November 4, 1042 Earthquake: Tabriz, Iran
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Tabriz, Iran on November 4, 1042 at 13:30 UTC, 15 km below the surface. It killed 50,000 people.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- November 4, 1042
- Time
- 13:30 UTC
- Place
- Tabriz, Iran
- Magnitude
- 7.6
- Focal depth
- 15 km (9 mi)
- Intensity
- 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 38.100° N, 46.300° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- 50,000
- Damage
- Extreme (about $25 million or more)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Reference #223 lists Nov 4, 1042, 38.2N, 46.3E, depth 15 km, magnitude 6.3, intensity 8-9, in Tebriz much destruction and deaths.
Reference #1217 lists 50000 deaths.
Reference #1222 lists 1042, SYRIA: TUDMUR (PALMYRA),BALABAK, 34.3N, 38.2E, intensity 10, 50000 deaths.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- November 18, 1727, Tabriz, Iran
- January 8, 1780, Tabriz, Iran
- August 21, 1042, Tabriz, Iran
- April 26, 1721, Tabriz, Iran
- February 5, 1641, Tabriz, Kurdistan, Iran
- December 27, 1779, Tabriz, Iran
- April 27, 1931, Zangezur, Nakhitchevan, Armenia
- May 6, 1930, Salmas, Iran
- March 22, 1879, Bozqush, Ardabil, Gamrud, Tark, Manan, Iran
- 1664, Tabriz, Iran
- February 28, 1997, Ardabil, Iran
- April 18, 1843, Khvoy (Khoy), Iran
- January 5, 1896, Khvoy (Khoy), Iran
- December 1863, Nir,ardabil, Iran
- January 3, 1864, Lenkoran, Niar, Ardabil, Azerbaijan, Iran
More
Significant earthquakes of 1042The 1000sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 335.