October 17, 1851 Earthquake: Berat, Albania
An earthquake struck Berat, Albania on October 17, 1851. It killed 400 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
- October 17, 1851
- Place
- Berat, Albania
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 40.500° N, 19.700° E
- Country
- Albania
The toll
- Deaths
- 400
- 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.
October 17, 1851 aftershock, intensity IX-X. A new disastrous shock almost completely destroyed Berat (40.7 N, 20.0 E), 400 victims, rockslide, VII - Vlore, Elbasan. (reference #1099)
October 17, 1851, intensity X at Berat, intensity VIII at Vlore. (reference #1109)
October 17, 1851, in Berati, 400 soldiers were buried under the ruins of the fort. On October 20: partial destruction of Elbasani, with counterpart in December.(reference #1093)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- October 12, 1851, Vlore (Valona),berat, Turkey, Albania
- November 26, 1920, Tepelene, Dragoti, Peshtani, Maricaj, Albania
- April 15, 1979, Montenegro, Balkans NW
- February 5, 1786, Corfu (Kerkira), Greece
- June 1, 1905, Shkoder, Albania
- January 28, 1931, Korce, Albania
- May 13, 1895, Margarition-Filiates (Thesprotia), Greece
- January 2, 1866, Narta, Vlore, Kanina, Albania
- March 2, 1866, Smokthine, Velca, Vlore, Albania
- November 26, 2019, Durres, Thumane, Tirana, Albania
- August 27, 1942, Peshkopia, Magellare, Albania
- November 21, 1930, Vlore, Himare, Kuc, Albania
- December 2, 1930, Vlore, Tepelene, Albania
- November 30, 1967, Albania
- March 18, 1962, Albania
More
Significant earthquakes of 1851The 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 1922.