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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