List of earthquakes in the Levant

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Seismic hazard for the Eastern Mediterranean from the Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program (GSHAP) in terms of peak ground acceleration with a 10% chance of being exceeded (or a 90% chance of not being exceeded) within the next 50 years

This is a list of earthquakes in the Levant, including earthquakes that either had their epicenter in the Levant or caused significant damage in the region. As it is now, the list is focused on events which affected the territories of modern-day Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria and to some degree the adjacent areas of South Anatolia, Cyprus island and the Sinai Peninsula (modern Turkey, Cyprus, Northern Cyprus and Egypt).

Seismic hazard

The Jordan Rift Valley is the result of tectonic movements within the Dead Sea Transform (DSF) fault system. The DSF forms the transform boundary between the African Plate to the west and the Arabian Plate to the east. The Golan Heights and all of Transjordan are part of the Arabian Plate, while the Galilee, The Palestinian Territories, Coastal Plain and Negev along with the Sinai Peninsula are on the African Plate. This tectonic disposition leads to relatively high seismic activity in the region.

Earthquakes

The region has experienced many earthquakes, the most destructive ones being those of 31 BCE, 363 CE, 749 CE, and 1033 CE.[citation needed] The 1759 events, along with the earlier 1202 Syria earthquake, are likely the strongest historical earthquakes in the region.[1] Some of the earthquakes were also followed by a tsunami - notably in 92 BCE, 115, 306, 502, 551, 881, 1202.

Historic quakes in Bronze and Iron Ages

  • c.1700 BCE - the Canaanite palace of Tel Kabri destroyed in a major seismic event[2]
  • c.1500/1400 BCE - the city of Jericho destroyed and abandoned upon a major seismic event[3]
  • c.1365 BCE - A supposed violent earthquake that is claimed to have hit Ugarit in the Bronze Era is based on misinterpreting the evidence, especially Amarna letter 151 which actually only says that half of the royal palaced was destroyed by fire. The layer of destruction of Ugarit supposed to represent archaeological evidence for the catastrophe[4] is now redated to ca. 1250 BCE.[5]
  • c.8th century BCE - a major earthquake described in the book of Amos, affecting ancient Kingdom of Israel and Kingdom of Judah[6]

Major earthquakes

Minor earthquakes (below 6.0)

  • 1898 – Haifa damaged by earthquake[9]
  • 1956 – Chim earthquake: In the south of Lebanon in the Chouf District; 6,000 homes destroyed, and another 17,000 damaged; 136 persons killed. Magnitude - 5.3-5.5 ṃ.
  • 2008 – A 5.1 ṃ earthquake shook South Lebanon, causing ten injuries, power outages and some building damage on February 15. Of several hundred responses to the USGS' "Did you feel it?" system, three reports from northern coastal Israel indicated that a maximum Mercalli intensity of VI (Strong) was observed there. The oblique-slip shock was also felt lightly in Jerusalem, Nicosia, and Amman.[31]
  • 2020 – A series of 4.7 ṃ earthquakes occurred at a depth of 20 kilometers in the eastern Mediterranean near Burj Islam, Syria.[32][33]
  • 2022 – An earthquake registering slightly more than 4.1 ṃ just over a mile below the surface, centered northeast of Beit She'an, south of the Sea of Galilee, is felt throughout Israel; no injuries or damage are reported.[34]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Daeron et al. 2005, p. 529
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  5. . Wyatt, National Memory, Seismic Activity at Ras Shamra and the Composition of the Ugaritic Baal Cycle, Ugarit-Forschungen 48 (2017), p. 551-591, there p. 555-557.
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  13. Sharon, 1997, p. 79
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  23. History Archived 2015-11-21 at the Wayback Machine
  24. Altshuler, M. The Messianic secret. Chapter 8: The beginning of redemption in Galilee.Hebrew: ספר – הסוד המשיחי[1]
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  29. Duff, Douglas V. (1934) Sword for Hire. The Saga of a Modern Free-Companion. John Murray, London. 1st Edition. pp.219–227
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