Significant earthquakes of 1920

November 26, 1920 Earthquake: Tepelene, Dragoti, Peshtani, Maricaj, Albania

November 26, 1920 · M6.2 · 200 deaths

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Tepelene, Dragoti, Peshtani, Maricaj, Albania on November 26, 1920 at 08:51:07 UTC, 25 km below the surface. It killed 200 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
November 26, 1920
Time
08:51:07 UTC
Place
Tepelene, Dragoti, Peshtani, Maricaj, Albania
Magnitude
6.2 (Mw)
Focal depth
25 km (16 mi)
Intensity
11 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
40.200° N, 20.000° E
Country
Albania

The toll

Deaths
200
Damage
Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
Houses destroyed
Many (101 to 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.

1920, November 26 0851 UTC. 40.5 N, 20 E, magnitude 6, intensity X-XI. (reference #1004)

1920, November 26, 0851 UTC. Tepelene, intensity XI. Great catastrophe in the region of Viose. The city Tepelene destroyed. More than 200 dead. 1500 inhabitants remain without roof. Otherwise the jolt of the shock of a long duration (reference #1109)

1920, Nov. 26. Magnitude 6. Tepelene, Albania. 600 deaths. (reference #1173)

1920, November 26. Tepelene was destroyed, 200 deaths, 15000 people without homes. (reference #1093)

1920, November 20 08:51:07.11 UTC. 40.269 N, 20.047 E, depth 15 km, magnitude 6.18 Mw. (reference #10476)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1920The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1920Recent 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 3163.