July 10, 1688 Earthquake: Izmir, Turkey
A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Izmir, Turkey on July 10, 1688 at 11:45 UTC. It killed 16,000 people, counting the tsunami it caused.
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
- July 10, 1688
- Time
- 11:45 UTC
- Place
- Izmir, Turkey
- Magnitude
- 7 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 38.400° N, 26.900° E
- Country
- Turkey
The toll
- Deaths
- 16,000
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Many (101 to 1,000)
- Houses damaged
- Many (101 to 1,000)
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.
1688, July 10. Several strong underground shocks, which contributed to the outbreak of fire, occurred in Izmir at about midday. As a result the city was damaged very badly, material losses were very serious and 15,000 to 16,000 people were killed. The ground level was reduced by more than 1 foot, and fissures appeared in it. Some water sources disappeared, but a new one appeared. Repeated underground shocks resumed almost every day until the end of July. A weak tsunami was noted in Izmir. (reference #2130).
1688, July 10. 15,000 to 20,000 killed. (reference #1055)
1688, July 5. Izmir, Aegean coast. 15000 dead. (reference #1002)
1688, July 10. Izmir, Turkey. This was a locally destructive earthquake, albeit of relatively small magnitude that caused disproportionate damage to Smyrna, which was at that time a thriving commercial centre of the Levant... (reference #9910)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- July 10, 1668, Turkey
- October 15, 1883, Ayvalik, Izmir, Cesme, Turkey
- April 3, 1881, Cesme, Khios, Turkey, Greece
- October 1491, Kos, Greece
- February 23, 1653, Izmir,alasehir,denizli,aydin, Turkey
- 688, Izmir, Turkey
- September 20, 1899, Sultanhisar,atca,nazilli,kuyucak,denizli, Turkey
- March 7, 1867, Izmir, Mitilini, Turkey, Greece
- August 6, 1384, Lesbos, Greece
- April 23, 1933, Dodecanese Islands, Greece
- March 31, 1928, Tepekoy, Torbali, Turkey
- October 30, 2020, Izmir, Samos, Turkey, Greece
- March 28, 1969, Alasehir, Sarigol, Kiraz, Turkey
- September 21, 1939, Turkey
- 1577, Balikesir, Turkey
More
Significant earthquakes of 1688The 1600sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
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 1115.