October 1750 Earthquake: Plovdiv, Bulgaria
An earthquake struck Plovdiv, Bulgaria in October 1750. It caused a tsunami.
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
- October 1750
- Place
- Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 42.100° N, 24.800° E
- Country
- Bulgaria
The toll
- 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.
October 10, 1750, intensity 10 - 10.5. The town of Plovdiv is ravaged by a great earthquake. Overflow of the river Maritza which floods the close villages. (reference #1093)
1750. In Romania; especially at Philippopoli. The river Maritza quitted its bed, and inundated the surrounding villages. Philippopoli was ruined. The Journal Historique does not give the month. (reference #521)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 26, 1932, Hierissos-Strantonion (Chalkidiki), Greece
- April 14, 1928, Chirpan, Bulgaria
- June 18, 1953, Edirne, Turkey
- December 7, 1986, Veliko Turnovo-Turgovishte, Bulgaria
- February 9, 1893, Samothraki, Greece
- April 18, 1928, Popovitsa, Bulgaria
- November 3, 1977, Velingrad, Romania
- February 20, 2006, Greece-Bulgaria Border Region
- April 23, 1829, Greece-Bulgaria
- May 5, 1829, Xanthi-Drama, Greece
- 52, Philippi,drama,kavala, Greece
- April 4, 1904, Struma, Bulgaria
- April 4, 1904, Struma, Bulgaria
- June 26, 1759, Plovdiv, Thessaloniki, Bulgaria, Greece-Bulgaria
- April 23, 1818, Bulgaria
More
Significant earthquakes of 1750The 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 1309.