth- of Slovenia are known seismogenic areas: Upper quakes happen in the upper 15 km. (Poljak et al. 2000). It is difficult to say which local fault was con- ć * I. Ceci ( ) nected to the 1840 earthquakes. However, focal Agencija RS za okolje, Urad za seizmologijo in geologijo, Vojkova 1 b, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia mechanism of the main shock of the 2012 se- e-mail: [email protected] quence (3 December 2012, ML 3.8) shows almost