# List of earthquakes in 1983

This is a list of earthquakes in 1983. 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.

## By death toll

| Rank | Death toll | Magnitude | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 1,342 | 6.8 | Turkey, Erzurum Province | IX (Violent) | 11.6 | October 30 |
| 2 | 663 | 6.3 | Guinea, Boke Region | IX (Violent) | 11.3 | December 22 |
| 3 | 350 | 5.5 | Colombia, Cauca Department | VIII (Severe) | 22.2 | March 31 |
| 4 | 104 | 7.4 | Japan, eastern Sea of Japan | VIII (Severe) | 23.7 | May 26 |
| 5 | 34 | 5.7 | China, Shandong Province | VII (Very strong) | 19.0 | November 6 |
| 6 | 30 | 5.2 | Iran, Mazandaran Province | IV (Light) | 33.0 | March 25 |
| 7 | 26 | 7.4 | Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province | VII (Very strong) | 214.5 | December 30 |
| 8 | 16 | 6.5 | Philippines, Luzon | VIII (Severe) | 28.8 | August 17 |
| 9 | 12 | 4.7 | Yugoslavia, Skopje Statistical Region, North Macedonia | VII (Very strong) | 24.4 | February 25 |
| 10 | 10 | 7.0 | Peru, Department of Amazonas, Peru | VII (Very strong) | 104.2 | April 12 |
| 10 | 10 | 6.4 | Papua New Guinea, East New Britain Province | VI (Strong) | 26.0 | December 22 |
Listed are earthquakes with at least 10 dead.

## By magnitude

| Rank | Magnitude | Death toll | Location | MMI | Depth (km) | Date |
| 1 | 7.6 | 0 | Papua New Guinea, southeast of New Ireland | VII (Very strong) | 88.8 | March 18 |
| 2 | 7.4 | 104 | Japan, eastern Sea of Japan | VIII (Severe) | 23.7 | May 26 |
| 2 | 7.4 | 5 | Chile, Atacama Region | VIII (Severe) | 14.8 | October 4 |
| 2 | 7.4 | 26 | Afghanistan, Badakhshan Province | VII (Very strong) | 214.5 | December 30 |
| 5 | 7.3 | 0 | Indonesia, Banda Sea | VI (Strong) | 178.5 | November 24 |
| 5 | 7.3 | 0 | United Kingdom, Chagos Archipelago | VI (Strong) | 10.0 | November 30 |
| 7 | 7.2 | 0 | United Kingdom, South Sandwich Islands | ( ) | 24.0 | October 22 |
| 8 | 7.1 | 6 | Costa Rica, Puntarenas Province | VIII (Severe) | 37.0 | April 3 |
| 8 | 7.1 | 0 | Soviet Union, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia | VII (Very strong) | 62.6 | August 17 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 0 | Greece, Ionian Islands | VIII (Severe) | 14.3 | January 17 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 0 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | ( ) | 238.0 | January 26 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 10 | Peru, Department of Amazonas, Peru | VII (Very strong) | 104.2 | April 12 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 0 | Iran, Sistan and Baluchistan Province | VII (Very strong) | 64.0 | April 18 |
| 10 | 7.0 | 0 | Guatemala, off the west coast | VII (Very strong) | 67.1 | December 2 |
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 |
| 1 | Bolivia, La Paz Department (Bolivia) | 6.3 | 172.0 | | | | |
| 8 | Tonga | 6.4 | 33.0 | | | | |
| 16 | Papua New Guinea, off the east coast | 6.7 | 234.9 | IV | Some damage was caused to communications systems. | | |
| 17 | Greece, Ionian Islands | 7.0 | 14.3 | VIII | Some damage was caused. | | |
| 24 | Mexico, off the coast of Oaxaca | 6.3 | 56.8 | VII | Some damage was caused. | | |
| 24 | India, Andaman Islands | 6.8 | 78.0 | VI | | | |
| 26 | New Zealand, Kermadec Islands | 7.0 | 238.0 | | | | |

