Significant earthquakes of 1822

September 5, 1822 Earthquake: Dimashq (Damascus), Halab, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria

September 5, 1822 · Deaths: very many

An earthquake struck Dimashq (Damascus), Halab, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria on September 5, 1822.

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
September 5, 1822
Place
Dimashq (Damascus), Halab, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria
Intensity
11 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
36.000° N, 36.000° E
Country
Turkey

The toll

Deaths
Very many (over 1,000)
Damage
Extreme (about $25 million or more)

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.

Note: On this date, reference #9116 notes a violent aftershock of the 1822 Aug 13 event; as such, most likely references #1055, #1099, and #1222 are referring to the effects from 1822 Aug 13 event not only the 1822 Sep 05 event.

September 5, 1822, 36 N, 36 E, intensity X-XI. Another disastrous shock at Halab (Aleppo) which destroyed what had resisted the former one, more than 20,000 persons are said to have lost their lives. (reference #1099)

September 5, 1822, earthquake in Aaia Minor, Aleppo, Damascus, and the Island fo Cyprus; altogether 20,000 lives were lost, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)

1822-Aleppo destroyed; above 20,000 perish; shocks on 10th and 13th of August and 5th of September. (reference #1073)

1822, earthquake in Syria, Aleppo, Antioch, Damascus, Ladikije, intensity IX-X. Antioch fully destroyed, 20,000 killed beside the destruction of many parts of other cities. (reference #1222)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1822The 1800sRecent 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 1665.