May 12, 1844 Earthquake: Kashan, Qamsar, Kamu, Kushian, Chuka, Iran

May 12, 1844, 18:00 [local time], 33.6 N, 51.4 E, Quhrud-Kashan, magnitude 6.4. Preceded by a foreshock in the

afternoon of 12 May 1844, a destructive earthquake

occurred in the dihistans of Jaushaqan and Quhrud, particularly affecting the region between Chaqadeh, Kamu,

Kuskan and Chugan. Chaqadeh was totally destroyed

and only 3 out of its 103 inhabitants survived. In Qamsar

and Quhrud all houses were destroyed or damaged and

even garden walls were levelled with the ground. The old

Caravanserai at Quhrud collapsed killing a number of

people. Despite the warning of the foreshock, the total loss of life was estimated at 1500. The shock triggered landslides but caused no damage to the two masonry dams downstream of Qamsar and Quhrud, nor did it cause serious damage to Kashan where the minaret of the masjid-i jami was made to lean 2.1 metres between top and base. The earthquake was also felt in Isfahan, without causing any damage except to a small part of the masjid-i jami. Strong aftershocks continued for two weeks. (reference #1117)

May 12, 1844, 17:00 [local time], Kashan, Qohrud, 33.52 N, 51.36 E, magnitude 6.4, intensity VIII, 1500 killed. (reference #3437)

May 10-19, 1844 = 1260 A.H.L. Rabi'al-akhir 20-29; Abd al-Rahim Kalantar Zarrabi gives an approximate date of A.H.L. 1260, two hours before sunset, as time of occurrence of a destructive earthquake in Kashan region. Many houses were destroyed but only 1,500 persons were killed in the city and in the villages. Many people were fortunate in living out doors at the time. There was also a warning by a slight foreshock. Adib Sheibani a contemporary writer and poet of Kashan described in verse the destructive extent of this earthquake which occurred in 1260 A.H.L. Rabi'al-akkir 30, and affected surrounding towns and villages south-west of Kashan-Zahrud, Qamser, Kamu, Kushian and Chuka. The last named had only 3 survivors from a population of 103. Aftershocks continued for longer than two weeks (Naraqi 1967, p. 254). The foregoing descriptions by 'Abd al-Rahim and Sheibani seem to be in agreement of an earthquake of considerable magnitude at Kashan and are essentially complementary in outlining its effects. There seems good reason then to surmise a severe quake with epicentre at Chuka that extended in its effects to distant areas. (reference #1217)

May 12, 1844, Persia, Ispahan, Julpha, Azerbaijan and Irak, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)

May 12, 1844-An earthquake shock was felt in Isfahan on 12 May 1844 which originated from a damaging earthquake 120 km to the north of the city that ruined the region of Kuhrud (Naraqi, 1966: 254-5; 1969: 20). In Isfahan, the shock caused no damage except to a small part of the Masjid-i Djuma. This monument, already structurally unsound and in need of strengthening well before the earthquake,

was cracked by the shock and its two minarets were detached from the main body of the edifice. An inscription on the upper frieze of its south iwan gives the year 1261 hijri (1845) in which superficial repairs of the damage were carried out. Perrey confuses the effects of the Kuhrud earthquake with those of the earthquake that happened the

following day in the Khalkhal district, 550 km from Isfahan and he says that the earthquake overturned numerous buildings in the city including the famous mosque of 'Joomah' (Perrey, 1845: 1448). This exaggerated description of the damage is repeated by Wilson, (Wilson, 1930: 119). There is absolutely no evidence that Isfahan suffered any damage from the 1844 earthquake except from the cracking of the walls of the Masjid-i Djuma. (reference #1130)