Quchan Earthquake of 23 December 1871, Mw=7.2

Quchan Earthquake of 23 December 1871, Mw=7.2

An earthquake with magnitude of Ms=7.2 occurred in Quchan on December 23, 1871. The epicenter of the earthquake was located in the north of Quchan in the coordination of 58.4E and 37.4N. In Atrak valley, about half of Quchan city consisting of schools, mosques and others buildings were destroyed. Fortunately, the death toll was a few since the people had felt some foreshocks before the large event. In the northwestern parts, Jafarabad, Esfanjir and other eight villages were totally destroyed. The earthquake was felt in far distances such as Mashhad and Tehran. A year later, on January 6, 1872, a powerful aftershock had occurred and completed the destructions. Aftershock sequences were lasted for four years.

The most important worldwide earthquakes (M>7) on this day

Date	Time	Y	X	Depth	Mw	Region	Refrence
1871/12/23	–	37.40	58.40	–	7.2	Ghuchan	Amb
1937/12/23	13:18:02	16.749	-98.359	25	7.4	Guerrero, Mexico	USGS
1978/12/23	11:23:12	23.247	122.075	33	7	Taiwan region	USGS