November 19, 1755 Earthquake: Meknes, Fes, Morocco
An earthquake struck Meknes, Fes, Morocco on November 19, 1755. It killed 3,000 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
- November 19, 1755
- Place
- Meknes, Fes, Morocco
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 34.080° N, 5.000° W
- Country
- Morocco
The toll
- Deaths
- 3,000
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
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 18 and November 19 of the same year [1755], Fes and Meknes were devastated; 3000 dead at Fes. (reference #1201)
1755, Fes, intensity X. (reference #1222)
An interesting feature of the Mequinez centre is that it possessed its own series of after-shocks. It is probably responsible for the slight shocks felt at Ceuta every day from Nov. 1 to 17. On Nov. 8, "very violent " shocks were felt at Fez and Mequinez, on Nov. 18 and 19, violent shocks at Tangier and Tetuan, and on Nov. 19 one that entirely destroyed the buildings at Mequinez that were spared by the earthquake on Nov. 1. On Nov. 20, several strong shocks occurred at Tangier and Tetuan. So far as we know, the great earthquake of Nov. 19 at Mequinez was not felt at Lisbon, nor were the strong after-shocks of Nov. 8 and Dec. 11 in the Lisbon centre noticed in the north of Africa. (reference #516)
With imprecision regarding the date, El Kitab-el-Istiqsa, citing the Nachr al Methani, writes about this earthquake: "Twenty-six days later (undoubtedly referring to the earthquake of November 1) there is a new earthquake more violent than the first, after the Achar prayer, which caused such an effect in Mequinez that about 10,000 people perished under the ruins. Also did great damage in Fez. " (reference #12950)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 1755The 1700sRecent 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 1342.