Significant Earthquakes of the World
1979
SIGNIFICANT EARTHQUAKES OF THE WORLD, 1979
Earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or greater or ones that caused fatalities, injuries or substantial damage.
BRK--Berkeley, PAL--Palisades, N.Y., PAS--Pasadena, TRI--Trieste, Italy
DATE ORIGIN TIME GEOGRAPHIC DEPTH MAGNITUDE REGION, ADDITIONAL MAGNITUDES AND COMMENTS
UTC COORDINATES
HR MN SEC LAT LONG
JAN 16 09:50:10.1 33.90 N 59.47 E 33 6.9 Iran
5.9mb(GS) 6.7MS(GS) 6.9MS(BRK) 6.8MS(PAS)
At least 200 people killed, many injured, and considerable
damage in Bonzonabad and surrounding areas.
JAN 25 04:08:14.2 29.94 S 177.46 W 14 6.5 Kermadec Islands
6.0mb(GS) 6.4MS(GS) 6.5MS(BRK) 6.2MS(PAS)
JAN 26 10:04:32.0 17.41 N 100.88 W 41 6.9 Guerrero, Mexico
5.8mb(GS) 6.6MS(GS) 6.9MS(BRK) 6.6mb(PAS) 6.0MS(PAS)
Felt widely in central Mexico. Felt strongly in Mexico City.
FEB 13 05:34:25.9 55.45 N 157.16 W 33 6.8 Alaska Peninsula
5.9mb(GS) 6.7MS(GS) 6.6MS(BRK) 6.8mb(PAS) 6.4MS(PAL) 6.5MS(PAS)
Felt at Chignik.
FEB 16 10:08:53.4 16.39 S 72.66 W 53 6.9 Near coast of Peru
6.2mb(GS) 6.9MS(GS) 6.3MS(PAS) 6.9mb(PAS)
At least 18 persons killed, a number injured, and
considerable damage in the Arequipa area.
FEB 20 06:32:32.2 40.23 N 143.70 E 10 6.7 Off east coast of Honshu, Japan
6.0mb(GS) 6.4MS(GS) 6.5MS(BRK) 6.1MS(PAS) 6.7mb(PAS)
Felt (III JMA) at Morioka, Honshu and Obihiro, Hokkaido, (II
JMA) at Aomori and Hachinohe, Honshu, and Hiroo, Urakawa and
Kushiro, Hokkaido and (I JMA) at Sendai, Sakata and Yokohama,
Honshu and Hakodate and Sapporo, Hokkaido.
FEB 28 21:27:06.1 60.64 N 141.59 W 15 6.9 Southeastern Alaska
6.4mb(GS) 7.1MS(GS) 7.3MS(BRK) 7.4MS(PAS) 6.9ML(PMR)
Slight damage in the Valdez-Yakutat and Juneau-Haines areas,
Alaska and in the Kluane-Beaver Creek area, Yukon Territory.
Maximum intensity VII at Icy Bay Lumber Camp, Alaska. Felt
over an area of about 500,000 sq km of Alaska, Yukon
Territory, and northern British Columbia. 30 cm tsunami
reported at Yakutat.
MAR 14 11:07:16.3 17.81 N 101.28 W 49 7.6 Near coast of Guerrero, Mexico
6.5mb(GS) 7.6MS(GS) 7.6MS(BRK) 7.5MS(PAL) 7.2MS(PAS)
Five people killed, many injured, and extensive damage in the
Mexico City area. Extensive damage at many villages in
Guerrero and slight damage at Acapulco, Gudalajara, Monterrey
and Puebla.
MAR 23 19:32:31.1 17.99 N 69.04 W 80 6.4 Dominican Republic region
6.1mb(GS) 6.4mb(PAS)
One person was injured when jumping from a window of
three-story building at San Francisco de Macoris. Minor
damage in the Santo Domingo area. Felt strongly throughout
the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Also felt in Haiti,
along the north coast of Colombia, and at Caracas, Venezuela.
APR 10 01:42:22.0 2.96 N 126.93 E 37 7.2 Molucca Passage
6.6mb(GS) 6.8MS(GS) 7.2MS(BRK) 7.1MS(PAS) 6.7mb(PAS)
Felt (II RF) on Mindanao.
APR 14 10:00:24.9 36.01 S 102.60 W 10 6.8 Southern Pacific Ocean
6.1mb(GS) 6.5MS(GS) 6.8MS(BRK) 6.6MS(PAS)
APR 15 06:19:40.1 42.00 N 19.02 E 10 4.9 Yugoslavia
4.9mb(GS)
Foreshock.
