November 4, 1978 Earthquake: Rasht, Siahbil, Iran
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Rasht, Siahbil, Iran on November 4, 1978 at 15:22:19 UTC, 34 km below the surface. It killed 26 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
- November 4, 1978
- Time
- 15:22:19 UTC
- Place
- Rasht, Siahbil, Iran
- Magnitude
- 6.3 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 34 km (21 mi)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 37.684° N, 48.996° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- 26
- Damage
- $1.2 million
- Houses destroyed
- 541
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.
Felt in the Rasht-Zanjan area.magnitude 6 (Ms). (reference #1053)
1978 Nov 04, Siahbil region, magnitude 6 (Ms) and 6.1 (Mw), MMI VII, 26 killed, 20 villages destroyed, 541 houses destroyed, 1.2 million USD in loss. (reference #12864)
1978 Nov 04, 15:22:19.38 UTC, 37.684 N 48.996 E, magnitude 6.33 (Mw). (reference #10476)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- June 20, 1990, Rasht, Qazvin, Zanjan, Rudbar, Manjil, Iran
- May 4, 1639, Qazvin, Iran
- April 20, 1608, Gilan, W Mazandaran, Iran
- March 22, 1879, Bozqush, Ardabil, Gamrud, Tark, Manan, Iran
- February 28, 1997, Ardabil, Iran
- January 3, 1864, Lenkoran, Niar, Ardabil, Azerbaijan, Iran
- December 1863, Nir,ardabil, Iran
- January 2, 1896, Sangabad (Senjabad), Iran
- June 21, 1990, Lowshan, Manjil, Iran
- February 10, 1965, Northwestern Iran
- September 21, 1958, Iran
- November 7, 2019, Miyaneh, Iran
- July 22, 1983, NW, Zanjin, Iran
- November 28, 1991, Rudbar, Rasht, Iran
- July 22, 1980, Lahijan, Rasht, 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 10552.