May 20, 1202 Earthquake: Southwestern, Syria

The earthquake on May 20, 1202, has been incorrectly reported as from 2 to 4 events covering the period 1201-1204. Excerpts from reference #2799 summarizing the analysis of this earthquake are listed below:

A large earthquake was widely felt in the Middle East around daybreak on the morning of 20 May 1202. Contemporary sources indicate that the shock was felt from Lesser Armenia, parts of Anatolia and northwest Iran down to Qus in upper Egypt, and from Sicily in the west to Iraq and Mesopotamia in the east. Along with this very large felt area, an ensuing seismic sea-wave and aftershock sequence, the earthquake was associated with extensive and serious damage in Syria and to a lesser extent in Cyprus, with great loss of life... Despite the conspicuous duality of accounts in almost all Muslim sources, probably reflecting protracted aftershock activity, there remains no evidence of more than one principal earthquake... The loss of life caused by this earthquake and its aftershocks is difficult to estimate. A figure frequently quoted in Arab sources is 1,100,000 dead for the year 597-598 H. (A.D. 1201-1202). This specifically includes those dying of famine and the epidemic consequent on the failure of the Nile floods. More realistically, the figure of 30,000 casualties is given, primarily, it would seem, in the Nablus area. No reliance can be placed on such figures, but the fact that the main shock occurred at dawn, when most people were in bed, without noticeable foreshocks, probably contributed to a high death toll.

Aftershocks were reported from Hamah, Damascus, and Cairo, for at least four days, one of which, apparently felt in Cairo and Hamah, must have been a large event. There remains the possibility that the aftershock sequence was terminated with a destructive shock that totally destroyed what was left of Nablus, but it seems preferable to consider both reports by Sibt b. al-Jausi as referring to the same one shock. Whatever the exact sequence of events, the cumulative effects of the earthquake were clearly catastrophic... the magnitude of the 1202 earthquake should be Ms = 7.6.

The tsunami is often associated with the date May 22, 1202.

The epicenter has been evaluated as between 32.6-34.5 N and 35.5-36.8 E, maximum intensity X-XI, magnitude 6.8-7.5. (reference #3967)

About 200 people from Baalbek, who had gone out to gather wild fruit, were killed in landslides from two mountains in the Lebanes range between the Beeka valley and the Mediterranean coast. (reference #10420)

May 20, 1202. Earthquake in Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, 30,000 killed. (reference #1051)

May 20, 1202 (AH 599). Earthquake in Palestine, Samaria and Galilea. Nablus was nearly destroyed and many died. It extended to Egypt and Mesopotamia. (reference #1302)

May 20, 1202, 32.5 N, 35.5 E, intensity X-XI, magnitude 6.8. (reference #1225) July 5-August 2, 1201 (AH 597 Shaban) ...It is calculated that through this earthquake 1,100,000 lives were lost. (references #1098 and #1302)

April 26-May 24, 1202 (AH 598 Shaban). Earthquake destroyed the castle of the Kurds at Hims; the shock extended to Nablus. (references #1098 and #3744)

October 12, 1200-September 30, 1201 (597 A.H.) ...it is calculated that through this earthquake 1,100,000 lives were lost... (reference #3744)

June 2, 1201, Iraq, intensity V-VI. (reference #1057)

1201, Aegean sea, 100,000 dead. (reference #1002)

1201, Syria, Tripolis, Tyre, Acre, Nabulus, Baalbek, Egypt, Iraq. Towns completely destroyed, 30,000 killed, most castles collapsed, intensity IX. (reference #1222)

1201, intensity IX-X. (reference #3437)

1202 May 20, Baalbek. […] caused widespread damage in Syria. In Tyre, everything, with the exception of three towers and some outlying fortifications, was destroyed. A third of Acre was probably destroyed (reference #9116)