If you were in Beirut 1471 years ago, you probably had your entire world turned upside down by a great earthquake and tsunami. It occurred on July 9, 551 and was rated 7.5 on the moment magnitude scale and X on the Mercalli intensity scale.
The earthquake-turned-tsunami primarily hit the coast of modern day Lebanon, but was felt as far as Egypt and Iraq. At the time, the region was part of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) empire, under the reign of emperor Justinian I.
The primary area hit spanned from Tripoli to Tyre, and was a result of Lebanon’s position on the Dead Sea Transform, which constitutes the boundary of the Arabian and African plates. This specific instance was triggered by the Mount Lebanon thrust, which ranges from Lebanon’s mountains to its coast.
The water is said to have retreated as far as 3 kms in some locations, while an accurate number of deaths and damage is hard to determine. Contemporary reports from the area suggest that Beirut was completely destroyed, as well as Tripoli, Anfeh, and Jbeil. A pilgrim in the area at the time estimated the death toll to be as high as 30,000.
The city’s local aqueduct was also destroyed, alongside most other buildings. All ships embarked next to the course were also lost into the sea. Accounts recorded as far as ten years after the event spoke of Beirut’s complete destruction. It took decades for the city to recover.
The famous Law School of Beirut ceased operations after this event, ending the region’s role as one of the legal centers of the empire. Some of the law school operations’ were continued in Saida, since it was less affected. In some accounts, Beirut is said to have burned for two months after the tsunami.
Archaeological work to determine the chronology and extent of this event have continued to this day. A new Mount Lebanon thrust is expected 1500-1750 years after this event, although this could vary based on other factors. It may even be overdue.
