February 9, 1893 Earthquake: Samothraki, Greece

Name: February 9, 1893 Earthquake: Samothraki, Greece
Start: 1893-02-09
Location: Samothraki, Greece

February 9, 1893 · M6.5 · 1 death

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Samothraki, Greece on February 9, 1893 at 16:00 UTC. It killed 1 person.

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: February 9, 1893
Time: 16:00 UTC
Place: Samothraki, Greece
Magnitude: 6.5 (Ms)
Intensity: 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 40.500° N, 25.500° E
Country: Greece

The toll

Deaths: 1
Injuries: Some (about 51 to 100)
Damage: Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
Houses destroyed: Some (about 51 to 100)
Houses damaged: Some (about 51 to 100)

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.

1893, February 9, 18h. 40.5 N, 25.5 E, intensity IX-X, magnitude 5.9. Extensive damage in Samothrkki, where about 10% of houses collapsed and 50% was rended uninhabitable, in the capital of the island I = VII, tsunami 1 m at Agistron (GGT, ANS), rockslides (GG), felt along the coast of Thrakia and in S. Bulgaria with Imax = V (KGI), strong in Imroz and at Alexandroupolis (Dedbagach). (reference #1099)

The earthquake happened at 20 h 2 m on Thursday 28 January (O.S.) and lasted for 15 seconds. Damage extended from the island of Samothraki along the coasts of the Gulf of Saros to the Sea of Marmara [...] Of the 3000 [ Samothraki] islanders only one was killed and 12 were injured. (reference #9116)

This earthquake had an offshore epicentre in the Gulf of Saros. It caused considerable damage in the islands of Samothraki and Imroz. Minor damage also extended to Athos, Dedeagac; and Sultaniye. The earthquake was felt as far as Sofia, Vratsa, Istanbul, Chios and Volos in Greece. (reference #14000)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1893 The 1800s Recent earthquakes near here This 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 2423.