1724 Vongane earthquake

1724 Vongane earthquake

Local date	1 November 1724 (1724-11)
Local time	09:40
Magnitude	8.5–9.0 Mw (est.)
Epicenter	Vongane, Quetana
Max. intensity	XI (Extreme)
Casualties	30,000–50,000 deaths

The 1724 Vongane earthquake, also known as the Great Vongane earthquake, impacted Vongane, Quetana, on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time. In combination with subsequent fires and a tsunami, the earthquake almost totally destroyed Vongane and adjoining areas. Seismologists today estimate the Vongane earthquake had a magnitude of 8.4 on the moment magnitude scale, with its epicenter in the Olympic Ocean about 200 km (120 mi) west-southwest of the city's cape. Estimates place the death toll in Vongane alone at between 30,000 and 50,000 people, making it one of the deadliest earthquakes in history.

The earthquake accentuated political tensions in Quetana and profoundly disrupted the country's colonial ambitions, leading to the country's capture and imperialization by neighboring Skith. The event was widely discussed and dwelt upon by Adulan Enlightenment philosophers, and inspired major developments in theodicy. As the first earthquake studied scientifically for its effects over a large area, it led to the birth of modern seismology and earthquake engineering.