This is a list of earthquakes in 1980. 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. Although activity was once again below average, 1980 had several deadly events which helped the overall number of deaths surpass 10,000. The largest of just 6 magnitude 7.0+ events measured 7.7 and struck the Solomon Islands in July. The last quarter of the year had the bulk of the deaths. Algeria had its largest earthquake in October. The magnitude 7.3 event caused 5,000 deaths. A fortnight later Mexico suffered 300 lost lives. At the end of November southern Italy was struck by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake which led to nearly 4,700 deaths. Other areas experiencing deaths were Portugal and Nepal.

By death toll Rank Death toll Magnitude Location MMI Depth (km) Date 1 , Chlef Province 2 Italy, Campania 3 , Puebla 4 , Sudurpashchim Province 5 , Azores 6 , Qom Province 7 , Jammu and Kashmir (union territory) Listed are earthquakes with at least 10 dead.

By magnitude Rank Magnitude Death toll Location MMI Depth (km) Date 1 , Santa Cruz Islands 2 , Santa Cruz Islands 3 , Chlef Province = 4 , southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia = 4 , off the coast of northern California 5 , Kuril Islands, Russia Listed are earthquakes with at least 7.0 magnitude.

By month

January

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Azores 6.7 10.0 The 1980 Azores Islands earthquake resulted in 69 deaths and 600 injuries. $5 million (1980 rate) in property damage was reported. 73 400 , off the south coast of Mindanao 6.0 63.0 , central California 5.8 11.0 The 1980 Livermore earthquake left 50 people injured and caused major damage. Damage reached $11.5 million (1980 rate). The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in particular was impacted by the shaking. 50

February

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , north of Macquarie Island 6.5 10.0 , Xinjiang Province 6.1 63.0 , Xizang Province 6.2 33.0 , Kuril Islands, Russia 7.0 44.0 , West New Britain Province 6.6 53.0 , off the southeast coast of Mindanao 6.1 104.0

March

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia 6.7 38.0 , Fox Islands (Alaska) 6.9 33.0 , Luzon 6.3 43.0

April

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , south of 6.7 79.0 , off the south coast of Java 5.8 84.0 Some damage was caused.

May

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured Iran, Gilan Province 6.2 46.0 6.1 20.0 Italy, Basilicata 4.5 24.0 Some damage was reported. , Solola Department 5.3 105.0 Some damage was reported. , Mount St. Helens, Washington (state) 5.7 1.5 This event served as the catalyst for the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. For weeks prior to this minor eruptions and earthquakes rattled the area. The catastrophic explosion which caused the destruction of the surrounding area occurred seconds after this earthquake. , Rasina District, Serbia 5.8 9.0 30 people were injured and some damage was reported. Costs were $5 million (1980 rate). 30 , Long Valley Caldera, California 6.1 6.8 First in a series of large events over the coming days to affect the area. 7 people were injured and some damage was reported. Costs reached $1.5 million (1980 rate). 7 , Long Valley Caldera, California 6.0 6.7 , Long Valley Caldera, California 6.1 11.9 , Tarapaca Region 6.1 114.0 6.1 33.0 , Long Valley Caldera, California 6.2 13.8

June

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Baja California 6.3 6.0 1 death was caused as well as 100 injuries. Some damage was reported. 1 100 , off the northeast coast of Mindanao 6.0 19.0 Foreshock to June 18 event. , off the southeast coast of New Britain 6.0 61.0 Foreshock of June 25 event. 6.5 43.0 , off the northeast coast of Mindanao 6.8 54.0 , East New Britain Province 6.5 49.0 , off the south coast of Honshu 6.2 15.0 7 people were hurt and some damage was caused. 7

