# List of earthquakes in 1979

This is a list of earthquakes in 1979. 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. A fairly quiet year once again although there was a number of events which caused significant fatalities. The largest of only 8 magnitude 7.0+ events reached 7.9 and struck Indonesia in September. Ecuador was affected by a magnitude 8.2 in December which left 600 people dead. Other areas suffering from deadly events included Iran, Colombia, Indonesia and present day Montenegro.

## By death toll

| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 600 | 7.7 | Ecuador, off the coast of Esmeraldas Province | IX (Violent) | 24.0 | December 12 |
| 2 | 350 | 6.6 | Iran, South Khorasan Province | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | November 14 |
| 3 | 200 | 6.7 | Iran, South Khorasan Province | VIII (Severe) | 33.0 | January 16 |
| 4 | 131 | 6.9 | Yugoslavia, Bar Municipality, Montenegro | X (Extreme) | 10.0 | April 15 |
| 5 | 115 | 7.9 | Indonesia, Yapen | VIII (Severe) | 5.0 | September 12 |
| 6 | 72 | 6.4 | Colombia, Valle del Cauca Department | IX (Violent) | 108.0 | November 23 |
| 7 | 42 | 5.5 | China, Jiangsu Province | VIII (Severe) | 11.0 | July 9 |
| 8 | 30 | 6.1 | Indonesia, West Java | VI (Strong) | 62.0 | November 2 |
| 9 | 27 | 6.3 | Indonesia, Bali | VI (Strong) | 33.0 | December 17 |
| 10 | 22 | 6.1 | Indonesia, Bali | V (Moderate) | 25.0 | May 30 |
| 11 | 18 | 6.9 | Peru, Arequipa Region | VII (Very strong) | 53.0 | February 16 |
| 12 | 17 | 7.1 | Iran, South Khorasan Province | VIII (Severe) | 10.0 | November 27 |
Listed are earthquakes with at least 10 dead.

## By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 7.9 | 115 | Indonesia, Yapen | VIII (Severe) | 5.0 | September 12 |
| 2 | 7.7 | 600 | Ecuador, off the coast of Esmeraldas Province | IX (Violent) | 24.0 | December 12 |
| 3 | 7.6 | 5 | Mexico, Guerrero | VIII (Severe) | 49.0 | March 14 |
| 4 | 7.4 | 0 | New Zealand, off the south coast of South Island | V (Moderate) | 33.0 | October 12 |
| = 5 | 7.1 | 0 | United States, southeast Alaska | IX (Violent) | 15.0 | February 28 |
| = 5 | 7.1 | 0 | Philippines, Babuyan Islands | VI (Strong) | 15.0 | August 26 |
| = 5 | 7.1 | 0 | Solomon Islands, Makira | VII (Very strong) | 22.0 | October 23 |
| = 5 | 7.1 | 17 | Iran, South Khorasan Province | VIII (Severe) | 10.0 | November 27 |
Listed are earthquakes with at least 7.0 magnitude.

## By month
### January

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 16 | Iran, South Khorasan Province | 6.7 | 33.0 | VIII | 200 people were killed and at least 101 were injured. Some damage was caused. | 200 | 101 |
| 17 | Soviet Union, Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan | 6.0 | 0.0 | | Nuclear test. | | |
| 26 | Mexico, Guerrero | 6.6 | 41.0 | VI | | | |
| 27 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.3 | 25.0 | | | | |
| 27 | United States, Alaska Peninsula | 6.0 | 17.0 | V | | | |

### February

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 11 | Philippines, off the southeast coast of Mindanao | 6.1 | 142.0 | IV | | | |
| 13 | United States, Alaska Peninsula | 6.7 | 33.0 | IV | | | |
| 16 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.2 | 60.0 | V | | | |
| 16 | Peru, Arequipa Region | 6.9 | 53.0 | VII | 18 people were killed and at least 51 were injured. Some damage was caused. | 18 | 51 |
| 20 | Japan, off the east coast of Honshu | 6.4 | 10.0 | | | | |
| 28 | United States, southeast Alaska | 7.1 | 15.0 | IX | Some damage was reported due to the 1979 Saint Elias earthquake. | | |

