May 3, 1883 Earthquake: Tabriz, Iran
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Tabriz, Iran on May 3, 1883.
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 3, 1883
- Place
- Tabriz, Iran
- Magnitude
- 6.2 (Ms)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 38.100° N, 46.300° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- Many (about 101 to 1,000)
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
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 3, 1883, 12 [local time], 37.9 N, 47.2 E, magnitude 6.2. (reference #1117)
May 3, 1883, Tabriz and most of Azerbaijan, III (Milne 1911, Wilson 1930). May 02, 1883, at Tabriz, earthquake destroyed many houses and there were many dead (Sieberg 1932 p. 810). (reference #1217)
May 3, 1883, Persia, Tabriz and most of (Azerbaijan) intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)
May 3, 1883, serious damage, all houses fissured at Tabrlz (38.1 N, 46.3 E), NW Iran, many victims. (reference #1099)
May 3, 1883, Tabriz, 38.1 N, 46.3 E, magnitude 6.2, intensity VIII. (reference #3437)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- November 18, 1727, Tabriz, Iran
- November 4, 1042, Tabriz, Iran
- January 8, 1780, Tabriz, Iran
- August 21, 1042, Tabriz, Iran
- April 26, 1721, Tabriz, Iran
- February 5, 1641, Tabriz, Kurdistan, Iran
- December 27, 1779, Tabriz, Iran
- April 27, 1931, Zangezur, Nakhitchevan, Armenia
- May 6, 1930, Salmas, Iran
- March 22, 1879, Bozqush, Ardabil, Gamrud, Tark, Manan, Iran
- 1664, Tabriz, Iran
- February 28, 1997, Ardabil, Iran
- April 18, 1843, Khvoy (Khoy), Iran
- January 5, 1896, Khvoy (Khoy), Iran
- December 1863, Nir,ardabil, Iran
More
Significant earthquakes of 1883The 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 2321.