November 17, 1893 Earthquake: Quchan, Mashhad, Bojnurd, Iran

1893 Nov 17. South Quchan. Preceded by a strong shock

on 20 Oct, an earthquake in the evening of the 8 Jumada I, 1311 devastated Quchan, particularly affecting the populous upper Atrak valley and the sparsely inhabited district of Sar Vilayat. The town of Quchan, already ruined in 1871 and subsequently rebuilt, was utterly destroyed. All public buildings, including the telegraph office, the bazaar with its 1100 shops, part of the mosque and its minarets, the madraseh, caravanserai, and the palace of the Ilkhan, collapsed. All houses and the remnants of the walls of the town were destroyed and at least 5000 people were killed. The dome of the Imamzadeh of Sultan Ibrahim and a few

houses rebuilt with timber bracing after the 1871 earthquake, were the only structures left standing. In the

town and its surroundings qanat galleries caved in, producing crevices in the ground 5 to 8 metres deep that added to the destruction. In the Atrak valley all the villages between Yazdanabad, Kalbalasi, Kalukhi and

Jartudeh were almost totally destroyed, with an estimated

10000 casualties and the loss of more than 30000 animals. Damage was equally serious in the mountainous region of Kuh-i Muhammad Beg and in the dihistan of Sar Vllayat, as far south as Chakaneh Ulya and Saqi Beg. The number of people killed in this region is not known but the damage was so heavy that a few villages were abandoned. Also, there is some evidence to show that the direct routes to Sabzavar via Chakaneh Sufla and particularly the summer track via Bar had to be abandoned for a year or so...

The shock was felt all over Turkmenistan and as far as Tehran 640 km away from the epicentral region. It was followed by aftershocks that continued for almost 6 months. On 18 Nov, at night, an aftershock caused serious damage at Katlar and Gabrabad where the mosque collapsed. At dawn on the 19th an even stronger shock... caused great damage to Katlar, Kalukhi and Gabrabad. (ref 1117)

1893, Nov 17. A severe shock was felt on Fri night in the town of Kashan (in fact - Quchan) two thirds of which was destroyed. Mild earthquake shocks continued to be felt in Mashhad and town of (Quchan not Kashan) is reported to be totally wrecked. There has been great lose of life and property, and the supply of food and water is exhausted. Most of the survivors have fled to the mountains. A correspondent who has visited Quchan telegraphs as follows: "Quchan is a heap of ruins, not a house remains standing. Bodies are still being recovered. It is established that the loss of life has been in the proportion of two deaths to every house. The sanitary condition of the place is very bad. Earthquake shocks, preceded by loud reports in the hills to west, continue to be felt only in the town and in the immediate vicinity. The neighboring villages escaped with little damage. Communications are suspended for the time, and the prospects are not encouraging. There is some talk of building a new town to the eastward. A violent earthquake occurred in Khorasan. Two thirds of Bojnurd was completely destroyed and there was a very high mortality with 15,000 dead. A severe snow fall followed exceeding half metre in depth. Muay'yed-od Dovlah a personal representative of the Shah, arrived to take charge of relief measures. The city of Mashhad suffered slight damage. This evidence was recorded by Sani'ud Dovlah Dovlah under "Jamadi-al-avval 08, 131 1 A.H.L. (= Nov 20, 1893)". (ref #1217)

1893, Nov 17, 15:06 GMT. 37.2 N, 58.4 E, magnitude 6.6, intensity IX-X, 18000 killed, Kuchan I. (reference #3437)

1893, Nov 17, 15:06 GMT, 37.2 N, 58.4 E, depth 7-17 km, magnitude 6.6, intensity IX-X, Kuchan and vicinity destroyed; 18,000 dead. (ref #223)

1893, Nov 17, 8h 23m a.m. [p.m.?] Russian Turkestan, Kassan, Samarkand, intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (ref #1055)