### March

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 8 | Indonesia, off the north coast of Minahasa Peninsula | 6.0 | 28.0 | VI | | | |
| 9 | Papua New Guinea, Central Province (Papua New Guinea) | 6.1 | 33.0 | V | | | |
| 14 | Mexico, Guerrero | 7.6 | 49.0 | VIII | The 1979 Petatlán earthquake killed 5 people and injured 35 . 200 homes were destroyed with property damage costs $30 million (1979 rate). | 5 | 35 |
| 15 | China, Yunnan Province | 6.2 | 33.0 | VII | | | |
| 23 | Dominican Republic, off the south coast | 6.1 | 80.0 | VI | | | |

### April

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 9 | Yugoslavia, off the coast of Ulcinj Municipality, Montenegro | 5.3 | 10.0 | V | Foreshock to April 15 event. Some damage was caused. | | |
| 10 | Indonesia, Molucca Sea | 6.8 | 37.0 | V | | | |
| 15 | Yugoslavia, Bar Municipality, Montenegro | 6.9 | 10.0 | X | The 1979 Montenegro earthquake was one of the worst in the Balkan Peninsula. 131 people died and at least 1,001 were injured. Substantial property damage was caused with costs of $2.7 billion (1979 rate). | 131 | 1,001 |
| 28 | Chile, Atacama Region | 6.1 | 23.0 | VI | | | |

### May

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 1 | Philippines, Mindanao | 6.0 | 23.0 | VI | | | |
| 1 | France, southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia | 6.4 | 79.0 | VII | | | |
| 20 | United States, Alaska Peninsula | 6.4 | 71.0 | VI | Minor damage was caused. | | |
| 21 | Indonesia, Bali | 5.7 | 76.0 | V | Foreshock to May 30 event. Some damage was caused. | | |
| 21 | Peru, Puno Region | 6.0 | 208.0 | | | | |
| 24 | Yugoslavia, Kotor Municipality, Montenegro | 6.2 | 8.0 | VIII | Aftershock of April 15 event. 65 people were hurt and some damage was caused. | | 65 |
| 30 | Indonesia, Bali | 6.1 | 25.0 | V | 22 deaths were caused along with $4.15 million (1979 rate) in damage. | 22 | |

### June

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 2 | Australia, Western Australia | 6.1 | 6.0 | VIII | Damage with costs of $1.5 million (1979 rate) was caused. | | |
| 22 | Mexico, Oaxaca | 6.3 | 107.0 | VI | | | |
| 23 | Soviet Union, East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan | 6.3 | 0.0 | | Nuclear test. | | |
| 25 | Papua New Guinea, Madang Province | 6.2 | 189.0 | IV | Some damage was caused. | | |

### July

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 1 | Panama, Chiriqui Province | 6.5 | 28.0 | VII | $2 million (1979 rate) in damage were reported. | | |
| 4 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | 6.0 | 78.0 | V | | | |
| 9 | China, Jiangsu Province | 5.5 | 11.0 | VIII | Despite being a moderate magnitude there was extensive damage caused by this event. 42 people were killed and 2,987 were injured. 113,909 rooms (homes) were destroyed and 272,884 were damaged. 11 bridges were damaged. | 42 | 2,987 |
| 18 | Turkey, Balikesir Province | 5.2 | 10.0 | VI | 200 homes were destroyed. | | |
| 24 | Indonesia, south of Java | 6.9 | 31.0 | | | | |

### August

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 4 | Soviet Union, East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan | 6.1 | 0.0 | | Nuclear test. | | |
| 6 | United States, northern California | 5.8 | 8.3 | VIII | 16 injuries were caused by the 1979 Coyote Lake earthquake. Some damage was caused in the area. Costs were $500,000 (1979 rate). | | 16 |
| 16 | North Korea, off the northeast coast | 6.1 | 588.0 | | | | |
| 17 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.1 | 17.0 | V | | | |
| 18 | Soviet Union, East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan | 6.1 | 0.0 | | Nuclear test. | | |
| 20 | Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province | 6.1 | 229.0 | IV | | | |
| 24 | Costa Rica, Puntarenas Province | 6.4 | 40.0 | VI | | | |
| 24 | China, western Inner Mongolia | 5.9 | 33.0 | VI | 104 people were injured and 400 homes were destroyed. | | 104 |
| 26 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.0 | 10.0 | IV | | | |
| 26 | Philippines, Babuyan Islands | 7.1 | 15.0 | VI | | | |

### September

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 12 | Indonesia, Yapen | 7.9 | 5.0 | VIII | During the 1979 Yapen earthquake, 115 people were killed and at least 101 were injured. Most of the deaths were from a tsunami which swept across nearby islands. 1,000 homes were destroyed. | 115 | 101 |
| 19 | Italy, Umbria | 5.9 | 16.0 | IX | 5 people were killed and at least 5,000 were injured. Major damage was caused. | 5 | 5,000 |
| 29 | Indonesia, off the west coast of northern Sumatra | 6.8 | 27.0 | | | | |