### 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 |
| 12 | Philippines, southeast of Mindanao | 6.3 | 51.0 | IV | | | |
| 13 | China, Xinjiang Province | 6.2 | 16.1 | VIII | 2 injuries were reported as well as damage. | | 2 |
| 13 | United States, north of Guam | 5.7 | 105.0 | IV | 1 person was injured and minor damage was reported. | | 1 |
| 14 | United States, southeast of Alaska Peninsula | 6.5 | 47.0 | V | | | |
| 20 | Philippines, southeast of Mindanao | 6.4 | 60.5 | IV | | | |
| 25 | Yugoslavia, Skopje Statistical Region, Macedonia SR | 4.7 | 24.4 | VII | 12 people died after suffering heart attacks. Some damage was reported with costs reaching $500,000 (1983 rate). | 12 | |
| 25 | Chile, Arica y Parinacota Region | 6.9 | 146.0 | VI | Minor damage was caused. | | |
| 26 | Soviet Union, Districts under Central Government Jurisdiction, Tajikistan | 5.3 | 49.2 | VII | Major damage was caused. | | |
| 27 | Japan, Chiba Prefecture, Honshu | 5.9 | 78.3 | V | 11 people were injured. | | 11 |

### 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 | Venezuela, off the coast of Sucre (state) | 5.9 | 82.4 | IV | 10 people were injured whilst evacuating buildings. | | 10 |
| 10 | Soviet Union, Kuril Islands, Russia | 6.2 | 33.0 | | | | |
| 12 | Indonesia, south of Ambon Island | 6.0 | 33.0 | V | Foreshock to following event. | | |
| 12 | Indonesia, south of Ambon Island | 6.7 | 16.9 | VI | Some damage was reported. A tsunami was observed locally. | | |
| 15 | Japan, Shizuoka Prefecture, Honshu | 5.3 | 43.2 | IV | 1 person was killed and 2 were injured. Some damage was reported. | 1 | 2 |
| 15 | Philippines, southeast of Mindanao | 6.7 | 41.0 | IV | | | |
| 18 | Papua New Guinea, southeast of New Ireland (island) | 7.6 | 88.8 | VII | Property damage and landslides were caused by the shaking. A tsunami was observed in the area. | | |
| 20 | Papua New Guinea, southeast of New Ireland (island) | 6.4 | 80.1 | VI | Aftershock of March 18 event. | | |
| 21 | Tonga, southwest of Tongatapu | 6.7 | 68.0 | VI | | | |
| 23 | Greece, Ionian Islands | 6.4 | 19.1 | VII | 7 people were injured. 160 homes sustained damage. Aftershock of January 17 event. | | 7 |
| 25 | Iran, Mazandaran Province | 5.2 | 33.0 | IV | 30 people were killed and 61 were hurt. Many homes were damaged with costs reaching $5 million (1983 rate). | 30 | 61 |
| 31 | Colombia, Cauca Department | 5.5 | 22.2 | VIII | Despite the moderate magnitude the 1983 Popayan earthquake caused major destruction in the area. Up to 350 people died and 1,200 were injured. $410.9 million (1983 rate) worth of damage was caused. | 350 | 1,200 |

### 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 |
| 3 | Costa Rica, 12 North of Golfito | 7.1 | 37.0 | VII | 5 people died from heart attacks, another was killed from a collapsed building and 4 people were injured. | 6 | 4 |
| 4 | Indonesia, 68 km Southwest of Sabang | 6.9 | 78.5 | VII | Some damage in Banda Aceh | - | - |
| 4 | Russian SFSR, Kuril Islands | 6.5 | 51.0 | V | - | - | - |
| 8 | Yemen, Owen fracture zone | 6.7 | 10.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 12 | Peru, 92 km northeast of La Peca | 7.0 | 104.2 | VII | - | - | - |
| 18 | Iran, Saravan | 7.0 | 64.0 | VII | - | - | - |
| 24 | Solomon Islands, 124 km Southeast of Gizo | 6.4 | 12.4 | VII | - | - | - |
| 30 | Japan, Hokkaido | 6.5 | 30.4 | V | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 2 | United States, California | 6.7 | 9.6 | VIII | The 1983 Coalinga earthquake destroyed an 8-story building in Coalinga, 94 people were injured. | - | 94 |
| 10 | Papua New Guinea, Kimbe | 6.5 | 112.4 | VI | - | - | - |
| 10 | Papua New Guinea, Kokopo | 6.7 | 71.6 | VI | - | - | - |
| 15 | Tonga, 168 km Northwest of Pangai | 6.5 | 33.0 | I | - | - | - |
| 26 | Japan, Japanese Sea | 7.4 | 23.7 | VII | The 1983 Sea of Japan earthquake was One of the largest earthquakes in 1983, 104 people were killed and 324 were injured. | 104 | 324 |

