December 14, 1978 Earthquake: Masjed-E-Soleyman, Iran
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Masjed-E-Soleyman, Iran on December 14, 1978 at 07:05:21 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It killed 76 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
- December 14, 1978
- Time
- 07:05:21 UTC
- Place
- Masjed-E-Soleyman, Iran
- Magnitude
- 6.1 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 32.112° N, 49.680° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- 76
- Injuries
- Some (about 51 to 100)
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 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.
Reference #1053 lists 76 deaths.
Reference #1250 lists 45 deaths.
Reference #12864 lists 60 deaths, 52 injuries.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 6, 1977, Naghan,ardal,jaghdan,dastgerd,kordan,sarmur, Iran
- March 31, 2006, Borujerd, Dorud, Western, Iran
- May 15, 1344, Esfahan, Iran
- July 15, 1929, Masjed Soleyman,andarkah, Iran
- March 4, 1992, Lordegan Ardal Area, Iran
- June 27, 1961, Iran
- September 21, 1975, Sarpir,dorahan,deh Bagh, Iran
- July 8, 2019, Masjed-E Soleyman, Iran
- September 25, 2002, Masjed-E Soleyman, Iran
- December 5, 2024, Khuzestan, Iran
- December 11, 2003, Masjed-E- Soleyman, Western, Iran
- November 20, 2007, Qal' Eh-Ye Tol, Khuzestan, Western, Iran
- November 19, 2004, Western Iran
- June 30, 1963, Western Iran
- January 16, 2010, Arrjan, Khuzestan, Iran
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 4821.