1975 Bougainville Earthquake Damage And Seismic Analysis

A 1975 magnitude 7.9 earthquake caused at least $300,000 in damage to Bougainville and the Shortland Islands, triggering a two-meter tsunami. The report details geological effects like landsliding and liquefaction, and analyzes fault mechanisms and aftershock patterns. It was published by the Australian Ocean Data Network.

Use Cases

• Analyze the correlation between earthquake magnitude (MS7.9) and estimated damage costs ($300,000 Australian).
• Study the relationship between fault-plane solution parameters (northeasterly direction, 37° dip) and the distribution of aftershocks over 12,500 square kilometers.
• Model tsunami impact based on the reported maximum amplitude of about two metres and the described coastal damage.
• Investigate geological hazards by cataloging reported effects like landsliding, liquefaction, subsidence, and road slumping.
• Identify seismic gaps by examining the described aseismic zone centered at 6°S, 154°E for future hazard prediction.

Strengths

• Report provides specific seismic metrics including magnitude (MS7.9), focal depth range (30-70 km), and aftershock area (12,500 sq km).
• Includes quantified damage estimates ($300,000 Australian) and physical tsunami measurements (2 meters).
• Offers detailed geological analysis of fault mechanisms and historical seismic context.

Limitations

• Data is contained in narrative PDF/HTML reports, not in a structured, machine-readable tabular format.
• The dataset scope is limited to a single historical event in 1975, with no ongoing time-series data.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network.

Collection Method

Scientific analysis and report based on the 1975 earthquake event.

Time Range

1975, with analysis of preceding 1974 events.

Freshness

The underlying event data is from 1975, though the record was last updated in 2026.

Geography

Northern Solomon Islands chain, specifically the Bougainville/Shortland Islands region and surrounding offshore area.