### 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 |
| 1 | Tonga, 147 km Southwest of Hihifo | 6.6 | 179.6 | II | - | - | - |
| 9 | Japan, Southern Hokkaido | 6.3 | 28.0 | V | This Was an Aftershock to the 7.8 earthquake on May 26. | - | - |
| 21 | Japan, 122 km Northwest of Hokkaido | 6.7 | 9.9 | V | An aftershock to the 7.8 earthquake on May 26, some damage was caused and a 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in) high tsunami was observed. | - | - |
| 21 | Taiwan, Chinese Sea | 6.4 | 36.9 | V | - | - | - |
| 24 | Vietnam, 45 km Northeast of Dien Bien Phu | 6.3 | 18.4 | VII | – | - | - |

### 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 |
| 3 | Costa Rica, 17 km South of Pejibaye | 6.5 | 33.0 | VII | 2 people were killed and 60 were injured. | 2 | 60 |
| 5 | France, Southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia | 6.5 | 33.0 | III | - | - | - |
| 5 | Turkey, 10 km North of Biga | 6.1 | 10.0 | IX | The 1983 Biga earthquake Killed 5 People and Injured 26 More. | 5 | 26 |
| 11 | United Kingdom, South Shetland Islands | 6.9 | 10.0 | IV | - | - | - |
| 12 | United States, 37 km Northwest of Tatitlek, Alaska | 6.6 | 37.0 | VI | Some Damage Occurred in Valdez | - | - |
| 24 | Soviet Union, 82 km North of Yelizovo, Russia | 6.2 | 180.4 | IV | - | - | - |
| 24 | Indonesia, 49 km North of Komodo | 6.4 | 48.1 | VI | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 6 | Greece, Aegean Sea | 6.8 | 2.4 | VII | Some Damage Occurred to Buildings | - | - |
| 17 | Russia, Kamchatka | 7.1 | 62.6 | VII | - | - | - |
| 17 | Philippines, 16 km Northeast of Piddig | 6.5 | 28.8 | VIII | 16 people were killed and 47 people were injured. | 16 | 47 |
| 25 | Japan, Hiroshima | 6.5 | 126.4 | V | One Person was Injured and Some Landslides Occurred. | - | 1 |
| 30 | Tonga, 201 Southeast of Hihifo | 6.1 | 38.7 | IV | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 7 | United States, 46 km Northwest of Tatitlek, Alaska | 6.4 | 45.0 | VI | Some Damage Occurred in Anchorage. | - | - |
| 12 | Afghanistan, Badakhshan | 6.2 | 208.8 | IV | Some Damage Occurred in Kashmir, Pakistan. | - | - |
| 15 | Mexico, Chiapas | 6.3 | 115.2 | V | - | - | - |
| 17 | Wallis and Futuna | 6.7 | 33.0 | IV | - | - | - |

### 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 |
| 4 | Chile, Atacama Region | 7.4 | 14.8 | VIII | At least 5 people were killed, and 24 people were injured. | 5 | 24 |
| 6 | Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, 94 km southeast of Kurchatov | 6.0 | 1.0 | II | This earthquake was caused by an Underground nuclear explosion | - | - |
| 15 | Solomon Islands offshore, 58 km West of Gizo | 6.5 | 7.4 | VI | - | - | - |
| 16 | Indonesia, 231 Northwest of Gorontalo | 6.5 | 40.1 | VII | At least 17 buildings had collapsed in the epicentral area. | - | - |
| 22 | United Kingdom, South Sandwich Islands | 7.2 | 24.0 | VI | - | - | - |
| 28 | United States, Idaho | 6.9 | 10.0 | IX | The 1983 Borah Peak earthquake was the largest earthquake ever recorded in Idaho, 2 people were killed with an equal amount injured. | 2 | 2 |
| 30 | Turkey, 27 km East of Narman | 6.8 | 11.6 | IX | The 1983 Erzurum earthquake completely destroyed 50 villages in Erzurum and Kars, 1,342 people were Killed and 534 people were injured. | 1,342 | 534 |