This is a list of earthquakes in 1978. Only earthquakes of magnitude 6 or above are included, unless they result in damage and/or casualties, or are notable for some other reason. Events in remote areas will not be listed but included in statistics and maps. Countries are entered on the lists in order of their status in this particular year. All dates are listed according to UTC time. Maximum intensities are indicated on the Mercalli intensity scale and are sourced from United States Geological Survey (USGS) ShakeMap data. Another fairly quiet year as far as earthquakes above magnitude 7.0. The largest of the 12 events in this threshold were magnitude 7.7 and both Japan and Mexico experienced these. The Kuril Islands in Russia had a robust series of large earthquakes in March. Iran dominated the death toll for the year. One event in September left 20,000 dead. Japan had two destructive events including the joint largest event of the year. October had no events above magnitude 6 which is an unusual quiescence.

By death toll Rank Death toll Magnitude Location MMI Depth (km) Date 1 , Yazd Province 2 , Khuzestan Province 3 , East Macedonia and Thrace 4 , off the south coast of Honshu 5 , off the east coast of Honshu 6 , Chimaltenango Department Listed are earthquakes with at least 10 dead.

By magnitude Rank Magnitude Death toll Location MMI Depth (km) Date = 1 , off the east coast of Honshu = 1 , Oaxaca 2 , Kuril Islands, Russia 3 , Kuril Islands, Russia = 4 , off the southeast coast = 4 , Yazd Province 5 , Kermadec Islands = 6 , Issyk-Kul Region, Kyrgyzstan = 6 = 7 = 7 , Guanacaste Province = 7 , off the east coast Listed are earthquakes with at least 7.0 magnitude.

By month

January

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , north of Luzon 6.1 33.0 , Kuril Islands 6.0 33.0 , off the south coast of Honshu 6.7 14.0 29 129 , Kermadec Islands 6.3 22.0 , Kermadec Islands 6.2 20.0 , San Juan 6.0 19.5 , Kuril Islands 6.0 39.2 , West New Britain Province 6.1 79.5 , East New Britain Province 6.6 44.0 , offshore 6.4 106.3 , New Ireland 6.0 15.0

February

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Kermadec Islands 7.2 33.0 , Kermadec Islands 6.6 33.0 Aftershock. , Erzincan Province 4.8 33.0 20 people were injured and 525 homes were destroyed. 20 , off the east coast of Honshu 6.1 60.0 30 people were hurt and some damage was caused. 30

March

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured 6.2 33.0 6.3 33.0 , off the east coast of New Ireland (island) 6.2 78.0 , Izu Islands 6.9 439.0 A magnitude 6.0 foreshock occurred seconds earlier. Italy, Calabria 5.6 33.0 2 people died and at least 51 were injured. Some damage was reported. 2 51 , Kandahar Province 5.9 33.0 1 person was killed and some damage was caused. 1 , Guerrero 6.4 36.0 1 person died and 25 people were injured. Some damage was caused. 1 25 , Kuril Islands, Russia 6.7 33.0 Beginning of a series of large events. , Kuril Islands, Russia 6.6 33.0 , Kuril Islands, Russia 6.8 46.0 , Kuril Islands, Russia 7.5 33.0 A small tsunami was observed. , Kuril Islands, Russia 6.8 33.0 , Kuril Islands, Russia 7.6 33.0 A small tsunami was observed. , Issyk-Kul Region, Kyrgyzstan 7.1 33.0 Major damage was reported.

April

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , western Xizang Province 6.0 27.0 , north of 6.1 35.0 , south of Lombok 6.7 33.0 , south of Kodiak Island, Alaska 6.6 14.0 , Rasina District, Serbia 5.7 33.0 Some damage was caused. Italy, off the north coast of Sicily 5.7 14.0 5 people were killed. 400 homes were destroyed. 5 Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal 6.2 46.0

May

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Vanuatu 6.7 160.0 , off the south coast of Kyushu 6.3 161.0 , East Macedonia and Thrace 5.7 10.0 2 people were injured and some damage was caused. 2 , Andreanof Islands, Alaska 6.7 25.0 , Volcano Islands 6.8 33.0

June

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Shimane Prefecture, Honshu 4.9 19.0 1 person was injured and some damage was caused. 1 , Bukhara Region, Uzbekistan 6.0 33.0 6.2 33.0 , west of Vancouver Island 6.1 10.0 , off the east coast of Honshu 7.7 44.0 Largest event of 1978. The 1978 Miyagi earthquake caused 28 deaths and nearly 10,000 injuries. Property damage was extensive with costs reaching $865 million (1978 rate). A tsunami was generated. 28 10,000 , off the east coast of Honshu 6.3 40.0 Aftershock. , off the west coast of Mindanao 6.9 24.0 , eastern Mindanao 6.0 139.0 7.0 33.0 , East Macedonia and Thrace 6.4 3.0 The 1978 Thessaloniki earthquake resulted in 50 deaths and at least 101 injuries. Major damage was caused with costs being $250 million (1978 rate). 50 101 , off the coast of southern Sumatra 6.4 33.0

July

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , New Ireland (island) 6.0 43.0 , off the southeast coast 7.4 17.0 , Chimaltenango Department 4.9 10.0 17 people were killed and a further 101 were injured. Some damage was caused. 17 101

August

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Atacama Region 6.3 58.0 13 people were hurt and major damage was caused. 13 , off the north coast of West Papua (province) 6.1 33.0 , Santa Barbara Channel, California 5.1 18.0 65 people were injured and property damage worth $15 million (1978 rate) was caused by the 1978 Santa Barbara earthquake. 65 , Guanacaste Province 7.0 56.0

September

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured 6.2 33.0 , off the northeast coast 6.1 109.0 , Baden-Wurttemberg 5.3 8.0 Many (at least 101) people were injured. Major damage was reported with costs reaching $150 million (1978 rate). 101 , Vanuatu 6.0 198.0 , East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan 6.0 0.0 Nuclear test. , Yazd Province 7.4 33.0 Deadliest event of 1978. Around 20,000 people were killed in the 1978 Tabas earthquake. Major property damage was caused with costs reaching $50 million (1978 rate). 20,000 , Vanuatu 6.3 201.0

October

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured

November

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, Tajikistan 6.8 40.0 Major damage was caused. , Gilan Province 6.1 34.0 6.9 33.0 Beginning of a series of events. 6.0 33.0 7.1 33.0 6.1 33.0 , East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan 6.0 0.0 Nuclear test. , Oaxaca 7.7 18.0 Largest event in 1978. 9 people were killed in the 1978 Oaxaca earthquake. At least 101 people were injured. Some damage was caused. 9 101

December

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured 6.0 93.0 , Kuril Islands, Russia 6.7 91.0 Some damage was caused. , Mindanao 6.9 33.0 , Khuzestan Province 6.2 33.0 76 people were killed and at least 51 were injured. Some damage was caused. 76 51 , Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan 6.0 0.0 Nuclear test. 6.3 30.0 , off the east coast 7.0 33.0 2 people were killed and 3 were injured. 2 3

References

External links