Significant Earthquakes of the World
1980
SIGNIFICANT EARTHQUAKES OF THE WORLD, 1980
Earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or greater or ones that caused fatalities,
injuries or substantial damage.
DATE ORIGIN TIME GEOGRAPHIC DEPTH MAGNITUDES SD NO. REGION, CONTRIBUTED MAGNITUDES AND COMMENTS
UTC COORDINATES GS STA
HR MN SEC LAT LONG MB Msz USED
1980
Jan 1 16 42 40.0 38.82 N 27.78 W 10 G 6.0 6.7 1.1 249 AZORES ISLANDS. Ms 7.2 (BRK), 6.8 (PAS),
At least 56 people killed, 400 or more injured and
extensive damage (VIII) on Terceira. At least four
people killed, some injured and extensive damage on
Sao Jorge. Damage also reported on Graciosa.
Jan 2 20 58 44.2 5.98 N 126.19 E 63 6.0 1.1 178 MINDANAO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. Ms 6.9 (BRK),
6.5 (PAS). mb 6.9 (PAS). Felt (V RF) in southern
Mindanao.
Jan 24 19 00 09.5 37.85 N 121.82 W 11 5.3 5.9 173 CENTRAL CALIFORNIA. . ML 5.5 (BRK). Fifty
people were reported treated for minor injuries.
Considerable damage (VII) in the Livermore area; some damage was also reported at Antioch, Concord, Danville,
Dublin, Modesto, Pittsburg, Pleasanton, Stockton, Tracy and Walnut Creek. Felt throughout the San Francisco-
San Jose area and in the San Joaquin Valley from Sacramento to Fresno.
Feb 7 10 49 16.0 54.16 S 158.89 E 10 G 6.1 6.5 1.0 37 MACQUARIE ISLANDS REGION. Ms 6.4 (BRK), 6.3 (PAS).
Minor damage on Macquarie Island.
Feb 20 02 34 02.9 39.30 N 16.21 E 12 4.6 1.0 59 SOUTHERN ITALY. ML 4.8 (ATH), 4.2 (ROM). One
person died from a heart attack. Minor damage
in the Calabria region.
Feb 23 05 51 03.2 43.53 N 146.75 E 44 D 6.3 7.0 0.9 316 KURIL ISLANDS. Ms 6.9 (BRK), 7.0 (PAS),
Felt (VII) on Shikotan, (IV) at Kurilsk and (III)
at Yuzhno-Kurilsk. Also felt (IV JMA) at Nemuro
and Kushiro, Hokkaido and (III JMA) in the
Obihiro-Urakawa area, Hokkaido. Ten-centimeter
tsunami reported at Nemuro.
Feb 27 21 17 20.2 6.02 S 150.19 E 53 5.8 6.6 1.1 180 NEW BRITAIN REGION. Ms 6.8 (BRK), 6.7 (PAS).
Felt strongly in the Kimbe area. Also felt at
Rabaul.
Feb 27 21 35 21.3 6.19 S 150.23 E 66 5.6 1.0 113 NEW BRITAIN REGION. Ms 6.8 (BRK), 6.6 (PAS).
Mar 8 22 12 10.3 22.67 S 171.36 E 38 6.1 6.7 0.9 99 LOYALTY ISLANDS REGION. Ms 7.1 (BRK), 6.7 (PAS).
Mar 24 03 59 51.3 52.97 N 167.67 W 33 N 6.2 6.9 1.1 350 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS. Ms 7.1 (BRK),
6.9 (PAS). Slight damage (V) at Nikolski. Felt
(IV) at Unalaska. Also felt at Dutch Harbor.
Mar 26 20 43 37.9 23.87 N 45.56 W 10 G 5.9 6.3 1.0 261 NORTH ATLANTIC RIDGE. Ms 6.8 (BRK), 6.3 (PAS).
Mar 31 07 32 31.8 35.45 N 135.47 E 359 5.8 0.9 259 SOUTHERN HONSHU. mb 6.6 (PAS). Felt (II JMA) at
Osaka and in the Tateyama-Onahama area. Felt
(I JMA) at Toyooka and Fukui.
Apr 13 18 04 31.9 23.47 S 177.30 W 79 6.7 1.1 170 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS. mb 6.5 (BRK), 7.2 (PAS).
Apr 16 12 18 20.6 8.08 S 108.79 E 84 5.8 1.1 151 JAVA. Extensive damage at Tasikmalaja.
May 14 11 26 00.6 6.01 S 154.51 E 57 6.1 1.1 129 SOLOMON ISLANDS. Ms 6.5 (BRK), 6.3 (PAS),
mb 6.9 (PAS).
