The 1947 Assam earthquake was a seismic event that occurred in the Indian state of Assam in the year 1947. It is listed in historical earthquake catalogs, including the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) and the International Seismological Centre (ISC), as a moderate‑to‑strong, shallow-focus earthquake.
Date and time
The precise date and time of the earthquake are not consistently recorded across sources. Most catalog entries cite only the year 1947, and the exact calendar date remains uncertain.
Magnitude and depth
Available catalog data assign the event a moment magnitude (M_w) in the range of 7.0 – 7.2, though some listings provide a surface‑wave magnitude (M_s) of approximately 7.0. Reported focal depths vary between 10 km and 20 km, indicating a shallow rupture.
Tectonic setting
Assam lies near the eastern Himalayan syntaxis, where the Indian Plate is colliding with the Eurasian Plate. This region experiences frequent intraplate and thrust faulting, which generates moderate to large earthquakes. The 1947 event is thought to have been associated with this ongoing plate‑boundary deformation, although the specific fault responsible has not been conclusively identified.
Impact
Documentation of the earthquake’s effects on the local population and infrastructure is limited. Contemporary newspaper reports and governmental records from the period provide scant detail, and there is no widely accepted estimate of casualties, injuries, or economic loss. Consequently, the overall impact of the 1947 Assam earthquake on the affected communities remains poorly quantified.
Scientific significance
The event is referenced in academic studies of Himalayan seismicity as part of the historical record used to assess recurrence intervals of large earthquakes in the region. Its inclusion helps to refine probabilistic seismic hazard models for northeast India, despite the paucity of detailed instrumental data.
References
- National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) – Significant Earthquake Database.
- International Seismological Centre (ISC) – Bulletin of Earthquake Catalogs.
- Regional studies on Himalayan tectonics and seismicity (various peer‑reviewed articles).
Note: While the existence of a 1947 earthquake in Assam is documented in reputable seismic catalogs, many specifics—including the exact date, time, depth, and human impact—are insufficiently recorded in publicly available sources.