May 25, 1719 Earthquake: Turkey

1719 May 25. Preceded by damaging foreshocks a major earthquake occurred in the east part of the Sea of Marmara. Villages and towns on either side of the Gulf of Izmit, in Yalova, Pazarkiiy, Karamiirsel, Kazikli, Izmit, in the region of Sevenit(Sapanca?) and as far as Diizce were destroyed or badly damaged; it is said that more than 6000(?) people were killed in this earthquake. Considerable damage was done to houses, buildings and to the city walls of Istanbul, where 40 mosques and 27 towers were ruined. There was also significant damage in Akviran, Catalca, Cekmece, and Heybeliada. The shock was strongly felt in Edirne, where it caused some minor damage, and in Chios, Izmir, Athos, Thessaloniki, Nish(?) and in Anatolia(?). Aftershocks continued for about a month. (reference #14000)

1719 May 25. Marmara Sea. A major earthquake occurred on this date in the eastern part of the Sea of Marmara. The towns of Izmit, Karamursel, Kazili, Pazarkoy, Yalova, villages and towns on either side of the Gulf of lzmit, in the region of Sevenit/Senemir (Sapanca?) and as far as Duzce, were destroyed or badly damaged. It is said that more that 6000 people were killed in this earthquake. Considerable damage was done to houses, buildings and the city walls of Istanbul, where 40 mosques and 27 towers were said to have been ruined. Damage extended into Thrace. The effects of this earthquake were described by Ottoman and European eye-witnesses alike. The event was widely reported in the European press, albeit with some exaggeration and recorded by near-contemporary writers […] It was written of the town of Izmit that 'four-fifths was demolished and as many as 4 000 people, it was verified, were killed under the ruins. Six mosques collapsed, and 600 were killed inside. Aqueducts built by the infidels which bring water to the city collapsed, and a 25-metre long branch "migrated'' 10 paces, I heard fro1n someone who witnessed it' […] Sapanca town ‘was demolished, and most people killed’. […] Four or five villages in the region of Sevenit or Senentir (Sapanca?) were also destroyed, and 1000 people were killed or injured […] Dlizce town 'was demolished and most people were killed'. The town of Kazikli about 15 km east of Karamursel on the lzmit Gulf 'fell to the ground'. Karamursel was completely ruined, 'the courthouse was destroyed and the deputy judge died under the ruins', while prayers could not be conducted in the Karabali mosque owing to earthquake damage. Also half of the town of Yalova collapsed (reference 9116)