The 1909 Provence earthquake occurred on June 11 in Provence. Measuring 6.2 on the surface-wave magnitude scale, it is the largest ever recorded earthquake in metropolitan France.Dominique Chardon and Olivier Bellier, "Geological boundary conditions of the 1909 Lambesc (Provence, France) earthquake : structure and evolution of the Trévaresse ridge anticline" , Bulletin de la Société Géologique de France, 2003, t. 174, no. 5, pp. 497–510
Description A total of 46 people died, another 250 were injured, and approximately 2,000 buildings were damaged.
The most damaged communes were Salon-de-Provence, Vernègues, Lambesc, Saint-Cannat and Rognes.
Fourteen people died in Rognes,Webpage about the earthquake in Rognes which was half destroyed, especially the houses on the flanks of the hill Le Foussa. People were relocated under tents on another hill (Le Devin) and near the primary school. The main shock occurred at 9:15pm. If the earthquake had happened an hour later, more people would have been in bed, and more casualties would have been recorded."The Provence Earthquake of 11th June 1909 (France): A New Assessment of Near Field Effects", from Seismic Hazard in Mediterranean Regions: Proceedings of the Summer School Organized in Strasbourg, France July 15 – August 1, 1986 (Springer, 1988), p. 383
The Vernègues castle and most of the houses in Vernègues were destroyed. Two people died in the village, which was later rebuilt at a lower altitude.
See also List of earthquakes in 1909 List of earthquakes in France 1909 Benavente earthquake
References
Further reading
External links Website about the earthquake Webpage about the earthquake Pictures of the aftermath of the earthquake in Saint-Cannat