851 Earthquake: Dvin, Armenia
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck Dvin, Armenia in 851, 10 km below the surface. It killed 12,000 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
- 851
- Place
- Dvin, Armenia
- Magnitude
- 5.2 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 10 km (6 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 40.000° N, 44.600° E
- Country
- Armenia
The toll
- Deaths
- 12,000
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.
851, 40 N, 44.6 E, depth 10 km, magnitude 5.2, intensity VIII. Dvin high death toll (12000). (reference #223)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- 1139, Gyzndzha, Azerbaijan
- December 24, 893, Ardabil, Dvin, Iran, Armenia
- December 7, 1988, Leninakan, Spitak, Kirovakan, Armenia
- January 858, Dvina, Turkey, Armenia
- June 4, 1679, Dvina, Turkey, Armenia
- November 24, 1976, Muradiye, Turkey
- April 27, 1931, Zangezur, Nakhitchevan, Armenia
- 854, Tovin, Armenia
- July 2, 1840, Maku, Mt Ararat, Aguri, Aralikh, Iran, Turkey
- April 18, 1843, Khvoy (Khoy), Iran
- May 28, 1903, Varginis,cardahli,mehkerek, Turkey
- January 5, 1896, Khvoy (Khoy), Iran
- October 23, 2011, Ercis, Van, Turkey
- May 1, 1935, Kigi, Turkey
- September 10, 1941, Van, Ercis, Turkey
More
Significant earthquakes of 851The 800sRecent earthquakes near here
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 218.