May 18 15 32 11.4 46.21 N 122.19 W 4 4.7 5.2 57 WASHINGTON. . ML 5.0 (GS). Felt (V) at
Yakima and (IV) in many parts of Washington and
Oregon. This earthquake occurred only seconds before the explosion which began the eruption of Mount St. Helens
volcano. This eruption and blast took 396 meters off the top of Mount St. Helens, killed 31 people, left 33
other missing and caused damage of between $500 million and $2 billion U.S. dollars.
May 18 20 02 57.5 43.29 N 20.84 E 9 5.7 5.8 1.0 164 YUGOSLAVIA. Thirty people injured and many
buildings destroyed (VIII) or damaged at
Aleksandrovac, Brus, Kursumlija and Raska.
Landslides were also reported in the area.
Felt in southern Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary
and Romania.
May 25 16 33 44.7& 37.60 N 118.84 W 5 6.1 6.1 246 CALIFORNIA-NEVADA BORDER REGION. .
ML 6.1 (BRK), 6.5 (PAS). Seven people injured,
damage (VII) and rockslides in the Mammoth Lakes-
Crowley Lake area. Rockslides also occurred in
Yosemite National Park. Felt throughout most of
California and in parts of Nevada.
May 25 19 44 51.4 37.57 N 118.82 W 15 5.5 5.8 198 CALIFORNIA-NEVADA BORDER REGION. .
ML 6.1 (BRK), 6.7 (PAS). One person injured,
additional damage (VII) and rockslides in the
Mammoth Lakes-Crowley area. Two people were
seriously injured by a rockslide in Yosemite
National Park. Felt throughout much of
California and parts of Nevada.
May 27 14 50 57.1 37.48 N 118.81 W 13 5.7 6.0 233 CALIFORNIA-NEVADA BORDER REGION. .
ML 6.2 (BRK), 6.3 (PAS). Seven people injured
and minor damage (VI) in the Mammoth Lakes-
Crowley Lake area. Felt throughout much of
California and part of Nevada.
June 9 03 28 18.9 32.22 N 114.99 W 5 5.6 6.4 1.3 141 CALIFORNIA-MEXICO BORDER REGION. ML 6.1 (PAS).
One person killed, 100 injured and considerable
damage in the area southeast of Mexicali, Mexico.
Felt (V) in Yuma County, Arizona and Imperial and
San Diego Counties, California.
June 18 10 49 10.0 15.27 S 173.57 W 43 D 5.9 6.5 1.0 156 TONGA ISLANDS. Ms 6.8 (BRK), 6.7 (PAS).
Felt (V) at Apia, Samoa Islands.
June 18 17 14 54.5 9.48 N 126.66 E 54 5.8 6.8 1.2 124 MINDANAO, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. Ms 7.2 (BRK).
mb 6.8 (PAS). Felt (V RF) at Surigao.
June 25 23 18 20.4 5.23 S 151.69 E 49 D 6.2 6.5 1.0 242 NEW BRITAIN REGION. Ms 6.5 (BRK).
June 29 07 20 05.5 34.81 N 139.18 E 15 5.8 6.2 1.0 222 NEAR SOUTH COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN.
Ms 5.7 (BRK), 6.3 (PAS). Seven people injured
at Ito. Considerable damage (V JMA) and
landslides on the Izu Peninsula and on Oshima.
Felt (IV JMA) in the Tateyama-Tokyo area. Also
felt (II JMA) throughout southeastern Honshu and
on Hachijojima. Nine-centimeter tsunami
reported at Mera.
July 8 23 19 19.8 12.41 S 166.38 E 33 N 5.9 7.5 1.2 170 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS. Ms 7.8 (BRK), 7.2 (PAS).
Felt in the Banks and Santa Cruz Islands. Some
landslides reported.
July 9 02 11 52.8 39.27 N 23.04 E 14 5.8 6.4 1.0 156 AEGEAN SEA. One person killed, many injured and
extensive damage in Magnisia Province, Greece.
Felt in southern Yugoslavia.
July 9 20 56 53.2 12.69 S 166.00 E 33 N 5.2 6.7 1.2 41 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS. Ms 6.9 (BRK), 6.4 (PAS).
Felt in the Santa Cruz Islands.
July 14 16 15 01.7 29.27 S 177.15 W 49 5.8 6.6 1.3 84 KERMADEC ISLANDS. Ms 6.5 (BRK), 6.4 (PAS).
Felt on Raoul Island.
July 16 19 56 46.7 4.46 S 143.52 E 84 6.5 1.0 151 NEW GUINEA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Ms 6.8 (BRK),
6.9 (PAS). Felt in Papua New Guinea and
Irian Jaya, Indonesia.
July 17 19 42 23.2 12.53 S 165.92 E 33 N 5.8 7.9 1.3 95 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS. Ms 8.0 (BRK), 7.5 (PAS).
