856 Damghan earthquake

Earthquake in Persia

The 856 Damghan earthquake or the 856 Qumis earthquake happened on 22 December 856 (242 AH). The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.9. The area of maximum damage was about 350 kilometres (220 mi) long. It was along the southern edge of the eastern Alborz mountains of present-day Iran. The earthquake's epicenter was close to the city of Damghan. Damgham was the capital of the Persian province of Qumis at the time. The earthquake caused about 200,000 deaths and is listed by the USGS as the sixth deadliest earthquake in recorded history.[2] Some people do not think that this death toll is correct.[3]

Damghan earthquake
856 Damghan earthquake is located in Iran
856 Damghan earthquake
Local date22 December 856 (856-12-22)
Local timeAt night
Magnitude7.9 Ms
Epicenter36°12′N 54°18′E / 36.2°N 54.3°E / 36.2; 54.3[1]
FaultAstenah Fault System
TypeStrike-slip
Areas affectedIran
Casualties200,000 dead
Map of meizoseismal area for the 856 earthquake and main fault structures

References

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  1. National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): NCEI/WDS Global Significant Earthquake Database. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (1972). "Comments for the Significant Earthquake". NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. USGS (14 April 2011). "Earthquakes with 50,000 or More Deaths". Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2011.
  3. Sorkhabi, Rasoul (21 December 2017). Tectonic Evolution, Collision, and Seismicity of Southwest Asia: In Honor of Manuel Berberian's Forty-Five Years of Research Contributions. Geological Society of America. p. 146. ISBN 978-0-8137-2525-3.