1756 Düren earthquake
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  | |
| Local date | 15 February 1756 |
|---|---|
| Local time | about 8 a.m. |
| Magnitude | 6.4 ML |
| Depth | 14–16 km |
| Epicenter | 50°29′N 6°28′E / 50.48°N 6.47°E |
| Areas affected | Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
| Max. intensity | MSK-64 VIII (Damaging) |
| Casualties | 4 killed |
The 1756 Düren earthquake occurred on the morning at 8 a.m. near the town of Düren with a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale. It was one of the strongest earthquakes in Central Europe, and the strongest in Germany's recorded history.[1] The depth of the hypocenter is estimated at 14–16 kilometres (8.7–9.9 mi).[2] This earthquake may have been a remotely triggered event from the 1755 earthquake in Lisbon, but there is not enough evidence for this.[citation needed]
The quake caused damage to buildings in the Cologne, Aachen, Jülich and Bad Münstereifel area. The earthquake was felt in Berlin, Stuttgart and as far away as London and Paris. Damage corresponded to intensity level VIII on the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale. According to today's assessment, it reached a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale;[3] significantly stronger than the earthquake in Roermond in 1992, which reached a magnitude of 5.9.