7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck İzmir in western Turkey on July 10, 1688
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Smyrna in 1688, killing around 16,000 people and triggering a tsunami and fire.
Key Facts
- Magnitude
- 7.0 Ms
- Casualties
- ~16,000
- Maximum felt intensity
- X (Extreme) – Mercalli scale
- Duration of main shock
- 10 seconds
- Time of main shock
- 11:45 on 10 July 1688
- Secondary hazards
- Tsunami and fire
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The seismically active region around Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire was susceptible to large tectonic ruptures. A foreshock had already struck on 30 June 1688, signaling ongoing seismic stress along the fault system near the city.
On 10 July 1688, a second and far more destructive earthquake of estimated magnitude 7.0 Ms struck close to Smyrna at 11:45, lasting approximately 10 seconds. It reached a maximum felt intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli scale, causing widespread structural collapse throughout the city.
The earthquake killed approximately 16,000 people. The initial ground shaking was compounded by a subsequent tsunami and a major fire, multiplying destruction across the port city and its surroundings. French Consulate reports, later published by seismologist Nicholas Ambraseys, provided key documentation of the event.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 16,000 (earthquake)