January 17, 1895 Earthquake: Quchan, Iran

1895, January 17, 11:00 local time (08:30 UTC), Quchan, which was destroyed by an earthquake 14 months ago (November 17, 1893) and immediately rebuilt, was again destroyed on January 17 (37.1 N, 58.4 E, magnitude 6.8). Many lives were lost, 100 women being crushed in one bath. Extreme weather prevailed causing terrible suffering. At least four slight, but distinct, shocks of earthquakes had been felt in Mashhad during 3 days, but no damage had been done, (The Times, January 21, 1895, p.59). The first shock of an earthquake occurred at Quchan on January 17 and was felt at noon, and in three minutes time the place was in complete ruins. A very great number of persons are said to have perished. In many instances the unfortunate people were burnt to death, but most of them were crushed. Six hundred persons were entombed in the Mosque while engaged in prayer, and another 600 perished in the various baths. The suffering of the survivors, most of whom perished from exposure to intense cold, was terrible. The after spectacle that presented itself was simply one mass of earth and bricks. Not a single building remained; all without exception were leveled to the ground.

A correspondent writes under date of Nashhad January 30: "The journey of 92 miles was as severe as I have ever experienced; the cold was awful, and sleeping in these caravanserais is by no means pleasant...Quchan was reached at 8:15 A.M. on January 23. The spectacle presented was simply one mass of bricks and mortar; without exception every building was leveled to the ground .... The telegraph instruments were smashed and the wires were thrown down for several miles. At the time of the catastrophe great numbers had crowded in from the neighboring villages to sell their wares and many of them have perished. It is difficult to arrive at a correct estimate as to the amount of mortality - but from my interviews with those of the survivors whom I could rely on I am inclined to think that as many as 11,000 have perished, though I feel bound to add that one of the consular authorities puts it at a much lower figure .... The shocks still take place occasionally" (The Times, March 15, 1895 p.15b).

Jan 17, 08:30 GMT. 37.l N. 58.5 E. (Savarenskii et al 1962). The center of the earthquake appears to have been near Kuchan, a town which has been damaged or destroyed by earthquake several times during the present century, the last occasion being in 1893, when it was completely reduced to ruins. After this the town was rebuilt on the old site, but the houses were made very largely of wood.

(above from ref #1217)

1895, Jan 17. An earthquake occurred shortly before noon on Jan 17, 1895, in Quchan. The earthquake totally destroyed Quchan and a number of villages in the upper Atrak valley, killing about 1000 people. The earthquake, which was followed by incessant shocks until the next morning, utterly ruined the Imamzadeh of Sultan Ibrahim (which had been repaired after the earthquake of 1893), killing one of its inmates. Public baths, the bazaar, the Customs House, the Governor's residence, and the post and telegraph offices were destroyed with casualties. With the exception of a few small shanties, almost all the houses, even those rebuilt after 1893 with timber and light roofs, were ruined. Because of the lightness of the building materials, however, and probably because of the foreshock that warned people, the loss of life in Quchan was much less than it would otherwise have been. In all, about 770 people perished, including many from neighbouring villages who happened to be in town. (ref #1117)

1895, Jan 17, 11:30 GMT. 37.08 N, 58.4 E, intensity VIII, depth 11 km, magnitude 6.8, 1000 killed. (ref #3437)

1895, Jan 17, 07 GMT. 37.2 N, 58.4 E, depth 7 km, magnitude 6, intensity IX, Kuchan finally destroyed. (ref #223)

1895, Jan 17. In Persia, Kuchan, intensity III. (ref #1055)