Local date | 14 May 1269 |
---|---|
Local time | First hour of the night |
Magnitude | Mw 7.22±0.46 [1] |
Epicenter | 36°56′10″N36°15′54″E / 36.936°N 36.265°E [1] |
Areas affected | Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Ilkhanate, Principality of Antioch (Modern Turkey, Northwest Syria) |
Max. intensity | MMI VIII (Severe) |
Casualties | 8,000 [2] or over 60,000 dead (est.) [3] |
An earthquake occurred northeast of the city of Adana in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (modern day Turkey) on 14 May 1269 at "the first hour of the night". [2] Most sources give a death toll of 8,000 in the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in southern Asia Minor, [2] but a figure of 60,000 dead was reported by Robert Mallet in 1853 and repeated in many later catalogues. [4] [5] [6]
The area occupied by the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia lies close to the boundaries between three tectonic plates, the Arabian Plate, the African Plate and the Anatolian Plate. The movement between these plates is taken up by large fault zones, particularly the Dead Sea Transform and the East Anatolian Fault. At its southwestern end, the East Anatolian Fault (EAF) splits into two main branches, both of which link through to the Cyprus Arc. The northern branch of the EAF itself branches into several segments, some of which, such as the Toprakkale Fault and Düziçi–İskenderun Fault Zone, cross the Çukurova Plain, close to the foot of the Nur Mountains. [7]
The Kandilli Observatory estimated the moment magnitude (Mw ) at 7.22 ± 0.46. They placed the epicenter about 10 km south of Osmaniye. [1] In the CFTI5MED Catalogue of strong earthquakes in Italy and in the Mediterranean area, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) give a similar location for the epicenter but give a lower estimate for the magnitude of 6.4 Me (a magnitude derived from seismic intensity, intended to be equivalent to Mw ). [2]
Several contemporary sources report that the fortress of Sarvandikar was destroyed, killing those inside. Several castles were also ruined, including those at Delnk'ar, Hamus, Harunye and Hagar Suglan. [2] The monastery of Ark'akalin (thought to be located near Sis [8] ) was severely damaged, leading to the deaths of priests and monks. Many villages were destroyed across Cilicia, particularly those at the foot of the Nur Mountains. About 8,000 people were said to have died. [2]
An earthquake struck Turkey's eastern Erzincan Province at 1:57:23 a.m. on 27 December 1939 local time with a moment magnitude of 7.8Mw and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XII (Extreme). It is the joint second most-powerful earthquake recorded in Turkey, tied with the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. Only the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake was more powerful. This was one of the largest in a sequence of violent shocks to affect Turkey along the North Anatolian Fault between 1939 and 1999. Surface rupturing, with a horizontal displacement of up to 3.7 meters, occurred in a 360 km long segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. The earthquake was the most severe natural loss of life in Turkey in the 20th century, with 32,968 dead, and some 100,000 injured.
This list of 20th-century earthquakes is a list of earthquakes of magnitude 6 and above that occurred in the 20th century. Sone smaller events which nevertheless had a significant impact are also included. After 1900 most earthquakes have some degree of instrumental records and this means that the locations and magnitudes are more reliable than for earlier events.
The 1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake occurred on November 22 at 06:15 local time and registered 7.3 on the Mw scale. The epicenter was located in the central segment of the Gulf of Aqaba, the narrow body of water that separates Egypt's Sinai Peninsula from the western border of Saudi Arabia. At least 8 people were killed and 30 were injured in the meizoseismal area.
The 1943 Tosya–Ladik earthquake occurred at 01:20 local time on 27 November, near Tosya, Kastamonu Province, in northern Turkey. The earthquake had an estimated moment magnitude of 7.5–7.7 and a maximum felt intensity of XI (Catastrophic) on the MSK-64 scale. Its effects were observed for over 45,000 km2. The earthquake was felt in Trabzon, Isparta, Elazığ, Zonguldak and Yozgat. Damage was seen in Kastamonu, Çankırı, Çorum, Amasya, Samsun, Tokat, Sinop and Ordu. As a result of the earthquake, more than 2,500 were killed and 5,000 were injured.
The 1949 Karlıova earthquake occurred at 18:44 UTC on 17 August with an epicenter near Karlıova in Bingöl Province, Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. It had an estimated magnitude of 6.7, a maximum felt intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale, and caused 320–450 casualties and destroyed 3,500 buildings.
The 1971 Bingöl earthquake was a Mw6.6–6.7 earthquake that occurred at 18:44:02 local time on 22 May. It had a surface-wave magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum intensity of IX (Violent) on the Mercalli intensity scale, killing 755–1,000 people. Bingöl was largely destroyed, as well as many houses in the nearby Bingöl plain. Surface displacement of 38 km (24 mi) and various other surficial effects were directly caused by the earthquake.
