1924 Java earthquake
  Location within Indonesia | |
| UTC time |
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|---|---|
| ISC event | |
| USGS-ANSS | |
| Local date |
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| Local time |
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| Magnitude | |
| Depth |
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| Epicenter | near Wonosobo, Central Java, Dutch East Indies[1] 7°22′S 109°54′E / 7.36°S 109.90°E |
| Type | tectonic |
| Areas affected | Central Java and Yogyakarta |
| Landslides | Yes |
| Casualties | At least 842 deaths; estimates above 1,000[1][2] |
The 1924 Java earthquake, also known as the 1924 Wonosobo earthquake sequence, was a destructive earthquake sequence that struck Central Java, Dutch East Indies, in November and December 1924. The two principal shocks occurred near Wonosobo on November 12 and December 2. According to various sources, between 842 and over 1,000 people died in the tragedy.[1][2] The disaster devastated Wonosobo and nearby highland settlements. Many deaths were caused by landslides and the collapse of houses, and the blocked Serayu River caused flooding.[1]
Tectonic setting
[edit]
Java lies above the Sunda megathrust, where the Australian Plate is subducted beneath the Sunda Plate. The Wonosobo sequence was an inland event in the volcanic highlands of Central Java rather than an offshore megathrust earthquake. It is a shallow tectonic sequence caused by a local fault that has not been securely identified.[1] Historical earthquake studies in Indonesia rely heavily on colonial-period written observations. The Gempa Nusantara database compiled 7,380 macroseismic observations for 1,200 Indonesian earthquakes between 1546 and 1950, assigning intensities with the European macroseismic scale.[3]
Earthquake sequence
[edit]The sequence began around November 9 and intensified before the first main shock on November 12.[1] The strongest modeled shocks were about M 5.8 and M 5.5, both shallow events near Wonosobo.[1] Shaking was felt across much of Central Java and in Yogyakarta.[1]
Impact
[edit]The first main shock killed about 727 people, and the second killed about 115 more.[1] Landslides swept through slopes and settlements, destroying homes and fields. About 2,250 houses were destroyed.[1] Relief work involved the colonial administration, local communities and civic organizations.[2] [4]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Prasetya, Tiar; Daryono (2025). Katalog Gempabumi Merusak Indonesia Tahun 1821–2025 [Catalogue of Damaging Earthquakes in Indonesia, 1821–2025] (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Pusat Gempabumi dan Tsunami, Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Abidin, Dadang Mashur (2023). Sejarah Gempa Bumi Wonosobo 1924 [History of the 1924 Wonosobo earthquake] (Undergraduate thesis thesis) (in Indonesian). Universitas Gadjah Mada. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- ↑ Martin, Stacey S.; Cummins, Phil R.; Meltzner, Aron J. (2022). "Gempa Nusantara: A database of 7380 macroseismic observations for 1200 historical earthquakes in Indonesia from 1546 to 1950". Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. 112 (6): 2958–2980. doi:10.1785/0120220047.
- ↑ "Menelusuri Sejarah Kelam Gempa Bumi di Wonosobo Tahun 1924". Suara Merdeka (in Indonesian). December 12, 2017. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
Further reading
[edit]- "Katalog Gempa Bumi Merusak dan Tsunami" (in Indonesian). Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- "Gempa Wonosobo 1924". Katalog Sejarah Gempabumi Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- "Gempa Wonosobo 1924 (Mainshock 2)". Katalog Sejarah Gempabumi Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved July 2, 2026.
- "NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database, 2150 BC to Present". NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Retrieved July 2, 2026.
External links
[edit]- BMKG catalogue of damaging earthquakes and tsunamis
- Earth Observatory of Singapore: Gempa Nusantara
- Universitas Gadjah Mada record for Sejarah Gempa Bumi Wonosobo 1924
