May 22, 855 Earthquake: Rey (Ray), Iran
An earthquake struck Rey (Ray), Iran on May 22, 855.
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
- May 22, 855
- Place
- Rey (Ray), Iran
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 35.300° N, 51.200° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- Many (about 101 to 1,000)
- 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.
855 Ray. A major earthquake in Ray destroyed many houses
and caused a large number of casualties in the district in
241 H. The shock was strongly felt, perhaps with some
damage, in Qum and Kashan. Aftershocks continued for
more than a month. (reference #1117)
855 May 22 - 856 May 09. In 241 A.H.L., at Ray a violent earthquake was followed by many aftershocks lasting forty days. There was total destruction and the population of Ray was decimated. (reference #1217)
855-856, 35.60 N, 51.43 E, intensity IX, thousands killed, Ray. (reference #3437)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- July 15, 850, Rey (Ray), Iran
- June 7, 1755, Tabriz,kashan, N, Iran
- January 30, 1778, Kashan, Iran
- September 1, 1962, Buyin-Zara, Iran
- May 4, 1639, Qazvin, Iran
- January 23, 1909, Silakor, Iran
- April 20, 1608, Gilan, W Mazandaran, Iran
- May 12, 1844, Kashan, Qamsar, Kamu, Kushian, Chuka, Iran
- 1574, Fin,kashan, Iran
- July 2, 1957, Hazanderan, Abegarm, Iran
- May 9, 1830, Damavand,tehran,semnan,damghan, Iran
- June 22, 2002, Ab Garm-Abhar-Avaj-Shirin Su, Iran
- March 5, 1935, Alborz, Iran
- May 28, 2004, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Tehran, Iran
- March 25, 1983, Tehran, Damavond, Amoi, Iran
More
Significant earthquakes of 855The 800sRecent 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 224.