A magnitude ~6 earthquake destroyed the Armenian city of Dvin in 893, killing approximately 30,000 people and leaving a confused legacy in historical records.
Key Facts
- Date
- 28 December 893, around midnight
- Magnitude
- ~6 Richter scale
- Max intensity
- IX (Violent) Mercalli scale
- Casualties
- ~30,000 people
- City destroyed
- Dvin, Armenia
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Dvin region of Armenia lay in a seismically active zone. On 28 December 893, tectonic activity triggered a significant seismic event at approximately midnight, reaching a magnitude of around 6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX.
The earthquake struck the city of Dvin in Armenia, causing violent shaking across the region. The tremors were powerful enough to devastate the urban fabric of one of Armenia's major cities, with intensity classified as IX on the Mercalli scale.
The disaster resulted in approximately 30,000 casualties and the destruction of Dvin. Confusion between the Arabic name for Dvin, 'Dabil,' and the Iranian city of Ardabil led some historical catalogues to misattribute the event as the '893 Ardabil earthquake,' a separate entry now considered dubious.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 30,000 (earthquake)