May 30, 1885 Earthquake: Srinagar, Kashmir, India
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Srinagar, Kashmir, India on May 30, 1885. It killed 3,000 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
- May 30, 1885
- Place
- Srinagar, Kashmir, India
- Magnitude
- 6.3 (Mw)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 34.500° N, 74.680° E
- Country
- India
The toll
- Deaths
- 3,000
- Damage
- Extreme (about $25 million or more)
- Houses destroyed
- Very many (over 1,000)
- Houses damaged
- Very many (over 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.
May 30, 1885, India, Cashmere, Supar, Musaserbad, 2,000 lives lost, Srinagar, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)
May 30, 1885, Kashmir. Felt over an area of 110,000 sq miles, the epicentre being a few miles west of Srinagar. About 3,000 lives were lost. (reference #1100)
May 30, 1885, W. Kashmir, 2,000 dead. (reference #1002)
1885-A series of shocks began in the Vale of Cashmere on May 13, and continued at irregular intervals until the middle of August. The city of Serinagur and numerous villages were almost completely destroyed, thousands of lives were lost, and great destitution resulted from the killing of cattle and destruction of crops. (reference #1073)
May 30, 1885. There was another very severe shock on 30 May 1885 felt over an area of 11,000 sq. miles; the epicentre being a few miles west of Srinagar. About 3000 lives were lost. (reference #1095)
May 30, 1885. 34.54 N, 74.68 E. The magnitude of the earthquake has been estimated from these intensity data as 6.3 < Mw < 6.6, a relatively modest earthquake for its considerable damage. (reference #12927)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- October 8, 2005, Muzaffarabad, Uri, Anantnag, Baramula, Pakistan
- December 28, 1974, Balakot, Patan, Pakistan
- June 26, 1828, Kashmir, India
- September 12, 1981, Gilgit, Pakistan
- September 2, 1963, SW, Kashmir, India
- September 24, 2019, Mirpur District, Pakistan
- February 14, 2004, Balakot, Batgram, Mansehra, Pakistan
- November 20, 2002, Dashkin, Doian, Mushkin, Pakistan
- August 23, 1980, Kashmir, India
- November 1, 2002, Gilgit, Pakistan
- July 24, 2015, Abbottabad, Pakistan
- May 1, 2013, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kashmir, India
- August 20, 2024, Kupwara, Kashmir, India
- October 1, 2016, Mansehra, Naran, Pakistan
- March 10, 2006, Mirpur District, Pakistan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1885The 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 2348.