February 13, 1157 Earthquake: Halab (Aleppo), Syria

July 15 or August 1157, 35.1 N, 36.3 E, magnitude 7-7.5. Apamea, Hama, Aleppo, Ghab Valley. (reference #3733)

1157, Damascus, destructive, 8000 or 80000 victims. (reference #1222)

February 13 December 29, 1157 (AH 552 Muharram - Dhu' - Qa'da 25), During this period Syria was badly shaken. Aleppo was destroyed, and Hamat, Shayzar, Hims, Hisn-al-Akrad), Antiochia, Latakia, and other places suffered much. In Shayzar only one woman and a slave were saved. In Kafar-Tab not one person was saved. The same happened at Kalat-el-Mudik and Fahmyah where the castle was swallowed up and many Romans and Greeks perished. The walls of several towns of Syria were destroyed; the children perished in the schools and no one came to ask for them. Syria was first shaken on April 2. Then on the 3rd and 4th, with another shock following on July 1st. On July 15 Aleppo, Hims and their dependencies were destroyed; the shock extended in Hamat, Kafer-Tab and Taima. On August 12 Damascus was shaken so violently that never the like had been seen; it caused some destruction. The shaking continued for another two days. Other shocks on the 16 which lasted till the 19th did great damage in Hamat, Shiraz, and Hims. Damascus was shaken again in September 6 and caused great consternation. Aleppo and Fahmyah were damaged again on October 30, where the shaking continued for sometime with intermissions. Fahmyah was shaken again on the 14, 25 and 29 December with the result to be completely destroyed. The population

abandoned their town and took refuge in the fields in wooden huts. (reference #1098)