APR 15 06:19:44.1 42.10 N 19.21 E 33 6.9 Yugoslavia
6.2mb(GS) 6.9Ms(GS) 7.3MS(BRK) 7.0MS(PAS) 6.9ML(TRI)
At least 121 people killed, more than 1,000 injured, 100,000
homeless, and extensive damage (IX) along the southwestern
coast of Yugoslavia. Local tsunami reported in Kotor Bay
causing considerable damage. Thirty-five people killed, 400
injured, and extensive damage (VIII) in northern Albania.
Also felt over a wide area of Europe. Tsunami reported in
Kotor Bay causing considerable damage.
APR 23 13:01:58.6 31.24 N 35.46 E 33 5.1 Dead Sea Region
5.1mb(GS) 4.3MS(GS)
One person injured and slight damage in the Hebron area.
Slight damage in the Tel Aviv-Natanya area, Israel, Jordan,
and Lebanon.
APR 24 01:45:09.0 20.83 S 178.69 W 599 6.7 Fiji Island region
6.0mb(GS) 6.7mb(BRK) 6.5mb(PAS)
MAY 01 13:03:37.1 21.24 S 169.80 E 79 7.2 Loyalty Islands region
6.4mb(GS) 7.2mb(PAS)
Felt (V) on Tanna and (II) at Port-Vila, New Hebrides
Islands.
MAY 20 08:14:00.1 56.64 N 156.73 W 71 6.5 Alaska Peninsula
6.4mb(GS) 6.2mb(BRK) 6.1MS(PAS) 6.5mb(PAS)
Felt on Kodiak Island and at King Salmon and Dillingham.
MAY 21 16:31:05.2 8.30 S 115.93 E 76 5.7 Bali Island region
5.7mb(GS)
Four persons injured and extensive damage on Lombok Island.
Minor damage on Bali island.
MAY 24 17:23:18.2 42.26 N 18.75 E 33 6.3 Yugoslavia
5.8mb(GS) 6.2MS(GS) 6.3MS(BRK) 6.1MS(PAS)
At least 65 persons were injured and additional damage (VIII)
in the Kotor-Ulcinj area, Yugoslavia. Felt (VI) in northern
Albania.
MAY 30 09:38:52.9 8.21 S 115.95 E 25 6.1 Sumbawa Island region
6.1mb(GS) 5.8MS(GS)
37 people killed, many injured, and extensive damage on
Lombok. Slight damage on Bali.
JUN 02 09:47:58.1 30.81 S 117.18 E 6 6.4 Western Australia
6.0mb(GS) 6.1MS(GS) 6.4MS(BRK) 6.4MS(PAS)
One person injured and damage estimated to be $1.5 million at
Cadoux. 12 km north-south fault with 0.5 meter vertical
displacement observed east of Cadoux.
JUN 14 11:44:45.9 38.81 N 26.53 E 23 5.5 Aegean Sea
5.8mb(GS) 5.6MS(GS) 5.5ML(ATH) 5.4ML(ISK)
Damage in the area of Izmir, Turkey.
JUN 25 05:29:05.6 4.98 S 145.58 E 189 6.5 East Papa New Guinea region
6.2mb(GS) 6.5mb(PAS)
Slight damage at Mount Hagen. Felt along the New Guinea coast
from Lae to Wewak and in the highlands from Mount Hagen to
Kainantu.
JUL 01 20:38:04.0 8.32 N 82.94 W 28 6.7 Panama-Costa Rica border region
5.5mb(GS) 6.5MS(GS) 6.7MS(BRK) 5.9MS(PAS)
Damage at Puerto Armuelles, Panama. Estimated $2 million
damage to petroleum loading facilities in the Puerto
Armuelles area. Felt strongly in southeastern Costa Rica.
JUL 02 16:30:48.9 34.44 N 74.30 E 106 4.5 Southwestern Kashmir
4.5mb(GS)
Three people died from heart attacks in the Baramula-Sopur
area. Some minor damage was also reported.
JUL 09 10:57:22.1 31.45 N 119.24 E 11 5.5 Eastern China
5.5mb(GS) 5.4MS(GS)
Forty-one people were killed, more than 2,000 injured, and
considerable damage in the Liyang area. Felt widely in
eastern China.
JUL 24 19:31:19.8 11.15 S 107.71 E 31 6.9 South of Java
6.3mb(GS) 6.9MS(GS) 6.9MS(BRK) 6.9MS(PAS)
AUG 05 00:53:45.9 22.72 S 177.49 W 250 6.6 South of Fiji Islands
6.4mb(GS) 6.4mb(BRK) 6.6mb(PAS)
AUG 06 17:05:22.7 37.10 N 121.50 W 6 5.7 Central California
5.4mb(GS) 5.7MS(GS) 5.9ML(BRK)
Several people injured. Damage in the Gilroy-Hollister area.
