THE 9 JULY 551 AD BEIRUT EARTHQUAKE,EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN REGION |
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| Authors: | RYAD DARAWCHEH MOHAMED REDA SBEINATI CLAUDIO MARGOTTINI SALVATORE PAOLINI |
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| Institution: | 1. Atomic Energy Commission of Syria , P.O. Box 6091, Damascus, Syria;2. Italian Agency for New Technology, Energy and Environment , S.P. 67 - Via Anguillarese, 301 - 00060 S. Maria di Caleria, Rome, Italy;3. Italian Agency for New Technology, Energy and Environment , P.O. Box 65 - 00044 Frascati, Rome, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Analysis of the Byzantine primary and secondary sources for identifying the historical earthquakes in Syria and Lebanon reveals that a large earthquake (M s =7.2) occurred in July 9, 551 AD along the Lebanese littoral and was felt over a very large area in the eastern Mediterranean region. It was a shallow-focus earthquake, associated with a regional tsunami along the Lebanese coast, a local landslide near Al-Batron town, and a large fire in Beirut. It caused heavy destruction with great loss of lives to several Lebanese cities, mainly Beirut, with a maximum intensity between IX-X (EMS-92). The proposed epicentre of the event is offshore of Beirut at about 34.00°N, 35.50° E, indicating that the earthquake appears to be the result of movement along the strike-slip left-lateral Roum fault in southern Lebanon. |
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| Keywords: | Seismology historical earthquakes historical primary sources Lebanon |
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