1072 Earthquake: Mecca, Sana, Zabid, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
An earthquake struck Mecca, Sana, Zabid, Saudi Arabia, Yemen in 1072. It killed 50 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
- 1072
- Place
- Mecca, Sana, Zabid, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 14.200° N, 43.300° E
- Country
- Yemen
The toll
- Deaths
- 50
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Some (about 51 to 100)
- Houses damaged
- Some (about 51 to 100)
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.
1072, 464 H. There was a great earthquake in San'a, Zabid and al-Mukha in the Yemen. Some houses were destroyed and
about 50 people were killed in the wreckage. It is not clear where damage was concentrated, but the distribution of places mentioned suggests an epicenter to the northeast of Zabid, and a relatively large event. (reference #3845)
1071 [probably describing same earthquake as above], intensity VII-VIII, Sana, Zabid, Mecca, about 50 people died. (reference #1222)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 1072The 1000sRecent earthquakes near here
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 365.