August 23, 1980 Earthquake: Kashmir, India
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck Kashmir, India on August 23, 1980 at 21:36:51 UTC, 25 km below the surface. It killed 15 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
- August 23, 1980
- Time
- 21:36:51 UTC
- Place
- Kashmir, India
- Magnitude
- 4.9 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 25 km (16 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 32.913° N, 75.633° E
- Country
- India
The toll
- Deaths
- 15
- Injuries
- 40
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Many (101 to 1,000)
- Houses damaged
- Many (101 to 1,000)
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.
Fifteen people killed. At least 40 injured and many houses damaged in the Bhaddu area. Kashmire. Felt in northern India and in the Lahore-Peshawar area, Pakistan. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 4, 1905, Kangra, India
- May 30, 1885, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
- June 26, 1828, Kashmir, India
- September 26, 1827, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
- September 2, 1963, SW, Kashmir, India
- September 24, 2019, Mirpur District, Pakistan
- April 26, 1986, Dharmsala, Lahore, Pakistan, Kashmir, India
- May 1, 2013, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Kashmir, India
- March 10, 2006, Mirpur District, Pakistan
- August 20, 2024, Kupwara, Kashmir, India
- August 23, 1980, Kashmir, India
- June 13, 2023, Kishtwar, Kashmir, India
- May 19, 2009, Kashmir, India
- August 2, 2013, Kishtwar, Kashmir, India
- September 1555, Srinagar, Kashmir, India
More
Significant earthquakes of 1980The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1980Recent 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 4892.