March 24, 1978 Earthquake: Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan on March 24, 1978 at 21:05:48 UTC, 33 km below the surface.
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
- March 24, 1978
- Time
- 21:05:48 UTC
- Place
- Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan
- Magnitude
- 7.1 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 42.839° N, 78.606° E
- Country
- Kazakhstan
The toll
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
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.
Damage (VIII) in Northeastern Kyrgyzstan. Seiche on Lake Issyk-Kul.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 3, 1911, Alma-Ata, Turkestan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
- December 1, 2003, Zhaosu, Xinjiang, China
- February 11, 1969, Wushi, Xinjiang Province, China
- January 22, 2024, Xinjiang Province, Kazakhstan, China
- July 11, 1889, Cilik, Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan
- June 5, 1970, Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan
- 250 BC, Chiguchin, Kyrgyzstan
- February 14, 2005, Wushi, Xinjiang Province, China
- June 8, 1887, Vernensk, Kazakhstan
- January 24, 1987, Xingjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Province, Wushi, China
- 500, Kazakhstan
More
Significant earthquakes of 1978The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1978Recent 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 4799.