May 1716 Earthquake: Algiers, Algeria
An earthquake struck Algiers, Algeria in May 1716. It killed 20,000 people.
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
- May 1716
- Place
- Algiers, Algeria
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 36.800° N, 3.000° E
- Country
- Algeria
The toll
- Deaths
- 20,000
- Damage
- Extreme (about $25 million or more)
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.
The center at or near Algiers is one of the most active in North Africa. Omitting all but great earthquakes, there was one on 1716 Feb. 3, followed about three months later by another during which 20,000 persons lost their lives. (reference #516)
May-June 1716, Algiers, 20,000 perished; also felt at Catania and Syracuse, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)
May 1715 [probably describing event on May-June 1716], Algiers, 20,000 dead. (reference #1002)
May and June 1716, Algiers, 20,000 perished. (reference #1073)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 2, 1825, Blida, Algiers, Algeria
- October 10, 1980, Northern, Algeria
- May 21, 2003, Algiers, Boumerdes, Reghia, Thenia, Algeria
- September 9, 1954, Orleansville, Algeria
- January 2, 1867, El Affroun, Algeria
- February 21, 1960, Melouza, Algeria
- January 15, 1891, Bourava, Gouraya, Algeria
- December 3, 1885, M'Sila, Algeria
- October 29, 1989, Algiers, Cherchell, Tipaza, Algeria
- June 24, 1910, Masqueray, Kabylia, Algeria
- May 27, 2003, Algiers, Boumerdes, Reghaia, Algeria
- August 1, 2014, Algiers, Algeria
- January 1, 1965, M'Sila, Algeria
- May 14, 2010, Beni Yellman, Northern, Algeria
- January 26, 1987, Mohammadia, Qued, Fodda, Tissemsilt, Algeria
More
Significant earthquakes of 1716The 1700sRecent earthquakes near here
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 1203.