Felt in the Banks Islands group and Torres
Islands. Tsunami of 26.8 cm (peak-to-peak) at
Kona, Hawaii, 6.7 cm (peak-to-peak) at
Honolulu, Oahu and 8.0 cm (peak-to-peak) at
Apia, Western Samoa.
July 20 21 20 03.9 17.87 S 178.63 W 591 D 6.0 0.9 180 FIJI ISLANDS REGION. mb 6.5 (BRK), 6.3 (PAS).
July 22 05 17 10.1 37.19 N 50.20 E 62 5.4 1.1 122 CASPIAN SEA. One person killed, several injured
and damage in the Lahijan-Rasht area, Iran.
July 22 07 06 23.0 20.30 S 169.61 E 122 D 6.1 0.9 147 VANUATU ISLANDS. mb 6.8 (BRK), 6.7 (PAS).
July 27 18 52 21.8& 38.17 N 83.91 W 8 5.1 4.7 194 KENTUCKY. . mblg 5.0 (PAL), 5.2 (TUL).
Two people injured and considerable damage
reported. Maximum intensity VII at Maysville,
Kentucky. Felt in 15 states and in parts of
southern Ontario, Canada.
July 29 03 11 56.3 13.10 S 166.34 E 48 5.9 6.7 1.3 178 VANUATU ISLANDS. Ms 7.2 (BRK), 6.7 (PAS).
July 29 14 58 40.8 29.60 N 81.09 E 18 D 6.1 6.5 1.0 257 NEPAL. Ms 6.6 (BRK), 6.6 (PAS). One hundred
fifty to 200 people killed, many injured and
extensive damage in western Nepal. At least 13
killed, 40 injured and damage in the Pithoragarh
area, India. Felt strongly at Kathmandu, Nepal
and in the New Delhi area, India.
Aug 9 05 45 09.5 15.89 N 88.52 W 22 6.1 6.4 1.0 185 HONDURAS. Ms 6.7 (BRK), 6.4 (PAS). Two people
killed, many injured and damage in Izabal
Province, Guatemala. Damage reported in
northern Honduras.
Aug 18 15 07 52.6 1.95 S 80.02 W 55 D 5.6 0.9 156 NEAR COAST OF ECUADOR. Ms 5.6 (BRK).
mb 6.1 (PAS). Eight people killed, 100 injured
and extensive damage in the Guayaquil area.
Aug 21 12 07 20.1 41.32 S 80.51 E 10 G 5.6 6.3 0.9 72 MID-INDIAN RISE. Ms 6.8 (BRK), 6.2 (PAS).
Aug 23 21 36 51.6 32.91 N 75.63 E 25 5.2 4.9 1.0 116 KASHMIR-INDIA BORDER REGION. Fifteen people
killed, at least 40 injured and many houses
damaged in the Bhaddu area, Kashmir. Felt in
northern India and in the Lahore-Peshawar
area, Pakistan.
Aug 23 21 50 03.0 32.83 N 75.63 E 33 N 5.2 4.8 1.0 116 KASHMIR-INDIA BORDER REGION. Casualties and damage
in the Bhaddu area, Kashmir. Felt in northern
India and in the Lahore-Peshawar area, Pakistan.
Sep 3 22 12 39.1 3.24 N 78.19 W 33 N 5.7 5.8 0.9 185 SOUTH OF PANANA. Two people injured in
southwestern Colombia.
Sep 23 19 10 22.7 35.95 N 139.63 E 89 5.4 0.8 166 HONSHU, JAPAN. One person killed and five
injured. Felt (IV JMA) at Utsunomiya and
(III JMA) in the Maebashi-Choshi-Ajiro area.
Sep 24 17 54 24.1 35.45 N 139.96 E 73 D 6.0 1.0 256 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN. mb 5.9 (BRK).
Two people killed, at least 73 injured and damage
(IV JMA) in the Tokyo-Tateyama-Utsunomiya area.
Sep 26 15 20 37.1 3.23 S 142.23 E 33 N 5.9 6.5 1.2 184 NEAR NORTH COAST OF NEW GUINEA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA..
Ms 6.6 (BRK).
Oct 10 12 25 23.5 36.20 N 1.35 E 10 G 6.5 7.3 1.1 203 ALGERIA. Ms 7.7 (BRK), 7.2 (PAS). At least
5,000 people killed, 9,000 injured and
extensive damage in the El Asnam area. Felt
throughout northwestern Algeria and in
southeastern Spain. Approximately 42
kilometers of surface rupture observed.
Oct 10 15 39 09.8 36.22 N 1.61 E 10 G 6.0 6.1 1.0 187 ALGERIA. Ms 5.8 (PAS). Additional deaths
and damage in Algeria. Felt in southeastern
Spain.
