January 14, 1546 Earthquake: Al-Karak, Nabulus,salt, Jordan, Israel

January 14, 1546 (Thursday 10 Dhu'l-Qa'da 952) Dead Sea. A series of shocks is reported from southern Palestine in 1546. The first occurred during the afternoon and strongly affected Jerusalem, al-Khalil (Hebron), Ghazza (Gaza), al-Ramla, al-Karak, al-Salt and Nablus and was felt as far as Damascus. It lasted a short while, but damaged or fissured most of the tall buildings in Jerusalem and al-Khalil. The madrasa of Qayitbey in Ghazza was destroyed and likewise southern, northern and eastern parts of his madrasa in Jerusalem. The top of the minaret at the Chain Gate was destroyed. Nablus was affected more than anywhere else and about 500 people were killed beneath the wreckage there.

The Patriarch of Jerusalem reported the effects of the earthquake on the belfry of the Holy Sepulchre, which fell onto the Church of the Resurrection. The bell-tower of the church in Bethlehem also felt effects on the rivers flowing into the sea near Jaffa are reported in contemporary accounts, as well as the damming of the river Jordan. In addition, the sea withdrew from the coast of south Palestine and returned as a tsunami, which drowned many people.

Another shock, stronger than the first, occurred on the night of Saturday-Sunday 10 Muharram 953/I3 March 1546 and another on Wednesday morning 12 Rabi' I, 953/29 September 1546, which some people felt more than others. These aftershocks followed a series of tremors over the preceding days and nights.

There is no indication that the shock affected Egypt, although this was probably the case, by analogy with the earthquake of 12 November 1458, with which there are several points in common. Modern writers report effects in Tripoli in Syria and Famagusta in Cyprus, but this appears to be due to damaging storms that year, and an earthquake in Cyprus in 1547.

(above from reference #3845)

January 14, 1546. Several medieval manuscripts describe the earthquake, which is said to have destroyed Ramie, Nablus, possibly also Jaffa, and caused some memorable damage in Jerusalem. From two sources it is learned that "the sea at Jaffa receded a day's journey, one could walk on the dry bottom, and about 10 thousand people came to pick up things from the sea flow, however the sea returned soon and all drowned. Bernhertz (1616) gave a similar description adding that the "sea bottom remained dry for three days. (reference #2901)

1546, in Palestine. The sea retired several miles (?) from the coast, and then returned with great impetuosity. Joppa, Sichem, and Rama were especially injured. The bed of the Jordan remained dry for two days (?). (reference #1879)

1546 Jan 14 The Holy Land. The earthquake of 1546 in the Holy Land is considered to be one of the most important shocks known to have occurred in the Middle East to which modern writers assign a magnitude ML 7.0 and an epicentral intensity of X–XI (Ben Menahem 1979). However, the available evidence suggests that this was not a major earthquake and it must be classed as one of those which excite widespread interest rather on account of the geographical location than because of their special violence. (reference #9116)