1481 Rhodes earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1481 Rhodes earthquake occurred at 3:00 in the morning on 3 May. It triggered a small tsunami
, which caused local flooding. There were an estimated 30,000 casualties. It was the largest of a series of earthquake
s that affected Rhodes
, starting on 15 March 1481, continuing until January 1482.
and African
plates. The tectonic setting is complex, with a Neogene
history that includes periods of thrusting
, extension
and strike slip
. Currently the island is undergoing a counter-clockwise rotation (17° ±5° in the last 800,000 years) associated with the south Aegean sinistral strike-slip fault system. The island had also been tilted to the northwest during the Pleistocene
, an uplift attributed to a reverse fault lying just to the east of Rhodes.
was sufficiently damaged to require immediate rebuilding (Rhodes was at the time under siege by the Turks). The damage caused by the earthquakes led to a wave of rebuilding after 1481. Damage from the tsunami was said to be greater than from the earthquake. The tsunami caused a large ship to break free from its moorings. It (or another ship) later sank with loss of all its crew after running onto a reef.
ine coasts and a tsunami sediment layer found at Dalaman
, on the southwest coast of Turkey, has been dated at 1473 ±46, consistent with this event.
on 15 March of that year. Following the mainshock on 3 May, earthquakes (presumably aftershock
s) continued until January 1482, with large aftershocks on 5 May, 12 May, 3 October and 18 December. The estimated magnitude for the mainshock is 7.1 on the surface wave magnitude
scale.
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
, which caused local flooding. There were an estimated 30,000 casualties. It was the largest of a series of earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s that affected Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
, starting on 15 March 1481, continuing until January 1482.
Tectonic setting
The island of Rhodes lies on part of the boundary between the Aegean SeaAegean Sea Plate
The Aegean Sea Plate is a small tectonic plate located in the eastern Mediterranean Sea under southern Greece and far western Turkey. Its southern edge is a subduction zone south of Crete, where the African Plate is being swept under the Aegean Sea Plate...
and African
African Plate
The African Plate is a tectonic plate which includes the continent of Africa, as well as oceanic crust which lies between the continent and various surrounding ocean ridges.-Boundaries:...
plates. The tectonic setting is complex, with a Neogene
Neogene
The Neogene is a geologic period and system in the International Commission on Stratigraphy Geologic Timescale starting 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and ending 2.588 million years ago...
history that includes periods of thrusting
Thrust tectonics
Thrust tectonics or contractional tectonics is concerned with the structures formed, and the tectonic processes associated with, the shortening and thickening of the crust or lithosphere.-Deformation styles:...
, extension
Extensional tectonics
Extensional tectonics is concerned with the structures formed, and the tectonic processes associated with, the stretching of the crust or lithosphere.-Deformation styles:...
and strike slip
Strike-slip tectonics
Strike-slip tectonics is concerned with the structures formed by, and the tectonic processes associated with, zones of lateral displacement within the crust or lithosphere.-Deformation styles:-Riedel shear structures:...
. Currently the island is undergoing a counter-clockwise rotation (17° ±5° in the last 800,000 years) associated with the south Aegean sinistral strike-slip fault system. The island had also been tilted to the northwest during the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
, an uplift attributed to a reverse fault lying just to the east of Rhodes.
Damage
Sources refer to destruction in Rhodes Town; the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of RhodesPalace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes
The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes is a palace in the town of Rhodes, on the island of Rhodes in Greece. In the point that today is the palace it was earlier a Byzantine citadel that functioned as headquarters and fortress. The palace was built in the 14th century by the...
was sufficiently damaged to require immediate rebuilding (Rhodes was at the time under siege by the Turks). The damage caused by the earthquakes led to a wave of rebuilding after 1481. Damage from the tsunami was said to be greater than from the earthquake. The tsunami caused a large ship to break free from its moorings. It (or another ship) later sank with loss of all its crew after running onto a reef.
Tsunami
The tsunami appears to have been relatively minor, estimated at a maximum 1.8 m. However, it was observed on the LevantLevant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
ine coasts and a tsunami sediment layer found at Dalaman
Dalaman
Dalaman is a district, as well as the central town of that district, situated on the southwestern coast of Turkey, in the Muğla Province.Dalaman Stream forms much of the western border of the district, where its neighbors are Köyceğiz and Ortaca districts...
, on the southwest coast of Turkey, has been dated at 1473 ±46, consistent with this event.
Earthquake
There was a major foreshockForeshock
A foreshock is an earthquake that occurs before a larger seismic event and is related to it in both time and space. The designation of an earthquake as foreshock, mainshock or aftershock is only possible after the event....
on 15 March of that year. Following the mainshock on 3 May, earthquakes (presumably aftershock
Aftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock...
s) continued until January 1482, with large aftershocks on 5 May, 12 May, 3 October and 18 December. The estimated magnitude for the mainshock is 7.1 on the surface wave magnitude
Surface wave magnitude
The surface wave magnitude scale is one of the magnitude scales used in seismology to describe the size of an earthquake. It is based on measurements in Rayleigh surface waves that travel primarily along the uppermost layers of the earth...
scale.