May 1, 1769 Earthquake: Baghdad, Iraq
An earthquake struck Baghdad, Iraq on May 1, 1769.
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 1, 1769
- Place
- Baghdad, Iraq
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 33.000° N, 44.500° E
- Country
- Iraq
The toll
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 2,000
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.
May 1, 1769. Baghdad. During a damaging thunderstorm a
number of shocks were felt in the city. (reference #1117)
1769, Baghdad. Strong, 2,000 houses destroyed. Intensity VII. (reference #1222)
May 1, 1769, Turkey, Baghdad. Intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. Partly hurricane. (reference #1055)
May 1, 1769, 2 p.m., Baghdad. Several shocks. Accompanied by a terrible hurricane. 2000 (or according to others, 4000) houses were thrown down. (reference #1879)
May 1, 1769, Baghdad, intensity VII. (reference #3437)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 17, 1007, Dinavar,baghdad, Tigris-Ktesiphon, Iran-Iraq
- December 2, 1864, Zurbatiyah, Badrah, Tursaq, Baghdad, Iraq
- November 25, 2018, Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Iraq, Iran
- May 23, 860, Baghdad, Iraq
- May 11, 1149, Baghdad, Iraq
- February 8, 1865, Turaq, Jassan, Kut-Al-Amarah, Baghdad, Iraq
- September 9, 910, Kufah,baghdad, Iraq
- March 958, Halwan,jalula,khanikin,baghdad, Iraq
- February 28, 1130, Baghdad, Iraq
- April 14, 1867, Mandali,jalula,baghdad, Iraq
- April 18, 1086, Mesopotamia,jazirah,badharaya, Syria, Iraq
- January 11, 2018, Kermanshah, Iran
- December 8, 1058, Mosul, Kirkuk, Hamadan, Tikrit, Wasit, Amah, Iraq
- January 6, 2019, Sarpol-E Zahab, Kermanshah, Iran
- April 1, 2018, Kermanshah, Iran
More
Significant earthquakes of 1769The 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 1395.