September 16, 1978 Earthquake: Tabas, Iran
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Tabas, Iran on September 16, 1978 at 15:35:55 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It killed 20,000 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 16, 1978
- Time
- 15:35:55 UTC
- Place
- Tabas, Iran
- Magnitude
- 7.4 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Intensity
- 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 33.205° N, 57.478° E
- Country
- Iran
The toll
- Deaths
- 20,000
- Damage
- $50 million
- Houses destroyed
- 15,000
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 16, 1978, 15:35:56.6 UTC, 33.386 N, 57.434 E, depth 33 km, magnitude 6.5 mb, 7.4 MS. Estimated death toll 15,000. Extensive damage was reported in Tabas and other surrounding areas. (reference #1053).
September 16, 1978, 15:35:55.42 UTC, 33.2050 N, 57.478 E, magnitude 7.35 Mw. (reference #10476)
September 16, 1978, Tabas, Iran, 25,000 killed, $50 million damage. (reference #1250)
September 16, 1978, Iran, 20,000 deaths and $11 million damage. (reference #1231)
September 16, 1978, Tabas, Iran, 20,000 killed, $11 million damage. (reference #1051)
September 16, 1978, Tabas-e-Golshan region, magnitude 7.4, 20000 killed, MMI IX, 90 villages destroyed, 15000 houses destroyed. (reference #12864)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 31, 1968, Dasht-E-Bayaz, Iran
- January 30, 1549, Qayen (Qain),khorasan, Iran
- February 16, 1941, Mohammadabad, Iran
- September 1, 1968, Ferdow, Iran
- September 23, 1947, Dustabad, Iran
- December 14, 1925, Bajestan, Iran
- April 1, 1962, Mussavieh, Iran
- November 7, 1976, Khorasan Province, Iran
- December 5, 2012, Khorasan Province, Iran
- November 28, 1933, Bahabad,aliabad,rahimabad,khairabad, Iran
- February 10, 1946, Giv (SE Birjand), Iran
- March 31, 1066, Khorasan, Iran
- August 24, 1237, Gonabad (Dasht-E-Bayaz-Gonabad), Iran
- February 23, 1678, Gonabad, Iran
- 1918, Bajestan, 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 4815.