Felt from Santa Rosa to Fresno, and to the east as far as
Reno, Nevada.
AUG 16 21:31:26.3 41.81 N 130.79 E 588 6.7 North Korea
6.1mb(GS) 6.4mb(BRK) 6.7mb(PAS)
Felt (I JMA) on Honshu and Hokkaido, Japan.
AUG 22 18:28:55.6 52.27 N 157.33 E 134 6.5 Kamchatka
5.6mb(GS) 6.2mb(BRK) 6.5mb(PAS)
Felt (IV) at Petropavlorsk-Kamchatskiy and (III) at
Severo-Kurilsk.
AUG 24 04:26:54.2 8.95 N 83.48 W 40 6.5 Costa Rica
6.1mb(GS) 6.4MS(GS) 6.5MS(BRK) 6.4mb(PAS)
At least 10 people injured and some damage in the San Jose
area. Slight damage in the Puerto Cortes-Golfito area. Felt
strongly in many areas of Costa Rica.
AUG 24 16:59:30.8 41.15 N 108.13 E 33 5.9 Northern China
5.8mb(GS) 5.9MS(GS)
104 people injured and more than 400 houses collapsed in the
Wuyuan area.
AUG 25 08:44:04.0 10.73 N 41.69 W 10 6.6 North Atlantic Ridge
6.1mb(GS) 6.6MS(GS) 6.2MS(BRK) 6.1MS(PAS) 6.5mb(PAS)
AUG 26 14:31:22.1 19.07 N 122.10 E 15 7.1 Philippine Islands region
6.1mb(GS) 7.1MS(GS) 6.7MS(BRK) 6.6MS(PAS)
Felt (V RF) at Aparri, (III RF) at Laoag, (II RF) at Vigan
and (I RF) at Baguio, Luzon.
SEP 12 05:17:51.4 1.68 S 136.04 E 5 7.9 West Irian region
6.3mb(GS) 7.9MS(GS) 7.9MS(BRK) 7.7MS(PAS)
Fifteen people killed, many injured, and extensive damage on
Yapen. Local tsunami reported on the islands of Biak and
Yapen.
SEP 19 21:35:37.2 42.81 N 13.06 E 16 5.9 Central Italy
5.9mb(GS) 5.8MS(GS) 5.9MS(BRK) 5.8ML(TRI)
Five people killed (VIII), at least 5000 people injured and
considerable damage in the Umbria region. Felt over a wide
area of central Italy.
SEP 29 18:37:12.5 1.19 N 94.26 E 27 6.8 Off west coast of Northern Sumatera
6.2mb(GS) 6.8MS(GS) 6.6MS(BRK) 6.7MS(PAS)
Felt in the Padang area.
OCT 09 07:49:29.2 14.32 N 90.08 W 33 5.0 Guatemala
5.0mb(GS) 4.7MS(GS)
Forty persons injured and considerable damage (VII) in Santa
Rosa and Jutiapa Provinces. Landslides were also reported.
Also felt (III) at San Salvador, El Salvador.
OCT 12 10:25:22.3 46.68 S 165.71 E 33 7.5 Off west coast of South Island, New Zealand
6.1mb(GS) 7.4MS(GS) 7.5MS(BRK) 7.3MS(PAS)
Felt widely on southern South Island and Stewart Island.
OCT 15 23:16:54.5 32.63 N 115.33 W 12 6.5 California-Mexico border region
5.7mb(GS) 6.9MS(GS) 7.0ML(BRK) 6.6ML(PAS)
Ninety-one persons injured and damage at Brawley, Calexico,
and El Centro, California, and Mexicali, Mexico. Maximum
intensity IX.
OCT 20 01:41:10.4 8.25 S 115.85 E 38 6.2 Bali region, Indonesia
6.0mb(GS) 6.2MS(GS)
Two people killed, at least 40 injured, and considerable
damage on the islands of Bali and Lombok.
OCT 22 05:58:48.9 0.67 N 125.92 E 33 6.6 Molluca Passage
6.2mb(GS) 6.3MS(GS) 6.3MS(BRK) 6.6MS(PAS)
OCT 23 09:51:06.7 10.62 S 161.28 E 22 7.2 Solomon Islands
6.1mb(GS) 7.1MS(GS) 7.2MS(BRK) 7.2MS(PAS) 6.9mb(PAS)
Slight damage (VI) at Kirakira. Felt (IV) at Honiara.