July

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Santa Cruz Islands 7.5 33.0 Foreshock to July 17 event. Some damage was caused. , Thessaly 6.4 14.0 rowspan="2"| Doublet earthquake. 1 person was killed and at least 101 were injured. $5 million (1980 rate) in damage was reported. 1 101 , Thessaly 6.3 20.0 , Santa Cruz Islands 6.7 33.0 Aftershock. , Sughd Region, Tajikistan 5.2 33.0 Some damage was caused. , Thessaly 4.0 10.0 Aftershock of July 9 events. 1 person was killed and 17 were injured. Damage costs were $5 million (1980 rate). 1 17 , Kermadec Islands 6.6 49.0 , East Sepik Province 6.5 84.0 , Santa Cruz Islands 7.7 33.0 Largest event in 1980. , San Juan Province (Argentina) 6.1 110.0 Iran, Gilan Province 5.4 62.0 1 person died and major damage was reported. 1 , Kentucky 5.0 10.0 Largest event in Kentucky's history. 2 people were injured and some property damage was caused. Costs reached $1 million (1980 rate). 2 , Santa Cruz Islands 6.7 48.0 Aftershock of July 17 event. , Sudurpashchim Province 6.5 18.0 200 people died and at least 101 were injured during the 1980 Nepal earthquake. Major property damage was caused with costs of $245 million (1980 rate). 200 5,600

August

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Santa Cruz Islands 6.3 33.0 Different location to previous events. , Izabal Department 6.4 22.0 2 deaths were caused by the 1980 Honduras earthquake. At least 101 injuries were caused. Some damage was caused. 2 101 , Guayas Province 5.6 55.0 8 people were killed and 100 were injured. $5 million (1980 rate) in damage was caused. 8 100 , Jammu and Kashmir (union territory) 5.2 25.0 rowspan="2"| Doublet earthquake with both events 14 minutes apart. At least 16 people were killed in total. 40 people were injured. Many homes were destroyed. 16 40 , Jammu and Kashmir (union territory) 5.2 33.0

September

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan 6.2 0.0 Nuclear test. , Chiba Prefecture, Honshu 6.0 73.0 2 people were killed and 73 were hurt. Costs of $1 million (1980 rate) in damage was reported. 2 73 , Sandaun Province 6.5 33.0 , off the west coast of Bougainville Island 6.0 68.0

October

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Hawke's Bay Region, North Island 5.6 32.0 Some damage was reported. 6.0 33.0 , Chlef Province 7.3 10.0 Deadliest event in 1980. The 1980 El Asnam earthquake was the largest event in Algerian history. 5,000 people died and over 9,000 were injured. Catastrophic property damage was caused. 25,000 homes were destroyed. Damage costs reached $5.2 billion (1980 rate). 5,000 9,000 , Chlef Province 6.2 10.0 Aftershock. , southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia 6.7 33.0 Foreshock of October 25 event. , Puebla 6.4 72.0 300 people were killed in the 1980 Oaxaca earthquake. At least 101 people were injured. $5 million (1980 rate) in damage costs were reported. 300 101 , southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia 6.7 33.0 Foreshock of later event. , southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia 7.2 33.0 , southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia 6.5 33.0 Aftershock. , off the east coast of Samar 6.1 48.0

November

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , off the coast of northern California 7.2 19.0 The 1980 Eureka earthquake caused 6 injuries and $2 million (1980 rate) in property damage. 6 , Ayacucho Region 4.9 71.0 7 deaths were caused as well as $1 million (1980 rate) in damage. 7 , Sikkim 6.1 17.0 Italy, Campania 6.9 10.0 The 1980 Irpinia earthquake devastated southern Italy. 4,689 people were killed and 7,700 were injured. $20 billion (1980 rate) in property damage was caused. 4,689 7,700 , Norte de Santander Department 5.0 40.0 36 people were hurt. 30 homes were destroyed. 36

December

+DateCountry and location Mw Depth (km) MMINotes Casualties Dead Injured , Potosi Department 6.1 80.0 , off the west coast of Vancouver Island 6.8 10.0 , Qom Province 5.8 33.0 26 people were killed. Property damage was reported with costs reaching $5 million (1980 rate). 26 6.1 33.0 , Qom Province 5.5 41.0 Aftershock of December 19 event. 3 people died and 139 were injured. $1 million (1980 rate) in further property damage was caused. 3 139 , Kuril Islands, Russia 6.5 33.0

References

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