Journal of historian reveals comparable quake in Kahramanmaraş
Musa Kesler - ISTANBUL
The journals of a well-known historian of the period have revealed that Kahramanmaraş, the epicenter of the Feb. 6 quakes, was also severely rattled in 1114, 909 years ago, causing large scale destruction.
The historian known as “Mateos from Urfa [the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa],” in his diaries published by the Turkish Historical Society, described an earthquake of similar destructiveness to the Feb. 6 quakes in Kahramanmaraş in 1114.
“While we were falling into a deep sleep, suddenly a tremendous noise broke out and the whole world shook. The earth trembled violently, the rocks split, and the hills cracked. The mountains resounded violently. They sounded like animals. All the plains and mountains rang as though of copper and swayed like a tree,” Mateos stated while describing the quake that occurred 909 years ago.
“Everyone abandoned hope for their lives and thought that the day of judgement had come. Many cities and region were devastated that night.”
Stating that the earthquake was also felt in many nearby regions, Mateos noted in his journal that many villages and monasteries were destroyed.
“The fate of [Kahramanmaraş] Maraş was so disastrous that about 40,000 people lost their lives. It was a very populated city, and no one had survived this disaster. After the earthquake stopped, it began to snow, and the ground was covered with it.”