### October

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 9 | Guatemala, Jutiapa Department | 5.0 | 33.0 | VII | 40 people were hurt and some damage was caused. | | 40 |
| 12 | New Zealand, off the south coast of South Island | 7.4 | 33.0 | V | | | |
| 15 | Mexico, Baja California | 6.4 | 15.0 | X | The 1979 Imperial Valley earthquake caused major damage in the area. 91 people were injured. Extensive damage was caused to buildings and infrastructure. Costs were $30 million (1979 rate). | | 91 |
| 17 | Indonesia, Biak | 6.0 | 33.0 | VI | Aftershock of September 12 event. | | |
| 20 | Indonesia, Bali | 6.2 | 38.0 | VI | 2 people were killed and 40 were hurt. Some damage was caused. | 2 | 40 |
| 23 | Solomon Islands, Makira | 7.1 | 22.0 | VII | | | |
| 27 | Guatemala, offshore Escuintla Department | 6.8 | 58.0 | rowspan="2"| 4 deaths were caused as well as 20 injuries in El Salvador. 3 people were hurt in Guatemala. Some damage was caused. Doublet earthquake. | 4 | 23 |
| 27 | Guatemala, offshore Escuintla Department | 6.6 | 65.0 | VI | | |
| 28 | Soviet Union, East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan | 6.0 | 0.0 | | Nuclear test. | | |

### November

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 2 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.1 | 33.0 | VI | | | |
| 2 | Indonesia, West Java | 6.1 | 62.0 | VI | 30 people were killed and 200 were injured. Damage costs of $16 million (1979 rate) were reported. | 30 | 200 |
| 6 | Greece, Epirus (region) | 5.4 | 40.0 | VIII | 1 person died and 3 were injured. Major damage was caused. | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Solomon Islands | 6.1 | 30.0 | V | | | |
| 9 | New Hebrides, Vanuatu | 6.1 | 45.0 | VI | | | |
| 13 | Indonesia, off the south coast of Sumatra | 6.3 | 47.0 | IV | | | |
| 13 | Tonga | 6.6 | 32.0 | | | | |
| 14 | Iran, South Khorasan Province | 6.6 | 33.0 | VIII | Foreshock to the 1979 Ghaenat earthquakes mainshock on November 27. 350 deaths were caused along with major damage. | 350 | |
| 16 | Fiji | 6.9 | 33.0 | VIII | Some damage was reported. | | |
| 19 | Philippines, Mindanao | 6.1 | 85.0 | V | | | |
| 23 | Colombia, Valle del Cauca Department | 6.4 | 108.0 | IX | 72 people were killed and 600 were injured. $20 million (1979 rate) in damage was reported. | 72 | 600 |
| 27 | Iran, South Khorasan Province | 7.1 | 10.0 | VIII | In the 1979 Ghaenat earthquakes, 17 people died and 24 were injured. Major damage was caused. | 17 | 24 |

### December

| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Casualties | Casualties |
| Date | Country and location | M$_w$ | Depth (km) | MMI | Notes | Dead | Injured |
| 2 | Soviet Union, East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan | 6.0 | 0.0 | | Nuclear test. | | |
| 7 | Iran, South Khorasan Province | 6.0 | 31.0 | VIII | Aftershock of November 27 event. Further damage was reported. | | |
| 12 | Ecuador, off the coast of Esmeraldas Province | 8.2 | 24.0 | IX | Deadliest event of 1979. 600 people were killed in the 1979 Tumaco earthquake and a tsunami which was generated. 20,000 people were injured. 10,000 homes were destroyed and costs reached $8 million (1979 rate). | 600 | 20,000 |
| 15 | Indonesia, southern Sumatra | 6.6 | 33.0 | VII | 8 people were killed and 162 were hurt. 2,500 homes were destroyed. | 8 | 162 |
| 17 | Indonesia, off the east coast of Bali | 6.3 | 33.0 | VI | The 1979 Bali earthquake left 27 people dead and 200 were injured. Some damage was caused. | 27 | 200 |
| 23 | Soviet Union, East Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan | 6.0 | 0.0 | | Nuclear test. | | |
| 26 | United Kingdom, Cumbria, England | 4.5 | 10.0 | VI | Some minor damage was caused in the area. | | |