28 August 846 - 16 August 847
Sources of the Earthquake:
– Al-Dhahabi: In 253 A.H. Rabi’ II, it was a dreadful earthquake in Damascus which lasted for three hours, causing walls to fall down and people die under debris. It extended to Antioch killing 20.000 as it was said, then to Al-Mousel where 50.000 people were killed under debris as it was said.
– Al-Suyuti: In 253 A.H. 11 (847 A.D. November 25) there was a dreadful earthquake in Damascus where houses fell down and people died under debris. This earthquake extended to Antioch causing destruction, to Al-Jazira causing damage, and to Al-Mousel killing 50.000 people as it was said. In his book Al-Zalazel (the earthquakes), Al-Hafez Ibn Asaker men tioned that there was an earthquake in Damascus on Thursday 11 Rab’ 253, destroying a quarter of the Ommyad Mosque the great, the minaret fell down and bridges and houses collapsed, this earthquake reached Al-Ghouta where Darayya, Al-Mazzeh, Bait Lahya and others were destroyed.
New original sources
– Ibn Al-Imad: An earthquake caused heavy shaking in Damascus since morning for 3 hours, destroying houses and displacing huge stones and breaking many windows of Souks and killing many people under debris. Many terraces of Ommyad Mosque the Great fell down, a quarter of its minaret fell down. A village in Al-Ghoutah was overturned on its inhabitants unless one person survived. It was strong at Antioch and Al-Mousel where more than 2.000 houses collapsed over their residents and 20.000 victims.
Seismological compilations:
– Guidoboni et al. (1994): Darayya, Al-Ghoutah, Al-Mousel and Al-Mazzah. A dreadful earthquake occurred at Damascus, causing the walls to collapse and people to die in the ruins, the earthquake reached Antioch and 20.000 people died there and it reached Mawsel where 50.000 people died in the ruins (Al-Dhahabi). The earthquake took place on 24 November 847, it was strong in Damascus, destroying a part of the Ommiad Great Mosque, the minaret fell down and bridges and houses collapsed, it reached Al-Ghouta, Darayya, Al-Mazzeh, Bayt Lahya and others were destroyed (Al-Suyuti).