March 18, 1481 Earthquake: Cairo, Egypt

Mar 18, 1481, Sunday 17 Muharram' 886, Mediterranean. On 28 Muharram (29 March), news arrived in Damascus of a shock in three or five villages in Anatolia (al-Rum). Later, further news arrived of the death of the Qadi Sharafal-Din b. Id in Egypt because of this earthquake, when a decorative cresting on the Salihiyya madrasa in Cairo fell on him and another man who died with him. The most detailed accounts of the effects in Egypt report that the earthquake was frightening in Cairo and Misr (Fustat) and the surrounding region. Reports came from Alexandria and even Anatolia. In Cairo, the shock struck about an hour after the afternoon prayer on 17 Muharram. The shaking was severe, and the minarets were seen to sway and undulate. The shock in Cairo is clearly a distant effect of a larger event in the eastern Mediterranean, most probably the earthquake of 15 Mar that ruined Rhodes and Cyprus, setting off a damaging sea-wave on the coast of Adalia. This was followed by further earthquakes on 3 May [Oct] and 18 Dec 1481. (ref #3845)

Mar 18, 1481. Eastern Mediterranean. Some houses and weak buildings collapsed […] Arab writers report that the effects of the earthquake extended to Rhodes, where the shock was destructive, which is not treu. In Rhodes the shock was felt in hora nona of 15 March 1481 (a Thursday), and caused great panic but no damage. (reference #9116)

Mar 18, 1481. Cairo and Mecca VII. (ref #1598)

Mar 18, 1481. A violent earthquake in Egypt. (ref #1098)

1481, Cairo intensity VII, Mecca intensity VII, Syria, Palestine, 30,000 killed. (ref #1222)