Soldiers building structures during the aftermath of the Accra (magnitude 6.5) Earthquake, Accra, Ghana. 22nd June, 1939.
The most destructive earthquake that struck the then Gold Coast and caused a lot of damage and loss of life and property was the 22nd June 1939 earthquake. Seventeen people were killed and one hundred and thirty three injured. Its magnitude was 6.5 on the Richter scale.
For earthquakes prior to the modern era, the magnitude and epicentre location are only approximate, and were calculated based on available reports from the time. The magnitude where given is measured using the Richter scale.
Though Ghana is far away from the major earthquake zones of the world, it is however, prone to earthquake disaster.
Ghana has records of damaging earthquakes dating as far back as 1636. It occurred at about 2:00 p.m. on 18 December 1636 in the Axim district in southwestern Ghana near the border between Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Its surface magni- tude (Ms) was 5.7 and the maximum intensity was IX on the MSK scale (Ambraseys and Adams, 1986).
The last three major ones occurred in 1862, 1906 and 1939. The most destructive earthquake that struck the then Gold Coast and caused a lot of damage and loss of life and property was the 22nd June 1939 earthquake.