OCT 27 14:35:57.3 13.83 N 90.88 W 58 6.8 Near coast of Guatemala
5.7mb(GS) 6.8MS(GS) 6.8MS(BRK) 6.8mb(PAS) 6.3MS(PAS)
Four people killed, 20 injured, and considerable damage in El
Salvador. Three people injured and damage in Guatemala. Felt
(V) at San Salvador, El Salvador. This appears to be a
multiple event.
OCT 27 21:43:24.9 13.78 N 90.73 W 65 6.8 Near coast of Guatemala
5.6mb(GS) 6.6MS(GS) 6.8MS(BRK) 6.8mb(PAS) 6.2MS(PAS)
Felt strongly in Guatemala and El Salvador. Felt (IV) at San
Salvador, El Salvador.
NOV 02 15:53:03.5 7.66 S 108.25 E 62 6.1 Java
6.1mb(GS)
30 people killed, 200 injured, and extensive damage in
western Java.
NOV 06 05:26:17.7 39.54 N 20.40 E 40 5.4 Greece-Albania border region
5.4mb(GS) 5.2MS(GS)
One person killed, three injured and considerable damage in
northwestern Greece.
NOV 06 11:38:31.5 9.50 S 159.22 E 30 6.5 Solomon Islands
6.0mb(GS) 6.1MS(GS) 6.5MS(PAS) 6.0MS(BRK)
Felt (V) at Honiara.
NOV 13 20:43:38.8 23.58 S 174.86 W 32 6.6 Tonga Islands region
6.5mb(GS) 6.6MS(GS) 6.1MS(BRK) 6.4MS(PAS)
NOV 14 02:21:22.1 33.92 N 59.74 E 33 6.8 Iran
6.0mb(GS) 6.6MS(GS) 6.8MS(PAS)
280 people killed, 55 injured, and extensive damage in
northeastern Iran. This appears to be a multiple event.
NOV 16 15:21:25.7 16.76 S 179.98 E 33 7.0 Fiji Islands
6.1mb(GS) 6.9MS(GS) 7.0MS(BRK) 6.6MS(PAS)
Damage on the islands of Laucala, Savasavu, Taverini and
Vanua Levu.
NOV 23 23:40:29.8 4.81 N 76.22 W 108 6.7 Colombia
6.4mb(GS) 6.7mb(PAS)
At least 52 people killed, 600 injured, and extensive damage
in the Manizales-Armenia area. Felt throughout Colombia and
(IV) in western Venezuela. Also felt in Ecuador and Panama.
Dams, caused by earthquake related mudslides, broke on the
Playonero and Cachira rivers during torrential rains killing
at least 20 more people with as many as 60 missing in the
towns of El Playon and Lebrija.
NOV 27 17:10:32.9 33.96 N 59.73 E 10 7.5 Iran
6.1mb(GS) 7.1MS(GS) 7.5MS(BRK) 7.3MS(PAS)
At least 17 people killed, 24 injured, and extensive damage
in northeastern Iran.
DEC 07 09:24:00.2 34.03 N 59.82 E 31 6.3 Iran
5.8mb(GS) 6.0MS(GS) 6.3MS(PAS)
Extensive damage in eastern Iran.
DEC 12 07:59:03.3 1.60 N 79.36 W 24 7.7 Near coast of Ecuador
6.4mb(GS) 7.7MS(GS) 7.7MS(BRK) 7.2mb(PAS) 7.3MS(PAS)
At least 600 people killed, 20,000 injured, and extensive
damage in the Pasto-Tumaco-Buenaventura area and on Gorgona
Island, Columbia. Felt strongly in northwestern Ecuador.
Three meter (peak-to-peak) tsunami reported along the
Colombian coast; 50 cm (peak-to-peak) at Manzanillo, Mexico;
40 cm (peak-to-peak) at Hilo, Hawaii and Kahului, Maui; and 3
cm (peak-to-peak) at Johnston Island.
DEC 15 00:02:41.6 3.30 S 102.71 E 33 6.6 Southern Sumatera
5.8mb(GS) 6.6MS(GS) 6.6MS(BRK) 6.5MS(PAS)
Eight people killed and 162 injured. 2,500 homes collapsed or
damaged, and damage to other buildings in the Bengkulu area.
DEC 17 19:58:23.8 8.39 S 115.89 E 33 6.3 Bali region, Indonesia
5.6mb(GS) 6.3MS(GS) 6.1MS(BRK)
Twenty-seven people killed and 200 injured on Bali. Some
damage on Lombok.
DEC 26 03:57:04.3 54.90 N 2.68 W 10 4.5 United Kingdom
4.5mb(GS)
Slight damage (VI) at Carlisle and Glasgow. Felt in southern
Scotland and northern England. Also felt in Belfast, northern
Ireland and on the island on Man.
2005/07/15 14:53:05
