38 COGGIN BROWN : THE BURMA EARTHQUAKES OF MAY 1912. 



duration was 53 seconds. The earth waves appear to travel N. S. 



No damage was reported from any part of the State although 

 there are various pagodas built on hills. All people who felt 

 the shock complained of giddiness while it lasted. Lack of 

 detailed information may doubtless have led to the report that no 

 damage had been done 



Southern Shan States. 



Captain II. S. Motion, I.M.S., Civil Surgeon.— Taunggyi is situ- 

 Taunggyi. a1, ' <l (,u a 1<,(l - r among limestone hills which 



have a steep scarp facing W. and a gentle dip 

 slope towards the E. Earthquakes are distinctly uncommon in the 

 Southern Shan States and the last severe one happened in 1874 ; 

 its effects were widespread in the States. Tremors are said to occur 

 annually in various parts of Burma duiing the month of May. He 

 gives an important list of fore and aftershocks which will 'be re- 

 produced in a lat<M' paragraph. 



The severe shock of the 23rd May occurred at 9 a.m. as nearly 

 as can be determined. It lasted (»■! seconds and was followed 

 during the day by 4 small shocks, while 17 well-marked tremors 

 were recorded during the night following the same day. 



In Taunggyi not a single permanent building escaped "undamaged. 

 The direction was from N.— S, as evidenced bv the oscillation" of 

 chimneys, the direction taken by bottles and ornaments which fell 

 from shelves, and the severe damage to the N. walls of buildings, 

 especially when the direction of the wall was due E.—W. Damage' 

 was occasioned by the tendency of the roofs of buildings to slide 

 independently of their supports, by the oscillation of chimneys, and 

 by the abundant fall of brick and plaster from the upper parts 

 of buildings. No appreciable damage occurred until the 23rd May, but 

 it was in some places accentuated by the repeated small shocks 

 which took place later. The general effect of the shock was felt 

 universally throughout the district, but with the exception of 

 Taunggyi no damage to permanent buildings was caused, in the 

 Uwnghwe valley winch lies at the foot of the Taunggyi hill 

 damage was done to the rest-house at Sinhe, and to the" pa-odas 

 near Yawnghwe. 



Mr. A. It J. Hope. Executive Engineer, Taunggyi Division — 

 Gives a list of fore-shocks bu1 states that practicallv all the damage 

 was caused by the shock which occurred at 9 a.m. on the morning 



