March 1819 Earthquake: Mascara, Algeria
An earthquake struck Mascara, Algeria in March 1819.
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
- March 1819
- Place
- Mascara, Algeria
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 35.070° N, 0.020° E
- Country
- Algeria
The toll
- Deaths
- Many (about 101 to 1,000)
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 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.
March 1819, 35 deg 4 min N, 0 deg 1 min E, intensity = IX. Disastrous shock in Algeria, almost all houses at Mascara thrown down and a great number of the inhabitants perished, at Oran only some houses slightly fissured. (reference #1099)
March 1819, 35 deg 4 min N, 0 deg 1 min E, intensity X at Mascara, numerous victims. (reference #1201)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- October 10, 1980, Northern, Algeria
- October 9, 1790, Cartagena, Santa Fe, Oran, Spain, Algeria
- September 9, 1954, Orleansville, Algeria
- August 18, 1994, Mascara, Algeria
- December 22, 1999, Ain Temouchent, Northern, Algeria
- November 29, 1887, Kalaa, Algeria
- July 13, 1967, Near Sig, Algeria
- January 9, 2008, Oran, Algeria
- June 6, 2008, Oran, Algeria
- January 26, 1987, Mohammadia, Qued, Fodda, Tissemsilt, Algeria
- September 9, 1954, El Asnam, Algeria
- September 9, 1954, El Asnam, Algeria
- September 9, 1954, El Asnam, Algeria
- August 25, 1922, Bordj Abou El Hasen, Dahra, Algeria
- May 23, 1857, Sea of Alboran, Algeria
More
Significant earthquakes of 1819The 1800sRecent 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 1634.