Oct 24 03 25 34.4 21.99 S 170.17 E 33 N 5.8 6.7 1.2 192 LOYALTY ISLANDS REGION. Ms 6.6 (BRK), 6.8 (PAS).
Felt in the Vanuatu Islands and on New Caledonia.
Oct 24 14 53 35.1 18.21 N 98.24 W 72 6.4 1.1 326 CENTRAL MEXICO. Ms 7.0 (BRK). mb 6.6 (BRK),
7.0 (PAS). At least 300 people killed, many
injured, approximately 150,000 homeless and
extensive damage in central Mexico, mainly in
the Huajuapan de Leon area. Felt throughout
central and southern Mexico and in Guatemala.
Oct 25 07 00 07.9 21.98 S 170.03 E 33 N 5.7 6.7 1.3 118 LOYALTY ISLANDS REGION. Ms 6.4 (BRK), 6.6 (PAS).
Felt in the Vanuatu Islands and on New Caledonia.
Oct 25 11 00 05.1 21.89 S 169.85 E 33 N 5.8 7.2 1.4 124 LOYALTY ISLANDS REGION. Ms 7.1 (BRK), 7.0 (PAS).
Felt in the Vanuatu Islands and on New Caledonia.
Nov 8 07 54 18.2 36.11 N 1.36 E 10 G 5.3 5.1 1.0 143 ALGERIA. Thirty-six people injured and damage in
the El Asnam area.
Nov 8 10 27 34.0 41.12 N 124.25 W 19 D 6.2 7.2 1.1 314 NEAR COAST OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. ML 7.0 (BRK).
Six people injured. Damage (VII) in the Fields
Landing area. Slight damage (VI) at Cresent City
and in many communities along the coast of
Humboldt County. Felt from southern Oregon to
the San Francisco Bay area.
Nov 11 10 36 58.2 51.42 S 28.80 E 10 G 6.2 6.7 0.9 110 SOUTH OF AFRICA. Ms 6.8 (BRK), 6.5 (PAS).
Nov 12 06 58 11.6 13.35 S 74.55 W 71 4.9 0.8 19 PERU. Seven people killed and many homeless in
the Ayacucho area.
Nov 19 19 00 46.9 27.39 N 88.75 E 17 6.0 6.1 1.0 232 SIKKIM. Ms 6.1 (PAS). Eight people injured and
minor damage in the Gangtok area. Felt in
Bangladesh, Bhutan, eastern India and Nepal.
Nov 23 18 34 53.8 40.91 N 15.37 E 10 G 6.0 6.9 1.3 265 SOUTHERN ITALY. Ms 7.2 (BRK), 6.9 (PAS),
ML 6.5 (TRI). Over 3,000 people killed, about
1,900 missing, 7,750 injured, 250,000 homeless
and extensive damage in a 25,000 square kilometer
area of Campania and Basilicata.
Nov 26 17 35 39.1 8.05 N 72.44 W 40 5.0 3.8 0.9 57 VENEZUELA. Thirty-six people injured and 30
buildings damaged in Cucuta area, Colombia. Felt
in the Bucaramanga-Medellin-Bogota area, Colombia
and in the San Cristobal area, Venezuela.
Nov 30 7 41 58.0 40.85 N 15.33 E 10 G 5.1 1.5 40 SOUTHERN ITALY. ML 4.9 (TRI). One person died of
a heart attack at Madonna del Arco near Naples.
Dec 7 17 37 09.7 36.03 N 1.23 E 10 G 5.5 5.7 1.2 122 ALGERIA. Twenty people injured in the El Asnam
area.
Dec 11 18 15 3.5 21.27 S 68.15 W 80 6.1 0.8 195 CHILE-BOLIVIA BORDER REGION. mb 6.2 (BRK),
6.5 (PAS). Felt in northern Argentina.
Dec 17 16 21 58.8 49.48 N 129.50 W 10 G 5.9 6.8 1.2 152 VANCOUVER ISLAND REGION.
Dec 19 01 16 56.0 34.59 N 50.65 E 33 N 5.6 5.8 1.2 165 IRAN. Twenty-six people killed in the Qom-Saveh
area. Felt at Tehran.
Dec 22 12 51 21.0 34.50 N 50.59 E 41 5.5 5.2 1.1 132 IRAN. Three people killed and 139 injured in
the Qom area. Felt at Tehran.
Dec 31 10 32 11.0 46.06 N 151.45 E 33 6.1 6.5 1.0 220 KURIL ISLANDS. Ms 6.4 (BRK), 6.4 (PAS).
Felt (III JMA) at Urakawa and (II JMA) at Nemuro,
Hokkaido Japan. Also felt in the southern Kuril
Islands.
Feeds & Data
