Anomalous attenuation of seismic waves in the Ionian Islands, Greece

The Ionian islands (Figure 1) are one of the most seismically active parts of the planet. The islands' seismic record for the last 500 years is detailed, with data available on the damage toll, style of constructions, etc. This rich historical seismicity record and information from recent earthquakes permits study of a paradox in the distribution of seismic intensities. Many of the large (Ms≥6.0) earthquakes destroyed wide areas but caused minor damage a few kilometers away (intensities VI‐IV, or less).