The 1912 Mürefte earthquake occurred at 03:29 local time on 9 August. It had an estimated magnitude of 7.4 Mw and a maximum intensity of X (Extreme) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale, causing from 216–3000 casualties.
The 1881 Chios earthquake occurred at 13:40 local time on 3 April. It caused severe damage on the island of Chios and also affected Çeşme and Alaçatı on the coast of Turkey. The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.3 and there were an estimated 7,866 casualties. The devastation from the earthquake was the last of the three 'catastrophes' that affected the island of Chios in the 19th century.
The 1868 Ecuador earthquakes occurred at 19:30 UTC on August 15 and 06:30 UTC on 16 August 1868. They caused severe damage in the northeastern part of Ecuador and in southwestern Colombia. They had an estimated magnitude of 6.3 and 6.7 and together caused up to 70,000 casualties. The earthquake of 15 August occurred near El Ángel, Carchi Province, close to the border with Colombia, while that of August 16 occurred near Ibarra in Imbabura Province. Reports of these earthquakes are often confused with the effects of the earthquake of 13 August at Arica.
The 1667 Shamakhi earthquake occurred on 25 November 1667 with an epicenter close to the city of Shamakhi, Azerbaijan. It had an estimated surface wave magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum felt intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale. An estimated 80,000 people died.
The 2011 Dalbandin earthquake occurred on 19 January at 01:23 a.m. local time with a moment magnitude of Mw 7.2 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII. The shock occurred in a sparsely populated area of Balochistan, caused moderate damage, three deaths, and some injuries.
The 1935 Helena earthquake occurred at 22:48:02 MDT on October 18 in Montana, with an epicenter near Helena. It had a magnitude of 6.2 on the surface wave magnitude scale and a maximum perceived intensity of VIII (Severe) on the Mercalli intensity scale. The temblor on that date was the largest of a series of earthquakes that also included a large aftershock on October 31 of magnitude 6.0 and a maximum intensity of VIII. Two people died in the mainshock and two others died as a result of the October 31 aftershock. Property damage was over $4 million.
The 1975 North Atlantic earthquake occurred on May 26 at 09:11 UTC. The epicenter was located in the North Atlantic, in an area between the Azores, Iberian Peninsula, and Morocco. It had a magnitude of Mw 7.9, or Ms 8.1.
The 1930 Pyu earthquake occurred on December 4 at 01:21 local time. The epicenter was located north to Bago, Burma, then part of British India. The magnitude of the earthquake was estimated at Mw 7.3, or Ms 7.3.
The 1963 Marj earthquake occurred on February 21 in northern Libya. The earthquake occurred at 18:14:36 local time with a moment magnitude of 5.6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). Financial losses totaled US$5 million, with 290–375 deaths, 375–500 injuries, and 12,000 homeless.
The 1139 Ganja earthquake was one of the worst seismic events in history. It affected the Seljuk Empire and Kingdom of Georgia; modern-day Azerbaijan and Georgia. The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.7 MLH, 7.5 Ms and 7.0–7.3 Mw. A controversial death toll of 230,000–300,000 came as a consequence of this event.
The 1872 Amik (Antakya) earthquake occurred on April 3 with an epicenter within the Amik Valley in the Ottoman Empire. Earthquake had an estimated magnitude of Mw 7.0–7.2 or Ms 7.2 and maximum MSK 64 rating of XI (Catastrophic). Turkey and Syria were devastated by this earthquake, and the region lost at least 1,800 residents.
The 1957 Sangchal earthquake struck northern Iran's Mazandaran province on 2 July 1957. It had a moment magnitude of 6.6 or 7.1 (Mw ), focal depth of 15 km (9.3 mi), and maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). It devastated many communities in the Alborz Mountains and caused an estimated 1,500 fatalities. Damage was estimated at US$25 million.
The 1755 Meknes earthquake affected Morocco on 27 November 1755. The earthquake had a moment magnitude (Mw ) estimated at between 6.5 and 7.0. It devastated the cities of Fes and Meknes—killing at least 15,000 people in both cities. The earthquake struck less than a month after another earthquake that devastated Morocco and Lisbon on 1 November. Previously regarded as an aftershock, this earthquake likely represented rupture of a separate fault due to changes in tectonic stress following their first event.
The 1875 Dinar earthquake occurred in Afyonkarahisar Province in present-day Turkey. More than 1,300 people died and 1,000 homes were destroyed when the Mw 6.77 earthquake struck. The communities of Çivril and Yaka were destroyed while Işıklı and Dinar were badly damaged. Ground fissures and hot springs appeared near Civril although these reports may have been exaggerated. There was minor damage in Uşak and Afyon.