Seismic catastrophes in historical times in Arabia – Destruction of the city of Qalhat (Oman) in the 16th century

Historical records and archaeoseismological analysis reveal two devastating earthquakes that struck the ancient city of Qalhat, Oman, over 300 km from active plate boundaries. The first earthquake, estimated to have a magnitude of Mw 5.5 in 1497 AD, caused significant damage (intensity VII) but was repaired. A second, far more destructive quake (magnitude Mw 6.5–7.0, intensity X-XI) between 1580 and 1592 left the city in ruins, from which it never recovered. The study suggests that the Tiwi Fault or Qalhat Fault may have been responsible for these seismic events, challenging the perception of Arabia's interior as earthquake-free.

Kázmér, M., Gaidzik, K., Al-Tawalbeh, M., Steinritz, V., Reicherter, K., & Hoffmann, G. (2023). Seismic catastrophes in historical times in Arabia – Destruction of the city of Qalhat (Oman) in the 16th century. Quaternary International, 664, 42–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2023.05.016