1766 Istanbul earthquake
A tower near the Hücum Kapısı ("The assault gate") belonging to the walls of Constantinople damaged by the earthquake in an engraving by W. H. Bartlett (ante 1838). | |
| Local date | 22 May 1766 |
|---|---|
| Local time | 05:10 |
| Magnitude | 7.1 Ms |
| Epicenter | 40°48′N 29°00′E / 40.8°N 29°E |
| Fault | North Anatolian Fault |
| Areas affected | Eyalet of Constantinople, Ottoman Empire |
| Tsunami | flooded Bosphorus shores, Galata, Mudanya, Princes' Islands |
| Casualties | 4,000 |
The 1766 Istanbul earthquake was a strong earthquake with epicenter in the eastern part of the Sea of Marmara, in the Çınarcık Basin (or near the Princes' Islands, north of the basin) which occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning, 22 May 1766. The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.1 on the surface-wave magnitude scale, and caused effects in a vast area extending from Izmit to Rodosto (now Tekirdağ). In this area, the earthquake was followed by a tsunami which caused significant damage. The earthquake of 1766 was the last major earthquake to rock Istanbul because of a rupture of the North Anatolian Fault in the Marmara region.