September 1, 1968 Earthquake: Ferdow, Iran
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Ferdow, Iran on September 1, 1968 at 07:27 UTC, 15 km below the surface. It killed 700 people.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- September 1, 1968
- Time
- 07:27 UTC
- Place
- Ferdow, Iran
- Magnitude
- 6.2 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 15 km (9 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 34.000° N, 58.200° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- 700
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 1,500
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
September 1, 1968, 07:27 UTC, 34 N. 58.2 E, magnitude 5.9 mb, 6.5 Ms, depth 15 km. At Ferdows, already damaged by the first shock, the greatest destruction was caused by the aftershock on 1 September, whose epicentre was very close to the town; 1,500 houses out of a total of 2,300 were totally destroyed and at least 700 persons were killed. (reference #1039)
September 1, 1968, 07:27 UTC, magnitude 6.4, Ferdows, 1000 killed. (reference #3937)
September 1, 1968, magnitude 6.4 (Ms) and 6.2 (Mw), Ferdows, 1000 killed, 300 injured, 2100 houses destroyed. (reference #12864)
1968 Sept 01, 07:27:32.65 UTC, 34.021 N 58.178 E, magnitude 6.2 (Mw). (reference #10476)
Note: effects may include earthquake of 1968 Sept 01 at 19:16:37 UTC, 34.176 N 58.256 E, magnitude 5.2
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 16, 1978, Tabas, Iran
- October 21, 1336, Khaf, Iran
- August 31, 1968, Dasht-E-Bayaz, Iran
- January 30, 1549, Qayen (Qain),khorasan, Iran
- May 10, 1997, Birjand, Ghaen, Afghanistan, Iran
- December 19, 1618, Dughabad,khorasan, Iran
- February 16, 1941, Mohammadabad, Iran
- September 23, 1947, Dustabad, Iran
- December 14, 1925, Bajestan, Iran
- September 25, 1903, Kashmar, Iran
- November 14, 1979, Khorasan, Iran
- January 16, 1979, Bonzanabad, Iran
- April 1, 1962, Mussavieh, Iran
- November 27, 1979, Iran
- November 7, 1976, Khorasan Province, Iran
More
Significant earthquakes of 1968The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1968Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 4459.